The merger announced 18 months ago between Wake Forest Baptist Health based in Winston-Salem, and Atrium Health based in Charlotte is now official. The impact of the deal will be far-reaching in education, employment, and the local economy.
With the new combination complete, independent analysts predict an annual economic impact of $32 billion and some 180,000 jobs. Wake Forest Baptist Health and School of Medicine will form the academic core of the new Atrium Health.
Atrium President Eugene Woods calls it a "Silicon Valley" for healthcare innovation spanning central North Carolina.
“Our vision is to transform medical education, expand patient-centered research, and define the next generation of clinical excellence,” says Woods. “By combining our expertise in areas such as cancer, heart and vascular, children's, neurosciences, and more, all of our communities will have access to the best treatment protocols in the country.”
Plans are currently underway to build a second campus in Charlotte — currently the largest U.S. city without a four-year medical school.