SPONSOR COMMENTS.

• Author: Kilarski, David J.

As Chief Executive Officer of the largest employer in Moore County, it is my pleasure to provide the opening comments for this special section. I invite you to learn more about the place we call home and FirstHealth of the Carolinas, our award-winning health care system, headquartered in Pinehurst. What began 90 years ago as Moore County Hospital with 33 beds, six bassinets and a staff of 27 has evolved into a premier health care system in North Carolina. Now known as FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, it is the flagship hospital of FirstHealth of the Carolinas.

FirstHealth has more than 5,200 employees who serve 15 counties in the mid-Carolinas. Licensed for four hospitals with 610 beds, the network includes inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, hospice and palliative care, home care, community outreach programs, fitness facilities, primary and convenient care practices, a hospitality house, EMS and critical care transport, a non-profit insurance plan, a philanthropic foundation, and a host of other services.

FirstHealth has always been a leader in providing rural communities greater access to quality health care. Such efforts resulted in a merger with Montgomery Memorial Hospital in 1995, the acquisition of Richmond Memorial Hospital in 1999 and the building of Hoke County's first hospital in 2013.

FirstHealth also leads the way in patient satisfaction boasting the highest rates in the state. While FirstHealth has grown geographically, we have grown equally as an innovative health system with advanced technology that rivals the best known institutions. Spearheading innovation at FirstHealth...