WakeMed Executives argue Atrium proposal is vital for growth and modernization
THAT PATIENTS MOVE FORWARD.
>> WE ARE GETTING A BETTER IDEA
ON SPECIFICS ABOUT ATRIUM
HEALTH TAKING OVER WAKE MED.
GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M LAURA
LEVINE IN FOR RENEE CHOU.
NOT PERSONALLY GET. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS
AFTERNOON, THOUGH, THE DEAL
COULD BRING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
OF INVESTMENT TO WAKE COUNTY.
THERE IS CONCERN HEALTH CARE
WOULD BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE.
LET'S GET RIGHT OVER TO WRAL.
SHAUN GALLAGHER WHO ATTENDED
THAT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH WAKE
MED US ON THIS PRESS CONFERENCE
WAS HELD AFTER STRONG COMMUNITY
CRITICISM SAYING THAT THIS DEAL
WAS MOVING TOO QUICKLY.
>> YEAH, LOWER PART OF THE
REASON THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE
THIS MEETING IN THE FIRST PLACE
WAS BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO BE
MORE TRANSPARENT. THEY HEAR
THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY
AND CRITICS ALIKE WHO FEEL LIKE
THIS WAS KIND OF A DEAL DONE IN
THE DARK THAT WE'VE ONLY FOUND
OUT ABOUT WITHIN THE LAST WEEK.
AND THEN THAT VOTE YESTERDAY
THAT WAS PUSHED OFF UNTIL A
LATER DATE. WAKE-MED CEO DONALD
CAN SEEK SAID HE WAS FIRST
APPROACHED BY A ABOUT JOINING
FORCES ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO.
KEN SIC TELLING ME IT TOOK
UNTIL NOW FOR THE PUBLIC TO
FIND OUT BECAUSE THEY WERE IN
THE PROCESS OF DOING THEIR OWN
DUE DILIGENCE ON THE
PARTNERSHIP WITH IT. ATRIUM
IS PLANNING TO INVEST 2 BILLION
DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS
TO HELP REBUILD THE AGING
HOSPITAL SYSTEM. AND THAT COULD
INCLUDE EXPANSION IN THE AREA.
BUT HOW NECESSARY IS ALL OF
THIS TO KEEP WAKE-MED AFLOAT?
THAT'S A QUESTION I HAD FOR
GET SICK.
>> DO I THINK WE CAN AND WILL
SURVIVE IN THE FUTURE? YES.
BUT I CAN WORLD IN WHICH THEY
DON'T THRIVE. AND THAT'S REALLY
WHAT THIS IS ABOUT TIME IT IN
THE NEXT 10 OR 20 YEARS THAT
WILL HAVE THE FINANCIAL
WHEREWITHAL TO INVEST THAT
CLOSE TO A
BILLION DOLLARS THAT SOUTHEAST
RALEIGH AND THE RALEIGH CAMPUS
IN PARTICULAR
>> MAKE
>> WAKE-MED MORE COMPETITIVE
WITH THE MUCH LARGER UNC AND
DUKE HEALTH SYSTEMS PROVIDING
MORE MONETARY MUSCLE OF SORTS
WITH ATRIUM THAT HE SAYS WILL
LOWER HEALTH CARE COSTS IN THE
LONG TERM BY KEEPING PEOPLE
HEALTHIER. AND TODAY'S MEETING
WAS JUST THE FIRST STEP OF MANY
WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE
SOLICITING FEEDBACK FROM LOCAL
COMMUNITIES ALL AROUND THE
AREA. AGAIN, 6 AS THEY PLAN TO
HAVE THOSE MEETINGS OVER THE
COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW MONTHS
TO SHARE THEIR STORY WITH
EVERYBODY IN RALEIGH, SHAUN