Protesters push Novant for progress after one other “C” Safety Grade

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY)– Five years after Novant Health took over New Hanover Regional Medical Center, frustration from some neighborhood members is constant to develop.

On Saturday, dozens of protesters gathered exterior the hospital, criticizing the ability after it acquired one other “C” grade within the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade rankings.

“They said they would bring it up to a top-quality hospital, national reputation — a center of excellence, and five years later, it’s still getting a C grade in Leapfrog,” mentioned Jon Martell, founding father of the Cape Fear Five Star Project.

Martell based the nonprofit group two years in the past after what he described as a traumatic expertise on the hospital throughout a extreme medical emergency. He says Novant Health has not fulfilled the guarantees he believes have been made when the system took over the hospital in 2021.

He will not be alone in voicing considerations.

Stephen Agnelli says his frustration grew to become deeply private after shedding his son and practically shedding his spouse following separate medical emergencies.

“I lost my son five years ago — it’ll be in July — and then I almost lost my wife. I mean, where does it stop? You’ve got to draw the line somewhere,” Agnelli mentioned.

Agnelli says he believes the difficulty will not be with frontline employees, however with hospital management and administration.

Novant Health leaders say they perceive the considerations however argue the most recent scores don’t replicate the hospital’s present efficiency.

Dr. Heather Davis, chief medical officer for Novant Health’s coastal area, says inner information exhibits important enhancements in affected person care and communication.

“What we have seen with our patient experience is both our nursing and our MD communication have moved significantly,” Davis mentioned.

Hospital leaders additionally pointed to a current enchancment within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services star rankings, the place the hospital moved from two stars to a few stars.

Novant officers say they’re additionally centered on long-term progress, together with increasing amenities and making ready for future healthcare calls for within the Cape Fear area.

Laurie Whalin, president of Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center, says UNCW’s proposed medical packages may assist strengthen the native doctor pipeline.

“When you look at data, if you have a medical school and then somebody goes to medical school local and then goes to residency, they’re like 80% likely to stay in the community,” Whalin mentioned. “So, I think that’s only going to add to the medical community and have the providers we need to take care of the population growth that we have.”