RALEIGH (May 16, 2025) – If there’s any doubt about where North Carolina’s health-care needs are worst, they’re in rural North Carolina.
UNC System President Peter Hans highlighted the NC General Assembly’s investments last year in rural health care this week, pointing to collaboration between UNC Health, ECU Health and even Duke Health: $420 million:
• $50 million for a new behavioral health facility at East Carolina University;
• $105 million for new regional clinics in Buncombe, Caldwell and Wilson counties;
• $150 million for hospitals in Lenoir, Wayne, Onslow, Martin, Duplin and Rockingham counties;
• $105 million in additional state infrastructure investments; and
• $10 million to integrate the UNC Health and ECU Health networks.
“This is a significant investment,” Hans told a UNC Board of Governors committee Wednesday. “The fundamental need to ensure access to high-quality health care is critical.”
Hans said former Board of Governors Chair Randy Ramsey wanted the focus to be on rural health care, and ECU Chancellor Philip Rogers played a key role in winning significant legislative support.
He also noted the collaboration between UNC Health and Duke Health on a $2 billion new children’s hospital at a yet-to-be-named site in the Triangle. The state Senate’s budget proposal for 2025-27 includes at least $535 million in added funding for the hospital.1
“It’s going to be a world-class facility,” Hans said.
Harry Brown, a Board of Governors member and former Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee from Onslow County, said legislators have struggled for years to come up with ways to improve rural health care.
“It’s a good start,” Brown told the committee.
We complain a lot about legislators and what they don’t do for public education in North Carolina. But this is one very good thing they’ve done.
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