FAYETTEVILLE – March 9, 2021 – Today, Harnett Health announced that it will begin a new chapter in its long history as the organization announced its intent to fully join the Cape Fear Valley Health (CFVH) family at the end of March. The two organizations have been partners for the past seven years, with CFVH managing Harnett Health under a management agreement.
President of Harnett Health Cory Hess said joining Cape Fear Valley Health is exciting.
“Our partnership for the past several years has prepared us for the ownership change,” said Hess. “This was a natural next step as Cape Fear Valley Health has been able to stabilize Harnett Health’s operation through this relationship over the years including expanding services while streamlining operations and technology, like the 2018 addition of a cardiac catheterization lab at Central Harnett Hospital. It would have been nearly impossible to achieve the growth we’ve had without Cape Fear Valley Health, and I am grateful for Cape Fear Valley Health stepping in to manage Harnett Health several years ago, which was instrumental in stabilizing access to healthcare in Harnett County. I look forward to seeing the continued investment and growth in our community’s healthcare under this new arrangement.”
Hess also said he wanted to thank the community as part of this process.
“Thank you for entrusting your care to us and for remaining with us as we have sought to bring you greater access to advanced specialty care,” Hess said.
Michael Nagowski, CEO of Cape Fear Valley Health, said he and the rest of the CFVH family is committed to meeting the healthcare needs of residents in Harnett County. He emphasized that this announcement is just the start of the integration process, and that it could take up to a year for the Harnett Health to be fully integrated with Cape Fear Valley Health.
“We’re devoted to investing in Harnett Health’s infrastructure to continue increasing access to healthcare in the local community,” Nagowski said. “As more healthcare is provided on an outpatient basis, we’re focused on enhancing and expanding services, so both of Harnett’s hospitals are better positioned to offer the care the community needs. We look forward to growing together.”
As part of Cape Fear Valley Health’s plans to strengthen Harnett Health, a new primary care clinic, Buffalo Lakes Clinic, opened this week. This clinic will increase access to primary care in western Harnett County. In addition, CFVH will bring more specialists to the area, currently including General Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pulmonology/Critical Care, ENT, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry, and Cardiology, which reduces the need for patients to travel out of town for these services. Cape Fear Valley Health is also committed to building a new, 40,000-square-foot medical arts complex in Harnett County, as well as a comprehensive cancer center.
In its acquisition of Harnett Health, CFVH will assume all of Harnett Health’s debt, which has been reduced by more than 20 percent under their seven-year management agreement. No money will be exchanged in the transfer of ownership.