DestinationFAY

FAYETTEVILLE NC VA COASTAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM The Fayetteville Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Fayetteville VA Health Care Center are part of the Fayetteville NC VA Coastal Health Care System, one of the fastest-growing veteran health care systems in the nation with an enrollment of 80,000 veterans. The system includes one medical center in Fayetteville; two health-care centers in Fayetteville and Wilmington; 16 community- based outpatient clinics in outlying counties; and one jointly funded Veterans Affairs/ Department of Defense Rehabilitation Center serving active-duty military members and veterans in Fayetteville. In Cumberland County, veterans can receive care at one of several VA facilities that provide primary care, women's health services, mental health care, pharmacy services, surgery, imaging services, and medical and specialty services. The system partners with the North Carolina State Veterans Home, which operates a 150-bed, long-term nursing home behind Fayetteville VA Medical Center on Ramsey Street. Health care services offered at the Ramsey Street and Raeford Road locations include cardiology; dermatology; neurology; gastrointestinal, pulmonary, gynecological, urological, and orthopedic care; and general surgery. The Fayetteville VA Dialysis Center, at 2301 Robeson St., provides kidney care. For more information, call the VA Medical Center on Ramsey Street at 910-488-2120, the Raeford Road facility at 910-488-2120 or 800-771-6106, or the VA Dialysis Center at 910-483-9727. Here's to your health Hospital systems expand programs to meet the region's growing care needs. BY JA M I M CL AU G H LIN C ape Fear Valley Health, which has eight hospitals in the region, continues to expand its health care services. In the past year, it has opened a five-story education tower and announced plans to establish a medical school in a partnership with Methodist University. Overall, the system has more than 1,000 beds and sees more than 1 million patients annually. e private, not-for-profit health system has 7,400 employees and 1,300 providers on its medical staff. Its main campus is Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. Other facilities include Highsmith-Rainey Specialty Hospital, Cape Fear Valley Rehabilitation Center, Behavioral Health Care, Bladen County Hospital, Hoke Hospital, Health Pavilion North off Ramsey Street, Health Pavilion Hoke and Harnett Health. "Cape Fear Valley Health's mission is to provide exceptional health care for every patient, and our goal is to improve the quality of every life we touch," says Mike Nagowski, CEO of the health system. "We are proud to be part of the communities that we serve across the region." Since Cape Fear Valley Medical Center opened in 1956, it has grown to become North Carolina's eighth-largest hospital. It specializes in cardiac care, cancer treatment and surgical services as well as neuroscience, pediatrics, rehabilitation, orthopedics and more. Cape Fear Valley's Center for Medical Education and Neuroscience Institute opened in January 2023. e five-story, 120,000-square-foot tower will house as many as 300 residents each year. e growing residency program is expected to add more than 900 jobs and generate nearly $580 million in economic impact in the region over the next 10 years. e institute hosts a state-of-the-art simulation center to provide medical residents with hands-on surgery experience. PHOTO BY TONY WOOTEN Earlier this year, Cape Fear Valley Health and Methodist University unveiled a partnership establishing the state-of- the-art Methodist University College of Medicine to train the next generation of health care professionals. It will be located on the campus of Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. Medical education veteran Hershey Bell was named the founding dean of the college and will oversee the accreditation process and develop the curriculum. Classes are set to begin in July 2026. e health system is also building a cancer center and medical arts building at Central Harnett Hospital in Lillington. For more information, call 910-615-4000. 48 DestinationFAY 2023-2024

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