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[The following text is machine generated and may contain errors.]

(00:03)
There is an old saying, some are born to greatness. Some become great. And still others have greatness thrust upon them. What is greatness? How do you measure it? Some say greatness is simply the ability to do what must be done.

(00:27)
But it's more than that. It requires dedication, commitment, and creativity in the face of adversity. In September of 1999, Hurricane Floyd provided the testing grounds, and the people of Pitt County Memorial Hospital responded in a way that exemplified greatness. It was a defining challenge in the history of this hospital. And the response to that challenge was born of a dream, almost 100 years in the making.

(01:08)
The dream began shortly after the dawn of the 20th century, long before the birth of Pitt County Memorial Hospital. It started in the mind of Dr. Charles laughing house, a visionary who felt that county government should shoulder some responsibility for the health of the community by building a public hospital. But Dr. Laughing houses dreams of a publicly owned facility were frustrated. So he and three other physicians staked their personal fortunes on a vision and raised $85,000 to build a privately owned PITT Community Hospital. The gamble worked 1924 and marked the end of a 21 year crusade to provide the area with much needed inpatient care. And within that modest facility, the dream of a public hospital took root and flourished. Steady expansion throughout the 1920s and 30s confirmed the foresight of Dr. Laughing house. The people of Pitt County needed a public hospital and in 1940 county leaders finally agreed World War Two put plans on hold. But shortly thereafter, Pitt County purchased the private Lyon hospital, aiming to expand or rebuild the Federal Hill Burton act of 1946. Further those plans by providing counties throughout the US with matching funds for hospital construction. Fayette County voters did their part by approving a $351,900 bond issue in 1947. And the Jesse Moy family donated a 17 acre tract on the western edge of town. construction began on March 21st 1949. Two years later on February 8 1951, Pitt County Memorial Hospital named to honor those killed in both World Wars opened its doors. Its mission to meet the growing healthcare needs of the community. The 1950s proved to be exciting and prosperous times for the newly established public hospital. Under the leadership of CD Ward pit memorials first administrator. The hospital wasn't simply providing relief from discomfort. It was treating disease and finding cures. The 60s however, were times of transition both nationally and locally. Americans were demanding political and social change. And a national healthcare initiative was taking shape that would eventually be known as Medicare. locally. Dr. Leo Jenkins, Chancellor of then East Carolina college was also looking for ways of bettering eastern North Carolina, Dr. Jenkins and vision to University in Greenville and a medical school for East Carolina College.

(03:46)
We finally got authorization to move ahead with a four year school from the education establishment the UNC Board of Governors in the fall of 1974 and got generous funding for operating expenses and capital expenses in the 1975. Legislature.

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In 1967. After many hard fought political battles, his vision took shape. university status was granted. And the new medical school established a two year program that relied heavily on the strong teaching environment that could be found at Pitt County Memorial Hospital.

(04:32)
This place has the potential to really be the model for healthcare centers throughout the country. And the reason why I say that is that we've identified an area or region that has a tremendous need. You have the structure within the school to develop individuals that are from that area. To then supply the need, and that that just makes all the difference in the world.

(05:07)
At the same time, community leaders were considering the future of Pitt Memorial.

(05:11)
We had nursing shortages, we had money shortages, we had space shortages. In fact, up until that summer, when those 10 new doctors came to Greenville, the hospital's average census per day had only been 155 patients. Well, that year was those new doctors come into town we went to 100 and Ada, which bear and that old hospital, we

(05:39)
had people in the hall. By 1963 expansion, it increased bed capacity to 205. But by 1969, the facility was again overcrowded and inadequate, a condition that prompted local residents led by civic leaders like Charles Gaskins, Wilton Duke and Joe Pugh to pass a $9 million bond referendum for the construction of a new hospital.

(06:02)
The bond issue was not easy to pass. I spoke at several civic clubs, and there was a lot of opposition to it. People did not want any more in debt indebtedness on the part of the county, they did not want that taxes raised anymore. So $9 million, was a huge amount of money at that time.

(06:24)
So in 1974, with support from both the bond and federal grants construction began. A year later, the university's medical school and Pitt Memorial signed a joint affiliation agreement that set the stage for a quarter century of unimaginable growth and innovation,

(06:40)
the issue of whether or not you could have a county hospital, and a state medical school built on the same property or at least take 100 acres and dedicate 60 to a hospital 40 to the medical school, build it in such a way that you could put connectors in, could you use state money to enhance the hospital and put the teaching aspects in there. And my assessment is that as that was done in the beginning, the groundwork was laid.

(07:09)
When the new hospital opened in 1977. A dizzying pace for progress had already been set in motion and enlarged rehabilitation center opened concurrently with a new facility. Dr. William Laupus. Two years into his tenure as Dean of the School of Medicine, and Jack Richardson, then president of hip Memorial led an explosion of growth that remains unmatched in the state. It was also the year that the first class of four year medical students enter the ECU School of Medicine. Laupus and Richardson develop the concept of centers based on the health needs of the community to focus care where would do the most good. The formation of these centers attracted physicians and surgeons to the School of Medicine and local private practices. These specialists provided services that were not previously available in eastern North Carolina. In 1978, a neonatal intensive care unit was established, and ECU opened the Family Practice Center. A cardiac catheterization lab opened in the following year. The pace quickened in 1981, the ECU School of Medicine moved into the adjacent Brody building. The first four year class of medical students graduated, and the first kidney transplant was performed at the medical center. In 1982, the 138 bed west tower opened in 1984, the School of Medicine opened the Radiation Oncology Center and the cardiac surgery program was initiated. The wave of progress soon spread into the region, introduced in 1985, East care gave the people in surrounding communities rapid access to emergency care with helicopter transport. During this period, the people of Pitt County gained access to a level one trauma center, MRI, laser surgery, and a host of other sophisticated services. In 1986 pediatric services provided by the hospital, private pediatricians and the School of Medicine were consolidated as the Children's Hospital of Eastern Carolina. By the late 80s, and into the early 1990s, healthcare leaders began rethinking strategies for providing care. The shift toward health promotion and disease prevention was in the works. Changes to the national Medicare system would affect major change throughout the healthcare industry. A tightening of dollars spent on health care began with Medicare and was soon followed by private insurance companies. hospitals throughout the country were faced with an interesting dilemma. How to be more cost efficient in an industry where the emphasis is on saving lives, not money. So began the shift toward managed care, a restructuring that continues to this day. Building and expansion continued at a furious pace. In the span of a few short years. The hospital opened the North Tower, adding 143 state of the art critical and inner immediate care beds and a dedicated heart center. A new 12 Bed pediatric intensive care unit was built for children of all ages, along with a modern family birthing center that welcomed more than 3000 new babies annually. The surgery center gave local citizens the option of scheduling many surgical procedures on an outpatient basis, a significant savings in cost. The centers of emphasis soon became important vehicles for offering new services and new hope to patients and Pitt County and beyond. Heart Center surgeons pioneered new techniques and minimally invasive surgery procedures that allow patients to recover faster and with less pain. A new blood and marrow transplant unit in the cancer center was created to offer an important treatment option and new hope to many patients. And the regional rehabilitation center opened a new warm water therapy pool for patients with conditions that hamper their movement. Other initiatives during the 90s addressed concerns of medically needy populations in the county. The community care plan offered improved services to Medicaid patients. Special programs funded by the hospital placed nurses in Pitt County Schools to help children with asthma and other chronic conditions and health direct a free medical information line was made available to the community.

(11:21)
New technology delivered better and more cost effective solutions. Technologies like telephone care made it possible to monitor many patients through telecommunication links to their homes. As the century drew to a close, pit Memorial took another important step to improve its efficiency and its ability to provide outstanding care to the county in 1998. The hospital gained approval to operate as a private not for profit hospital, and thus function more efficiently and effectively in an ever changing healthcare environment. By this time, the Medical Center had evolved into a full fledged regional health system and included five community hospitals that are owned or leased by the parent corporation. Affiliation agreements established cooperative links with other hospitals in the region. And the hospital adopted a new corporate identity and its parent company became University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina. 50 years of commitment to the community culminated in 1999. In September of that year, hospital administrators were busy preparing for the opening of the new 52,000 square foot via quest Center. Its mission to prevent and manage health problems. But on the night of September 15, those plans were put on hold. Hurricane Floyd packing winds of 100 miles per hour, rip through the coastal area and headed inland powerlines fell, trees fell and rain fell like never before. Clearing skies revealed the ominous consequences of a storm rivers and creeks had spilled over their banks. And as the water is spread, those in its path were forced to evacuate. But under most dire time of need. The people of this region found a refuge solace and a symbol of hope that would not be broken by the fury of the storm.

(13:11)
I remember going up to one of the nursing units and the story that got related at that time was of a fellow nurse who literally came out of their home and chesty water, who had put their dog on a flotation device to get their dog out of the out of the home and had a backpack and the only thing they really brought other than the toothbrush kind of scenario was their nursing uniforms they could go to work.

(13:42)
It was a shining moment for the staff and volunteers at Pitt County Memorial Hospital. And the story of commitment to the community continues. In the year 2000. The new Wellness Center opened and where treatment is needed. New technology is changing the face of modern healthcare. The first successful mitral valve replacement procedure in the United States using the DaVinci surgical robotic system was performed by Dr. Chip wood and the surgical team at the heart center and the future of Pitt Memorial. Over the next 10 years, growth around the hospital itself will surpass even those accomplishments of the past 25 major additions to the medical complex already underway will provide even more technology and services to our region. The struggles of the past have placed us on the threshold of the future armed with resources not unattainable only a few years ago. Pitt County Memorial Hospital is the result of dreams and dedication to the community. The dedication remains and the dreamers they're still hard at work

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