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Following a request for proposals on Feb. 13, to reestablish essential healthcare services at the former Martin General Hospital, Martin County has announced that ECU Health has been selected. Martin General Hospital, which served the county for more than 50 years, was closed nearly two years ago, when Williamston Hospital Corporation filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. “The process to get where we are has been long and extremely challenging,” said Joe Ayers, chair of the Martin County Board of Commissioners. “ECU has demonstrated experience in revitalizing health care facilities and shares our vision of implementing a Rural Emergency Hospital model to establish essential services in our community.”

On Wednesday, June 4, a mandatory public hearing will be held, where representatives from ECU Health will present their proposal and answer questions from the public. “ECU Health is steadfast in its mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina,” said Brian Wudkwych, manager of public and government affairs with ECU Health. “Our non-binding proposal for consideration by the Martin County Board of Commissioners outlines our desire to establish the state’s first Rural Emergency Hospital and create an integrated, high-acuity outpatient delivery model that is designed to meet the health care needs of Martin County. ECU Health is proud of its decades-long history of being a trusted health care provider for the people of Martin County, and we are deeply committed to transforming health care in support of the rural communities we proudly serve. We believe our proposal reflects a shared goal of meeting the current and future health care needs in Martin County through a sustainable, integrated regional system of care.”

Wudkwych added that the proposal includes two contingencies that will ensure the long-term sustainability of health care access: 

State financial support to transition the Rural Emergency Hospital to a newly constructed Rural Care Center, given the age and condition of the existing facility.

State financial support to modernize and expand inpatient capacity at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital – a Hill-Burton Act facility built in 1958 – which is critical, given the Rural Emergency Hospital model proposed for Martin County cannot have long-term inpatient beds. 

Ayers said this is the first in what will be an ongoing process of negotiations with ECU Health, and right now, there is no set timeframe as to when things will be officially formalized. “I’m happy and remain positive, as it has taken a lot of legwork to get where we are. It has been a total team effort, which has included our consultant, Dawn Carter, county attorney Ben Eisner, and our vice-chair, David ‘Skip’ Gurganus.”