Pitt County Memorial Hospital
Encyclopedia
Pitt County Memorial Hospital (PCMH) is a hospital
located in Greenville
, North Carolina
. It is the flagship teaching hospital
for the University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina
and is affiliated with the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
. PCMH is the only trauma center east of Raleigh
. PCMH is licensed for 861 beds and had 39,360 admissions in fiscal year 2009. Of the 861 beds, 734 are general beds, 75 are rehab beds, and 52 are psychiatric beds. The hospital has 35 operating rooms: 26 rooms are Shared Inpatient/Ambulatory Surgery; four rooms are C-Section; three rooms are Other Inpatient; two rooms are Endoscopy.
It was known as Pitt Community Hospital when it was created. The facility was located near downtown Greenville. In 1934, it changed to Pitt General Hospital. It received its current name in 1949, and moved to west Greenville in 1951. It moved again to its current location in 1977.
On August 17, 2011, it was announced PCMH will change their name to UHS Medical Center. The change will occur on October 1, 2011.
PCMH is the largest employer in North Carolina east of Raleigh
and 20th overall in the state.
PCH made its first move to a permanent home at the intersection of Johnston and Woodlawn Streets, east of downtown. The three-story hospital had 42 beds and two full-time physicians, with 16 nurses. From its opening, the hospital served as a place to train nurses. In 1930 a physcian from Wilmington
, T.M. Watson, started a practice for infants and children. By 1933-34, the Watson children's ward was built. Two additional wings were added to the east end to increase the bed capacity by 14 in 1935. In September 1935, the hospital split into two divisions to qualify for the Duke Endowment. Pitt Community Hospital became the professional division and Pitt General Hospital, became a non-profit organization. The Duke Endowment provided $1 per day for each charity patient. By 1939 an increase in patient admissions indicated that a new hospital would need to be built. It closed in 1951, once the new hospital opened.
and laboratory equipment and eight more beds were added in two new wings. In 1940, the county commissioners made plans to purchase Pitt General, but World War II
interrupted the plans. The Hill-Burton Act
of 1946 provided the stimulus to construct a new hospital. Pitt County voters approved a $351,900 bond issue in 1947 to help with construction. A 17 acres (68,796.6 m²) tract of land on the western edge of town was donated by the Jesse Moye family. Construction began on March 21, 1949.
With help from both the bond and federal grants, construction began on the new hospital in 1974. A year later, the hospital and the medical school signed a joint affiliation agreement. The new hospital on a 100 acre (0.404686 km²) site opened in April 1977 with 355-beds. A larger rehabilitation center and the first class of the four-year medical students also started that year. A neonatal intensive care unit
was established and East Carolina University
(ECU) opened the Family Practice Center in 1978. A year later, a cardiac catheterization lab
opened. The first kidney transplant was performed here in 1981 and the 138-bed West tower opened a year later. Level II trauma designation was achieved in 1983. The hospital performed its first open heart surgery
in 1984. EastCare
, the medical ground
and helicopter
transport, Level I trauma designation, Magnetic resonance imaging
and laser surgery all began in 1985. The School of Medicine's and the hospital's pediatric services were all consolidated to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Carolina in 1986. By 1987, the hospital employed 2,300 people with 560 beds. The Ronald McDonald House began construction that year.
During the 1990s, the 143-bed North Tower was constructed. Also, a new Heart Center, a 12-bed pediatric intensive care unit
and a family birthing center were all built during the decade. Off site, the outpatient SurgiCenter opened. In the mid-1990s, hospital administrators realized the only way for the hospital to survive in the dynamic health-care environment that a change was needed. Privatization was a way to streamline the decision-making process to make it more competitive against other hospitals. A vocal group of residents did not want the hospital to change from public to private. The county commissioners decided for privatization by a narrow margin. The hospital went from a public, not-for-profit to private not-for-profit in 1998. PCMH came under the umbrella of University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina
(UHS) in 1999; UHS manages or owns eight hospitals in eastern North Carolina.. That year, the hospital employed 4,150. The Wellness Center opened in 2000 and the first successful procedure in the United States using the da Vinci Surgical System
was performed by Randolph Chitwood
. It was the second such procedure in the world. EastCare purchased its second helicopter and the hospital began construction of a four-story emergency department with a roof helipad that year. The Gamma Knife was brought to the hospital in 2005. PCMH was designated a primary stroke center in 2007 by the Joint Commission. It is the only primary stroke center east of Interstate 95
. The East Carolina Heart Institute at PCMH, a way to reshape cardiovascular health in the state, was opened in 2009. That year, the hospital employed 7,373.
In September 2010, a new interfaith chapel opened. The $2.3 million cost all came from private donations. The facility includes a 100-seat chapel, several meditation rooms and an outdoor reflecting pool.
in eastern North Carolina. The hospital was created in February 1986 when the School of Medicine and the hospitals pediatric services were all consolidated. It sees over 42,000 pediatric patients a year.
Before the Children's Hospital was created, approximately 24 beds were designated for pediatric patients and two beds in the newborn nursery were reserved as neonatal intensive care beds when the new hospital opened in April 1977. On July 1, 1978, a 33-bed neonatal intensive care unit was opened; in February 1985 a new pediatric intensive care unit
(PICU) was constructed; in 1986 the Children's Hospital officially opened. A 12-bed PICU was completed in February 1995. The hospital operates under the "hospital within a hospital" concept. The hospital contains a 122 bed. Fifty beds are for the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a 16-bed convalescent nursery, and a high-risk obstetrical delivery service. Also, there are 42-beds for a New Born Nursery, 32-beds for Pediatrics, and 12-beds for a PICU. Over 6,500 children under the age of 17 are treated each year.
A program housed in the hospital is Center for Children with Complex and Chronic Conditions (C5). C5 is a joint venture with the hospital and The Brody School of Medicine. The program promote optimal health, growth, development, safety, comfort and overall well-being for children with special health care needs. The hospital houses the inpatient, while an outside BSOM facility houses the outpatient functions. The program combines multiple fields of study including physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, a respiratory therapist, a social worker and a child life specialist
. The teams works with medically weak and machine-dependent children. The program is funded through The Duke Endowment.
In September 2007 it was announced that a new children's hospital would be built. The Children's Hospital is expanding starting in 2010. The three phase project will be a free standing building. It will initially have four floors and will support future growth to six floors. The first phase for the $48.2 million project is expected to be completed in July 2013. It will increase the current Children's Hospital by 78000 square feet (7,246.4 m²). The overall theme will be aquatic will waves, bubbles and fishes.
The first floor will include a Ronald McDonald suite
for patients families, exam rooms, nine-bed Medical/Day unit for outpatient services and a theater. Also included will be a pediatric radiology department that will house ultrasound imaging, radiology
, fluoroscopy
and other interventions, pediatric observation unit and a family resource center. The lobby will have testing center, a café, gift shop and breastfeeding support rooms. A play/therapy yard will include swings, basketball court, climbing structures and picnic tables.
The second floor will have a 21 private bed convalescent
newborn unit and a six-bed Kids Immunosuppressed Special Unit with a controlled environment for children with cancer, blood disorders, sickle cell disease, kidney disorders and other illnesses that compromise the immune system.
Along with the new addition to the Children's Hospital, PCMH is designing a pediatric emergency department. It will be a 13000 square feet (1,207.7 m²) area near the existing emergency department. It will include 15 general pediatric emergency rooms, a dedicated resuscitation room, lobby area, ambulance entry and staff/support space. The $8 million project is scheduled for completion in April 2012.
On May 17, 2011, James Maynard
, founder of Golden Corral
, and his wife Connie donated $10.5 million to the children's hospital. Nine million will go to the children's hospital itself, while the other $1.5 million will fund a distinguished professorship in the Department of Pediatrics. The new hospital will be named after them.
The hospital is apart of the Children's Miracle network. Dr. Ronald Perkin and Dr. David Rodeberg serve as co-directors.
The Cardiac Intensive Care Unit received the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence for Spring 2009–2010. The award comes from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.
and the American Stroke Association awarded PCMH with the 2010 Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold-Plus and Silver in the Heart Failure category, recognizing PCMH for maintaining high-quality stroke care for at least 24 consecutive months. It is the only hospital east of Interstate 95
recognized for it. PCMH and UHS has been one of the most highly integrated health care networks for the past seven consecutive years. Working Mother magazine named PCMH one of the top 100 companies for working mothers in 2009.
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
located in Greenville
Greenville, North Carolina
Greenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's Tidewater and Coastal Plain and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North Carolina...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. It is the flagship teaching hospital
Teaching hospital
A teaching hospital is a hospital that provides clinical education and training to future and current doctors, nurses, and other health professionals, in addition to delivering medical care to patients...
for the University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina
University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina
University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina is a non-profit hospital system made up of eight hospitals in 29 counties in Eastern North Carolina. UHS leases or owns seven and manages one hospital. It also includes physician practices, home health, hospice, wellness centers and other health care...
and is affiliated with the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
. PCMH is the only trauma center east of Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. PCMH is licensed for 861 beds and had 39,360 admissions in fiscal year 2009. Of the 861 beds, 734 are general beds, 75 are rehab beds, and 52 are psychiatric beds. The hospital has 35 operating rooms: 26 rooms are Shared Inpatient/Ambulatory Surgery; four rooms are C-Section; three rooms are Other Inpatient; two rooms are Endoscopy.
It was known as Pitt Community Hospital when it was created. The facility was located near downtown Greenville. In 1934, it changed to Pitt General Hospital. It received its current name in 1949, and moved to west Greenville in 1951. It moved again to its current location in 1977.
On August 17, 2011, it was announced PCMH will change their name to UHS Medical Center. The change will occur on October 1, 2011.
PCMH is the largest employer in North Carolina east of Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
and 20th overall in the state.
Origins
Pitt Community Hospital (PCH), the precursor to Pitt County Memorial Hospital, was the vision of Greenville physician, Charles Laughinghouse. In 1923, he and three other physicians raised $85,000 to build the privately-owned PCH. The hospital created a relationship with East Carolina Teachers' Training School. The first home of PCH came in 1924. It was temporarily located in Downtown Greenville, above H.L. Hodges' Hardware Store, at 210 East Fifth Street. On September 7, 1923, more than 800 people attended a reception honoring the hospital. The first night, Pitt County had its first surgical operation, an appendectomy.PCH made its first move to a permanent home at the intersection of Johnston and Woodlawn Streets, east of downtown. The three-story hospital had 42 beds and two full-time physicians, with 16 nurses. From its opening, the hospital served as a place to train nurses. In 1930 a physcian from Wilmington
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
, T.M. Watson, started a practice for infants and children. By 1933-34, the Watson children's ward was built. Two additional wings were added to the east end to increase the bed capacity by 14 in 1935. In September 1935, the hospital split into two divisions to qualify for the Duke Endowment. Pitt Community Hospital became the professional division and Pitt General Hospital, became a non-profit organization. The Duke Endowment provided $1 per day for each charity patient. By 1939 an increase in patient admissions indicated that a new hospital would need to be built. It closed in 1951, once the new hospital opened.
Early expansions
By 1934, the hospital was renamed Pitt General Hospital and a children’s ward was added. X-rayX-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
and laboratory equipment and eight more beds were added in two new wings. In 1940, the county commissioners made plans to purchase Pitt General, but World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
interrupted the plans. The Hill-Burton Act
Hill-Burton Act
The Hospital Survey and Construction Act is a U.S. federal law passed in 1946, during the 79th United States Congress...
of 1946 provided the stimulus to construct a new hospital. Pitt County voters approved a $351,900 bond issue in 1947 to help with construction. A 17 acres (68,796.6 m²) tract of land on the western edge of town was donated by the Jesse Moye family. Construction began on March 21, 1949.
Later expansions
In February 1951, Pitt County Memorial Hospital was opened with 120 beds and named for the county’s World War II veterans. A few weeks before, on January 18, Secretary of the Army Kenneth Royall spoke at the dedication. A bond was passed in 1958 to increase the number of beds to 200. Its capacity was 205 by 1963, but the hospital was still too small. Local civic leaders, Charles Gaskins, Wilton Duke, and Joe Pou, helped facilitate the passage of a $9 million bond referendum for the construction of a new 350-bed hospital. The hospital employed approximately 80 physicians in 1972. The Department of Family Medicine was organized a year later.With help from both the bond and federal grants, construction began on the new hospital in 1974. A year later, the hospital and the medical school signed a joint affiliation agreement. The new hospital on a 100 acre (0.404686 km²) site opened in April 1977 with 355-beds. A larger rehabilitation center and the first class of the four-year medical students also started that year. A neonatal intensive care unit
Neonatal intensive care unit
A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit —also called a Special Care Nursery, newborn intensive care unit, intensive care nursery , and special care baby unit —is an intensive care unit specializing in the care of ill or premature newborn infants.The problem of premature and congenitally ill infants is not a...
was established and East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
(ECU) opened the Family Practice Center in 1978. A year later, a cardiac catheterization lab
Cardiac catheterization
Cardiac catheterization is the insertion of a catheter into a chamber or vessel of the heart. This is done for both investigational and interventional purposes...
opened. The first kidney transplant was performed here in 1981 and the 138-bed West tower opened a year later. Level II trauma designation was achieved in 1983. The hospital performed its first open heart surgery
Open Heart Surgery
Open Heart Surgery was released on August 8, 2000 by rock band Virginwool. The band signed to Breaking/Atlantic Records after initially beginning signed to Universal Records. The album was produced and mixed by Brad Wood....
in 1984. EastCare
EastCare
EastCare is the critical care mobile air and ground transport of University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina at Pitt County Memorial Hospital . It serves 29 counties in Eastern North Carolina and extends into Virginia. It is sponsored by PCMH and The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina...
, the medical ground
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
and helicopter
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
transport, Level I trauma designation, Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
and laser surgery all began in 1985. The School of Medicine's and the hospital's pediatric services were all consolidated to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Carolina in 1986. By 1987, the hospital employed 2,300 people with 560 beds. The Ronald McDonald House began construction that year.
During the 1990s, the 143-bed North Tower was constructed. Also, a new Heart Center, a 12-bed pediatric intensive care unit
Pediatric intensive care unit
A pediatric intensive care unit , usually abbreviated to PICU , is an area within a hospital specializing in the care of critically ill infants, children, and teenagers....
and a family birthing center were all built during the decade. Off site, the outpatient SurgiCenter opened. In the mid-1990s, hospital administrators realized the only way for the hospital to survive in the dynamic health-care environment that a change was needed. Privatization was a way to streamline the decision-making process to make it more competitive against other hospitals. A vocal group of residents did not want the hospital to change from public to private. The county commissioners decided for privatization by a narrow margin. The hospital went from a public, not-for-profit to private not-for-profit in 1998. PCMH came under the umbrella of University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina
University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina
University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina is a non-profit hospital system made up of eight hospitals in 29 counties in Eastern North Carolina. UHS leases or owns seven and manages one hospital. It also includes physician practices, home health, hospice, wellness centers and other health care...
(UHS) in 1999; UHS manages or owns eight hospitals in eastern North Carolina.. That year, the hospital employed 4,150. The Wellness Center opened in 2000 and the first successful procedure in the United States using the da Vinci Surgical System
Da Vinci Surgical System
The Da Vinci Surgical System is a robotic surgical system made by Intuitive Surgical and designed to facilitate complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach...
was performed by Randolph Chitwood
Randolph Chitwood
Walter Randolph "Randy" Chitwood, Jr. is a cardiothoracic surgeon at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University located in Greenville, North Carolina....
. It was the second such procedure in the world. EastCare purchased its second helicopter and the hospital began construction of a four-story emergency department with a roof helipad that year. The Gamma Knife was brought to the hospital in 2005. PCMH was designated a primary stroke center in 2007 by the Joint Commission. It is the only primary stroke center east of Interstate 95
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
. The East Carolina Heart Institute at PCMH, a way to reshape cardiovascular health in the state, was opened in 2009. That year, the hospital employed 7,373.
In September 2010, a new interfaith chapel opened. The $2.3 million cost all came from private donations. The facility includes a 100-seat chapel, several meditation rooms and an outdoor reflecting pool.
Maynard Children's Hospital
The James and Connie Maynard Children's Hospital is the only children's hospitalChildren's hospital
A children's hospital is a hospital which offers its services exclusively to children . The number of children's hospitals proliferated in the 20th century, as pediatric medical and surgical specialties separated from internal medicine and adult surgical specialties...
in eastern North Carolina. The hospital was created in February 1986 when the School of Medicine and the hospitals pediatric services were all consolidated. It sees over 42,000 pediatric patients a year.
Before the Children's Hospital was created, approximately 24 beds were designated for pediatric patients and two beds in the newborn nursery were reserved as neonatal intensive care beds when the new hospital opened in April 1977. On July 1, 1978, a 33-bed neonatal intensive care unit was opened; in February 1985 a new pediatric intensive care unit
Pediatric intensive care unit
A pediatric intensive care unit , usually abbreviated to PICU , is an area within a hospital specializing in the care of critically ill infants, children, and teenagers....
(PICU) was constructed; in 1986 the Children's Hospital officially opened. A 12-bed PICU was completed in February 1995. The hospital operates under the "hospital within a hospital" concept. The hospital contains a 122 bed. Fifty beds are for the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a 16-bed convalescent nursery, and a high-risk obstetrical delivery service. Also, there are 42-beds for a New Born Nursery, 32-beds for Pediatrics, and 12-beds for a PICU. Over 6,500 children under the age of 17 are treated each year.
A program housed in the hospital is Center for Children with Complex and Chronic Conditions (C5). C5 is a joint venture with the hospital and The Brody School of Medicine. The program promote optimal health, growth, development, safety, comfort and overall well-being for children with special health care needs. The hospital houses the inpatient, while an outside BSOM facility houses the outpatient functions. The program combines multiple fields of study including physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, a respiratory therapist, a social worker and a child life specialist
Child life specialist
Child life specialists are pediatric health care professionals who work with patients, their family and others involved in the child’s care in order to help them manage stress and understand medical and various procedures...
. The teams works with medically weak and machine-dependent children. The program is funded through The Duke Endowment.
In September 2007 it was announced that a new children's hospital would be built. The Children's Hospital is expanding starting in 2010. The three phase project will be a free standing building. It will initially have four floors and will support future growth to six floors. The first phase for the $48.2 million project is expected to be completed in July 2013. It will increase the current Children's Hospital by 78000 square feet (7,246.4 m²). The overall theme will be aquatic will waves, bubbles and fishes.
The first floor will include a Ronald McDonald suite
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities is an independent 501c3 organization whose mission is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well being of children across the world...
for patients families, exam rooms, nine-bed Medical/Day unit for outpatient services and a theater. Also included will be a pediatric radiology department that will house ultrasound imaging, radiology
Radiology
Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...
, fluoroscopy
Fluoroscopy
Fluoroscopy is an imaging technique commonly used by physicians to obtain real-time moving images of the internal structures of a patient through the use of a fluoroscope. In its simplest form, a fluoroscope consists of an X-ray source and fluorescent screen between which a patient is placed...
and other interventions, pediatric observation unit and a family resource center. The lobby will have testing center, a café, gift shop and breastfeeding support rooms. A play/therapy yard will include swings, basketball court, climbing structures and picnic tables.
The second floor will have a 21 private bed convalescent
Convalescence
Convalescence is the gradual recovery and of health and strength after illness. It refers to the later stage of an infectious disease or illness when the patient recovers and returns to normal, but may continue to be a source of infection even if feeling better...
newborn unit and a six-bed Kids Immunosuppressed Special Unit with a controlled environment for children with cancer, blood disorders, sickle cell disease, kidney disorders and other illnesses that compromise the immune system.
Along with the new addition to the Children's Hospital, PCMH is designing a pediatric emergency department. It will be a 13000 square feet (1,207.7 m²) area near the existing emergency department. It will include 15 general pediatric emergency rooms, a dedicated resuscitation room, lobby area, ambulance entry and staff/support space. The $8 million project is scheduled for completion in April 2012.
On May 17, 2011, James Maynard
James Maynard
James H. Maynard is Chairman & CEO of the Investors Management Corporation, a holding company for food service and service industries, the largest of which is Golden Corral Corporation....
, founder of Golden Corral
Golden Corral
Golden Corral is an American family-style restaurant chain that features a large buffet and grill offering numerous hot and cold items, a carving station and their Brass Bell Bakery...
, and his wife Connie donated $10.5 million to the children's hospital. Nine million will go to the children's hospital itself, while the other $1.5 million will fund a distinguished professorship in the Department of Pediatrics. The new hospital will be named after them.
The hospital is apart of the Children's Miracle network. Dr. Ronald Perkin and Dr. David Rodeberg serve as co-directors.
Heart Institute
The East Carolina Heart Institute at PCMH opened in January 2009. The $160 million patient tower is six-story, 375000 square feet (34,838.6 m²) inpatient care facility is home to 120 inpatient cardiovascular beds, six operating rooms and 11 interventional laboratories. The sixth floor also covers Orthopedic inpatients with and without cardiovascular problems. It also has an in house Total Joint Program run by the hospitals Physical Therapy Department. ECU and PCMH reorganized their cardiovascular services, aligning them by disease processes rather than traditional academic disciplines. The move brings cardiologists, heart surgeons and vascular surgeons together and promises to increase communication. Its sister tower, East Carolina Heart Institute at ECU, is the education and outpatient care facility.The Cardiac Intensive Care Unit received the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence for Spring 2009–2010. The award comes from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.
Rankings
The American Heart AssociationAmerican Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
and the American Stroke Association awarded PCMH with the 2010 Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold-Plus and Silver in the Heart Failure category, recognizing PCMH for maintaining high-quality stroke care for at least 24 consecutive months. It is the only hospital east of Interstate 95
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
recognized for it. PCMH and UHS has been one of the most highly integrated health care networks for the past seven consecutive years. Working Mother magazine named PCMH one of the top 100 companies for working mothers in 2009.