Wilkes Regional Medical Center Chooses New Name for its Future with Wake Forest Baptist

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – May 3, 2017 – As Wilkes Regional Medical Center moves closer to joining the Wake Forest Baptist family of hospitals, medical center leaders announced today it will be known as Wake Forest Baptist Health – Wilkes Medical Center when the long-term lease agreement with Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center closes July 1, 2017. Wilkes Regional opened in 1952 as Wilkes General Hospital. It later became known as Wilkes Regional Medical Center.

“Our future is promising and excitement continues to build across both Wilkes Regional and Wake Forest Baptist,” said J. Gene Faile, FACHE, president and CEO, Wilkes Regional Medical Center. “Our new name will communicate to our patients that they can continue to expect the great care they are used to from their community hospital, and soon, they will have increased access—right here in Wilkes County—to the expertise of an academic medical center, including many doctors who are among the top leaders in their fields and the latest in patient care and research.”

The new name aligns Wilkes Regional with the other hospitals in the Wake Forest Baptist network. The decision to drop the word “regional” was decided in a survey of more than 730 Wilkes Regional employees who represented both the hospital and the Wilkes community.

The integration of Wilkes Regional with Wake Forest Baptist continues to progress smoothly. The electronic medical record transition to Wake Forest Baptist’s system is almost complete. Employees began training on the system last month. Human Resources conversion is in progress, and Wilkes Regional continues to prepare for integration of its supply chain and other services to Wake Forest Baptist.

Community members can expect to start seeing hospital signage changed to the new name beginning July 1, 2017.

SOURCE: Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center