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Novant Health Clears Hurdle On Purchase Of Wilmington Hospital

Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center on Silas Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem, N.C. KERI BROWN/WFDD

Novant Health is a step closer to expanding its footprint in eastern North Carolina. The health care system plans to buy New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington.

The more than $5 billion proposal would provide capital investments at New Hanover and bolster Novant's plan to work with UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine. The partnership would include the establishment of a new UNC Health Sciences campus in Wilmington that would expand medical education and research opportunities in the area.

Community leaders say Wilmington's population is growing and more health care services are needed. The county, which owns the hospital, created a local advisory group last year to explore options for the facility.

Novant was among larger health care systems in the state vying for the medical center. Some local residents are questioning the sale. A group known as Save Our Hospital, Inc. tried to delay the process until its public records request was completed. But a superior court judge recently denied their temporary restraining order request.

New Hanover commissioners are expected to vote on the sale October 5.

Novant Health has had a presence in eastern North Carolina since 2006 when Brunswick Community Hospital was sold to the Winston-Salem-based health system.

*Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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