COASTAL CATCH: Novant's top Wilmington executive reflects on the hospital system's seaside expansion.

• Author: Mildenberg, David

February marked the second anniversary of Novant Health's $1.5 billion purchase of New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington and a smaller hospital in Brunswick County. The sale occurred in a public, competitive process because the medical center was then county-owned.

The Wilmington hospital recorded about 256,000patient days in the first half of2022, which is more than 40% greater than Novant's main hospitals in Winston-Salem (177,000) and Charlotte (168,000). Unlike Wilmington, Novantfaces hospital rivals in the latter cities.

Former NHRMC CEO John Gizdic is executive vice president and chief business development officer at Novant Health, which was selected over sale finalists Atrium Health and Duke Health. He oversees New Hanover and has corporate responsibility for human resources, including diversity, inclusion and health equity.

This interview with Gizdic was edited for clarity and brevity.

WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION OF THE MERCER, TWO YEARS LATER?

These are unusually challenging times and the past two years have been some of the toughest financial years for health care in decades. Our merger was made exponentially harder because of the pandemic. But we really view change as more of an opportunity than a threat.

New Hanover Regional was operating at a position of strength, but no one predicted the big inflation spike that occurred. Fortunately, Novant has enabled New Hanover to do much that we couldn't have accomplished otherwise.

HOW HAS NOVANT IMPROVED THE WILMINGTON SYSTEM?

We have invested more than $65 million in higher employee compensation. Our minimum wage later this year will be $17 an hour. That compares with $12.50 in 2018.

We've more than tripled the number of people who benefited from financial assistance by making it eligible for those with income at 300% of the federal poverty rate. The standard had been 200%. More than 26,000 patients benefited in 2021 and 2022, compared with about 7,000 in the previous two years.

We've expanded our UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine relationship. Third- and fourth-year residents can now attend in Wilmington. We have boosted the number of students from 16 to 24 and we hope to get to 30 very soon.

Fourth, we've continued to invest more than $300 million in capital projects. New Hanover County could not have done this without raising taxes. This includes adding a 108-bed Neuroscience Institute; a 66-bed Scotts Hill Community Hospital; and Michael Jordan Family Clinics.

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