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BELHAVEN, N.C. (AP) — In a story June 20 about a new medical clinic in Belhaven, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Dr. David Herman is CEO of Vidant Health. He was the CEO of Vidant Health in 2014 when the Pungo hospital closed but no longer holds that position.
A corrected version of the story is below:
Vidant opens 24-hour clinic after closing Belhaven hospital
Vidant Health is opening a 24-hour clinic in Belhaven, where it closed a hospital in 2014
BELHAVEN, N.C. (AP) — Vidant Health is opening a 24-hour clinic in Belhaven, where it closed a hospital in 2014.
According to the Daily Reflector of Greenville (http://bit.ly/28Ip2y4), the 12,500-square foot clinic opening Monday brings together three medical practices and a 24-hour medical clinic at one location.
Vidant closed Pungo Hospital in Belhaven, in part because North Carolina lawmakers refused federal funding to expand Medicaid that would pay bills of poor patients. Then-Vidant CEO Dr. David Herman said at the time that the hospital had provided more than $2 million in unpaid health care since 2011, when Vidant took it over.
Belhaven residents protested and Mayor Adam O'Neal went to Washington to complain, saying the town has suffered and people have died while en route to other facilities.
While the new clinic does not have the same emergency services that Pungo offered, it will have minor emergency services, but not as much as a full emergency room would. The nearest emergency room is in Washington, North Carolina, about 30 minutes away by car.
The clinic also will offer other services such as pre-natal services, rehabilitation and X-rays. It also will have a general family practice, including two full-time doctors, and a full-service lab.
"Access to health care is critical," Dr. Greg Jones said. Jones and Dr. Mark Beamer will have their offices in the new clinic and see their regular patients, as well as new patients.
He said the clinic is currently looking for another doctor.
According to Jones, people with major injuries likely will need to go to the hospital in Washington or Greenville, but minor injuries will be treated at the clinic.
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