Growing Sector Soars in Statesville
Keeping the community healthy and well, Statesville is home to a robust community of health care providers.
Administering excellent and innovative medical care and service, Piedmont HealthCare is putting patients first with compassionate care. With more than 50 locations and nearly 200 physicians and providers across multiple specialties, Piedmont HealthCare is one of the largest multispecialty groups in North Carolina and the Southeast.
“We’re investing in patients and advancing our physicians and facilities every day, and we’re shifting views about health care,” said Piedmont HealthCare CEO Jeffrey W. Smith. “Emphasizing a team approach, we aim to provide value to our customers and patients, keeping them well and out of hospitals and emergency rooms before illness occurs. That’s the value we’re delivering to patients.”
Piedmont HealthCare is accomplishing that goal in leaps and bounds, building on its successful culture of collaboration, cooperation and communication. Consistent integration and communication among staff and physicians facilitates excellent patient care. And building multiple strategic partnerships throughout the community, the collaborations provide patients with even greater value as Piedmont HealthCare promotes awareness of healthy habits and lifestyles that contribute to an excellent quality of life.
A recent partnership with Winston-based PMG Research is enabling patients to participate in clinical trials, helping them receive early and affordable cutting-edge treatments.
“PMG runs clinical trials for major pharmaceutical companies,” Smith said. “We’ve contracted with them to start a research division of Piedmont Healthcare. This is important for many reasons. One, it provides treatment options to patients much earlier in the process for some conditions, and, it opens the door for those who could not otherwise afford treatment.”
Current trials underway in Statesboro include studies of high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and relapsing multiple sclerosis.
Another exciting partnership where Piedmont HealthCare is fulfilling a vital role and creating a positive impact on health is the Piedmont Community Health Collaborative.
“The collaborative is an Accountable Care Organization consisting of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers, coming together and voluntarily giving coordinated, high-quality care to Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries,” Smith said. “It’s a joint venture between Piedmont HealthCare and Iredell Health System, targeting the Medicare population, providing quality, low-cost care. Patients can still chose their doctors, and over time receive better care as a result of being a part of an integrated system of care that’s overseen by an expert health care team.”
Piedmont HealthCare supports a very wide range and broad scope of organizations in its community outreach. Just a few include the March of Dimes, local food banks, the United Way and Statesville’s Relay for Life — the annual, cancer-awareness fundraiser.
“We raised $16,000 for cancer patients this year,”
Smith said.
The community aspect of Piedmont HealthCare’s work is well noticed: It was recently recognized as the 2016 Practice of the Year at the North Carolina Medical Group Management Association’s Annual Conference. The award honored Piedmont HealthCare’s significant contributions to its community, patients and staff through volunteer work, fundraisers, staff wellness programs, community clean-ups and community screenings and education.
In addition to Piedmont HealthCare, Statesville is served by an array of outstanding health care facilities and allied health care service providers. The Davis Medical Group is a highly qualified multispecialty group of medical professionals, dedicated to improving the lives of all patients. Davis Medical Group is affiliated with Davis Regional Medical Center, a 130-bed, full-service hospital with more than 300 physicians on staff, serving Statesville and surrounding counties. The Iredell Health System is a 247-bed nonprofit medical facility with approximately 260 physicians on staff. Iredell Health System provides a highly recognized diabetes management program, and maintains a certified Community Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer.
With so many facilities, jobs in health care are abundant, too. Health care is one of the fastest-growing job sectors in North Carolina, with health care and social assistance comprising the state’s largest industry by employment. According to the North Carolina Bureau of Labor Statistics job projections for 2014-2024, the sector is projected to add 135,000 jobs in a decade.