Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital

Last updated
Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital
Erlanger Health System [1]
The emergency entrance at Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital in Peachtree, North Carolina.jpg
Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital
Geography
Location Murphy, Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States
Organization
Funding Non-profit hospital
Type General
Services
Emergency department Yes
Beds57
Helipad Yes
History
Construction started1978
Opened1979
Links
Website http://www.erlanger.org/murphymedical
Lists Hospitals in North Carolina

Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital is a hospital located in Murphy, North Carolina certified by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It is the only hospital in the state west of Bryson City and Franklin. The hospital is licensed for 191 beds. Of the 191 beds, 120 are nursing home beds, 57 are general beds, and 14 are beds for patients with Alzheimer's disease. [2] [3]

Contents

It is affiliated with Erlanger Health System, based in Chattanooga, TN. After acquiring the hospital in 2018, Erlanger renamed the facility from its original name "Murphy Medical Center" to "Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital."

Quality ratings

Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital near Murphy, N.C. Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital near Murphy, N.C. on Sep. 1, 2023.jpg
Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital near Murphy, N.C.

Much hospital quality information exists in the HealthGrades website concerning this hospital. HealthGrades shows twelve quality indicators; these are rated as one star, three stars and five stars. This hospital scored as follows:

The hospital was rated on nine patient-safety indicators. Murphy Medical Center received the following ratings:

The Nursing Home Rating website has quality information about the nursing home part of Erlanger Murphy Medical Center. Its overall rating was four of five possible stars, with five stars being the best possible rating. This information was generated in 2013. [5]

History

Cherokee County’s first medical institution was Petrie Hospital, founded in November 1933 by Dr. R.W. Petrie, an eye, ear, nose, and throat specialist. The hospital was a two-story white brick building atop a hill on Peachtree Street in downtown Murphy. It started with four registered nurses and a capacity of 21 patients. [6] The Sisters of Providence of Holyoke came to Murphy in 1956 to manage Petrie Hospital and renamed it Providence Hospital. [7] The 22-bed Murphy General Hospital was built by Dr. F. V. Taylor in 1941 and closed in July 1969 due to insufficient staff and property. [8] [9] In 1956, a 30-bed non-profit regional hospital named District Memorial Hospital was constructed in nearby Andrews. [10] [8] Citing uncollected payments, District Memorial declared bankruptcy in 2000. [11] Murphy Medical acquired District Memorial's assets in 2002 before District Memorial closed in June 2003, and was demolished in late 2008. [12] [13]

In January 1974 the Murphy Town Council approved spending $4,000 on a study to see whether constructing a new hospital was feasible. [14] Mountain Health Services of Blairsville, Georgia, recommended the construction of a new $5.5 million medical center. Following this study, Providence Hospital closed in 1978 and Murphy Medical Center was founded in 1979. [15] In January 1982, Charlotte-based SunHealth took over management of the hospital. [16] After the FAA halted helicopter landings near the hospital due to unsafe conditions, the medical center built and opened a dedicated heliport in September 1985. [17] In October 1985, Atlanta-based Health Southeast took over management of the hospital from SunHealth and Jerry Hummel was appointed as administrator. [16]

In the 1990s, MMC went from being a county-supported not-for-profit hospital to becoming a private not-for-profit medical facility, which allowed it to fundraise to secure financing. [18] From 1990 through 2017 Murphy Medical Center held an annual 5K run at the hospital campus to raise money. The race was called “Two Hours From Anywhere.” [19] The medical center opened Mountain Regional Cancer Center around 2000. [20] The hospital opened an urgent care center in a shopping center in Murphy and moved to its current location by 2013, treating approximately 12,000 walk-in patients per year. As of 2013, the emergency department at the Peachtree campus treated approximately 15,000 patients per year. [21]

Murphy Medical began losing money as uncompensated care grew to $13 million in 2013. [21] Erlanger Health System acquired the hospital in January 2018 and changed its name in January 2019. The medical center closed its labor and delivery unit in December 2019. [22]

As of 2018, the hospital had approximately 450 employees. [23] In 2023, Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital served as incident command post during the 5,000-acre Collett Ridge Fire. [24]

Chief executives

  1. Jerry Hummel (1985–) [16]
  2. J. Michael Stevenson (1989–2018) [25]
  3. Mark Kimball (2018–2020) [26] [27]
  4. Stephanie Boynton (2020–present) [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clay County, North Carolina</span> County in North Carolina, United States

Clay County is a county located in the far western part of U.S. state North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 11,089. The county seat is Hayesville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cherokee County, North Carolina</span> County in North Carolina, United States

Cherokee County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It borders Tennessee to its west and Georgia to its south. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,774. The county seat is Murphy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrews, North Carolina</span> Town in North Carolina, United States

Andrews is a town in Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,667 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murphy, North Carolina</span> Town in North Carolina, United States

Murphy is a town in and the county seat of Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. It is situated at the confluence of the Hiwassee and Valley rivers. It is the westernmost county seat in the state of North Carolina, approximately 360 miles (580 km) from the state capital in Raleigh. The population of Murphy was 1,608 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hayesville, North Carolina</span> Town in North Carolina, United States

Hayesville is a town in Clay County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 311 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Clay County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union General Hospital</span> Hospital in Georgia, U.S.

Union General Hospital is a 160,000-square-foot (15,000 m2) hospital in the mountains of North Georgia, United States, and it is the public hospital for the city of Blairsville and Union County. Operated by the Union County Hospital Authority, it is located in the northeast section of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Carolina Regional Airport</span> Airport

Western Carolina Regional Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the central business district of Andrews, in Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. It was formerly known as Andrews-Murphy Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warne, North Carolina</span> Unincorporated community in North Carolina, United States

Warne ( "worn") is an unincorporated community in Brasstown Township, Clay County, North Carolina, United States. In 2010, Clay County was the fourth least populated county in North Carolina, inhabited by approximately 10,587 people. The region has added considerably to its population, a 20.6% increase since 2000. Warne is closer to the capitals of five other states than to Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tri-County Community College</span> College in Murphy, North Carolina, U.S.

Tri-County Community College is a public community college in Murphy, North Carolina. It was founded in 1964 to serve Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties and is part of the North Carolina Community College System.

<i>Cherokee Scout</i> Weekly newspaper in Murphy, North Carolina

The Cherokee Scout is a weekly newspaper in Murphy, North Carolina, and Cherokee County. It is one of the largest newspapers in far-west North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Highway 141</span> State highway in Cherokee County, North Carolina, US

North Carolina Highway 141 (NC 141) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It serves to connect the Peachtree community, located in the Valley River Mountains, with Marble and Murphy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marble, North Carolina</span> Census-designated place in North Carolina, United States

Marble is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 321.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erlanger (hospital system)</span> Hospital in Tennessee, United States

Erlanger is an independent, non-profit hospital system and safety net hospital based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Erlanger's main location, Erlanger Baroness Hospital in downtown Chattanooga, is a tertiary referral hospital and Level I Trauma Center. It serves a 50,000 square mile region of East Tennessee, North Georgia, North Alabama, and western North Carolina.

<i>Clay County Progress</i> Weekly newspaper in Hayesville, North Carolina

Clay County Progress is a weekly newspaper in Hayesville, North Carolina, and Clay County. It covers Clay and Cherokee counties in North Carolina and Towns County, Georgia.

Blood Assurance is a non-profit organization designed to provide blood to surrounding hospitals of the Chattanooga, Tennessee, North Georgia, Alabama, Southwest Virginia, and North Carolina areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brasstown, North Carolina</span> Unincorporated community in North Carolina, United States

Brasstown is an unincorporated community located mostly within Clay County, North Carolina, United States, though roughly one third of Brasstown is within the adjacent Cherokee County. Brasstown Creek travels through the community and separates the two counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murphy High School (North Carolina)</span> American public school in North Carolina

Murphy High School (MHS) is a public high school in Murphy, North Carolina. It serves grades 9–12 and is one of only three high schools in the Cherokee County Schools system. The MHS campus is sandwiched between U.S. Route 19 and the Valley River. The high school shares its campus with Murphy Middle School and the Cherokee County Schools Bus Garage. As of 2007 the school had a full-time teaching staff of 42 teachers giving an average of 12 students per teacher. It has a GreatSchools rating of 5/10 and an average community rating of 4/5 stars. In the 2024-25 school year, 437 students were enrolled. The school has a capacity of 746 students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clay County Courthouse (North Carolina)</span> United States historic place

The Clay County Courthouse is located on Main Street in Hayesville, Clay County, North Carolina. The T-shaped two-story brick building was built in 1888, and is a prominent local example of vernacular Italianate architecture. Its most visible feature is a three-story square tower, which projects for half its width from the main facade, and through which entry to the building is gained.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peachtree, North Carolina</span> Community located in Cherokee County, North Carolina

Peachtree is a community located in Cherokee County, North Carolina. It is named after the numerous peach trees found in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">District Memorial Hospital</span> Hospital in North Carolina, United States

District Memorial Hospital of Southwestern North Carolina, Inc. was a hospital located in Andrews, North Carolina. The hospital opened in 1956 and closed in 2003. It operated a 64-bed facility and an internal medicine facility.

References

  1. ↑ "Erlanger agrees to take over North Carolina hospital". Timesfreepress.com. 16 January 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  2. ↑ "Murphy Medical Center Services". Archived from the original on 2012-06-10. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
  3. ↑ "Murphy Medical Center Urgent Care - Urgent Care in Murphy, NC 28906-6845". Archived from the original on 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2015-02-06.
  4. ↑ "North Carolina (NC) Hospitals - City Directory". Healthgrades.com. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  5. ↑ "Murphy Medical Center Rating and Report. Murphy, NC". Nursinghomerating.org. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  6. ↑ "Petrie Hospital Here is Granted a State Charter". The Cherokee Scout. Murphy, NC. 1935-12-24. p. A1. Accessed January 18, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Our History". St. William Catholic Church. Accessed January 18, 2024.
  8. 1 2 McKeever, Mrs. Hobart (1961-01-29). "Cherokee County Shows Greatest Progress During 1950-60 Decade". Asheville Citizen-Times . p. 77. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  9. ↑ "Murphy General Hospital Ceases Operation". Cherokee Scout . Murphy, NC. 1969-07-24. p. 1. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  10. ↑ "Andrews to get $345,000 district hospital soon". The Cherokee Scout. Murphy, NC. 1954-05-20. p. A1. Accessed January 18, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Hospital Briefs". Modern Healthcare. Crain Communications. 2000-06-12. Accessed January 18, 2024.
  12. ↑ Foster, Sarah (2023-12-01). "Andrews: the Comeback King". Celebrating Our Communities of Cherokee County. Vol. 1. Cherokee Scout.
  13. ↑ McGoun, Bill (2020-07-25). "McGoun: Pondering the plight of rural hospitals in WNC from one of their beds". Citizen-Times. Asheville, NC: Gannett. District Memorial Hospital in Andrews is long gone and its buildings have been razed. Accessed January 18, 2024.
  14. ↑ Brown, David (2024-01-17). "This week in local history". Cherokee Scout. Murphy, NC: Community Newspapers, Inc. p. 9A.
  15. ↑ Brown, David (2024-03-13). "This Week in Local History". Cherokee Scout . Murphy, NC: Community Newspapers Inc. p. 8A.
  16. 1 2 3 "Murphy Medical Center under new management". Clay County Progress . Hayesville, NC. 1985-10-03. p. 1.
  17. ↑ "Heliport at MMC now a reality". Clay County Progress . Hayesville, NC. 1985-09-26. p. 1.
  18. ↑ Hoban, Rose (2018-01-18). "Keeping a Hospital Afloat in Far Western Murphy". NC Health News.
  19. ↑ "Two Hours From Anywhere 5K, Heart Walk and Kids Fun Run". Facebook. 2017-09-16. Accessed January 14, 2024.
  20. ↑ Brown, David (2024-11-13). "This Week in Local History". Cherokee Scout . Murphy, NC: Community Newspapers Inc. p. 2A.
  21. 1 2 Murphy Medical Center Community Health Needs Assessment (PDF). Murphy Medical Center. 2013-05-28. Accessed January 14, 2024.
  22. ↑ Knoepp, Lilly (2019-11-26). "Erlanger CEO Explains Why Murphy Labor And Delivery Is Closing". Blue Ridge Public Radio.
  23. ↑ Fite, Elizabeth (2018-04-03). "Erlanger Murphy Medical Center opens doors". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Chattanooga Publishing Company.
  24. ↑ Foster, Randy (2023-11-16). "Fire continues for third week". Clay County Progress. Hayesville, N.C.: Community Newspapers, Inc. p. A1.
  25. ↑ Flessner, Dave (2018-01-16). "Erlanger agrees to take over North Carolina hospital". Chattanooga Times Free Press.
  26. ↑ Martin, Brittany (2018-05-22). "New Murphy, N.C. hospital CEO specializes in rural healthcare". Fox Chattanooga. Accessed January 14, 2024.
  27. ↑ Cotiaux, Neil (2020-06-26). "Slow start to pandemic in SW NC counties, but future of hospitals uncertain". Carolina Public Press. Durham, NC. Accessed January 14, 2024.
  28. ↑ "Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital Leadership". Erlanger.

35°04′22″N83°58′00″W / 35.0728°N 83.9667°W / 35.0728; -83.9667

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.