Cardiovascular Sonographer - Heart & Vascular

North Carolina expands donor human milk access to outpatient settings. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has expanded access points for obtaining and donating pasteurized donor breastmilk beyond hospitals statewide. Families can now receive prescribed donor human milk through select pharmacies while new drop-off depots increase opportunities for approved donors. 6h ago Wednesday, Sept 23 By C. H. Hart The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced on Sep. 23 an expansion in donor human milk access sites across the state, aiming to make it easier for families to obtain and donate pasteurized donor milk. Breast milk provides essential antibodies for premature and medically fragile babies in neonatal intensive care units, with six out of ten NICU infants needing more human milk than their mothers can supply. The department said expanding outpatient access will help families who require donor milk after hospital discharge, offering support as a mother's own supply is established or when supplementation is medically necessary. WakeMed distributes about 300,000 ounces of pasteurized donor human milk annually, with 95% going to NICUs in North Carolina and the Southeast. Traditionally used mainly in hospitals, the new initiative - developed by NCDHHS in partnership with WakeMed Mothers' Milk Bank - extends availability to outpatient settings as well. "We are working to increase access to safe, high-quality human milk for infants when they need it," said Dr. Kelly Kimple, Director of the NCDHHS Division of Public Health. "Expanding access to screened human donor milk beyond the hospital helps ensure families have the resources they need to support their infant's nutrition and feeding goals. By making donor milk available in outpatient settings, we can help families maintain access to this important support as they transition home and continue their feeding journey." Donor human milk is now available by prescription at participating pharmacies and lactation care centers for outpatients when medically indicated. Currently, two locations distribute pasteurized donor human milk: 501 Pharmacy in Chapel Hill and Novant Health Breastfeeding at Presbyterian Medical Center Women's Center in Charlotte. To meet increased demand for donated milk, five new depots were established since 2024 in Cumberland, Durham, Jackson, Mecklenburg and Pasquotank counties; additional drop-off sites opened or are planned this year including GenerationEd - Greensboro (designated June 2026), Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center - Winston-Salem (opening October 2026), New Hanover County and Pitt County. Individuals interested in donating must be approved through a screening process managed by WakeMed Mothers' Milk Bank before dropping off frozen donations at designated locations. "Every donation can make a meaningful difference for a vulnerable infant," said Kerrie Gottschall, MSN, RN, Manager of WakeMed Mothers' Milk Bank. "We are grateful to the generous families who donate their milk and to the community partners helping us make donation more accessible across North Carolina." In July 2026, NCDHHS launched a campaign informing residents how breastmilk donation supports newborns statewide. The Food and Drug Administration recommends consulting healthcare providers regarding use of screened donor human milk from accredited sources that follow safety protocols; obtaining such products directly from individuals or over the internet is discouraged. WakeMed Mothers' Milk Bank remains North Carolina's only Human Milk Banking Association-accredited facility.

Wake County commissioners voted 5-2 to approve a merger between Atrium Health and WakeMed following months of negotiations. The agreement includes capping price increases at WakeMed for five years at no more than 1.5 times the annual increase in Medicare costs, creating a $150 million community fund, and granting Wake County access to financial information. Atrium Health committed to investing $2 billion in WakeMed over 15 years. Wake County will appoint eight board members, whilst Atrium will appoint six. The decision faced opposition from patients, state employees, and advocacy groups who argued the merger would increase healthcare costs. Deputies cleared the public from the room before the vote after disruptions. The deal now requires regulatory review by the Attorney General's office.

Joint statement from WakeMed and Atrium Health following Wake County Board approval of proposed combination. 09.21.2026 Atrium Health News RALEIGH, N.C. and CHARLOTTE, N.C. (September 21, 2026) - Following the Wake County Board of Commissioners' majority vote to approve amendments to WakeMed's Articles of Incorporation and the Transfer Agreement related to the proposed combination between WakeMed and Atrium Health, the organizations issued the following joint statement: Today, the Wake County Board of Commissioners voted to approve this proposed combination, marking a historic milestone for both organizations and the communities Atrium Health Enterprise serve. Over the past several months, Wake County has engaged in critical conversations about the future of healthcare in this region - with strong opinions, tough questions and differing perspectives. Through it all, one thing was clear: people care deeply about WakeMed, its caregivers, its patients and the future of this community. Atrium Health Enterprise greatly appreciate everyone who took part in that conversation and helped make it stronger. Atrium Health Enterprise spent countless hours listening to county leaders, community organizations, faith leaders, employees, care providers and residents who wanted to understand what this combination would mean for Wake County. That's a fair question, and Atrium Health Enterprise believe the additional commitments included in the final agreement are a meaningful answer. The $150 million Wake County Whole Health Program is a significant long-term investment in the health and vitality of Wake County, building on its track record of investing in community well-being and addressing needs that extend beyond the walls of hospitals and physician practices. The amended Transfer Agreement includes a strengthened charity care commitment establishing a higher minimum threshold for caring for patients in need, providing additional assurance around a level of support that already exceeds that threshold today and helping ensure access to care regardless of a person's ability to pay. These enhancements build on Atrium Health's commitment to invest $2 billion in WakeMed, supporting continued investment in people, facilities, technology and services needed to meet the needs of one of the fastest-growing communities in the country. This combination will expand access to affordable, nationally leading care, strengthen mental health and other critical services, grow local jobs, increase investment in nonprofit and community-based organizations, address social drivers of health, catalyze innovation and improve the health and well-being of Wake County for generations to come. This vote brings Atrium Health Enterprise to the next chapter of the process, and important work remains ahead. As the proposed combination now moves to the regulatory review process, Atrium Health Enterprise look forward to fulfilling its commitments. Atrium Health Enterprise recognize that trust is earned, and its focus now is to follow through on what Atrium Health Enterprise has outlined, continuing to listen to the community and demonstrating, through its actions, the value this combination will create for the people of Wake County and beyond. About WakeMed Serving the community since 1961, WakeMed is a not-for-profit health care system founded and based in Raleigh, N.C. WakeMed exists to improve the health and well-being of its community by providing outstanding and compassionate care to all. WakeMed's 973-bed system comprises a network of facilities throughout the Triangle area, including three full-service hospitals, a mental health & well-being hospital, eight emergency departments, a dedicated Children's Hospital and Rehabilitation Hospital, two exceptional Trauma Centers - a Level I Trauma Center in Raleigh and a Level III Trauma Center in Cary, and more than 175 physician and physical therapy practice offices. WakeMed's mission-driven team includes more than 12,800 employees, 1,300 volunteers, and 1,300 affiliated physicians along with a network of 900+ primary care and specialty providers with WakeMed Physician Practices - all representing the best minds and the biggest hearts and the finest quality in health care and community health. For more information, visit www.wakemed.org or follow WakeMed on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn. About Atrium Health Atrium Health is advancing clinical care and research across the communities it serves by redefining care for all. The care network is anchored by Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, an academic medical center in Charlotte that includes Levine Children's Hospital, Levine Cancer Institute and Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute, along with 11 hospitals, more than 900 care locations and over 1,400 physicians serving communities across the greater Charlotte region. It is part of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States. Advocate Health is a preeminent academic health system at the forefront of clinical excellence, innovation and research, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as its academic core. Nationally recognized for expertise in heart and vascular, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, Advocate Health is also a pioneer in the delivery of virtual health care. It's accelerating discovery by making research participation part of the standard-of-care through its one-of-a-kind National Center for Clinical Trials. Advocate Health has one of the nation's largest graduate medical education programs, with an experiential learning focus and specialized residencies to help protect the long-term sustainability of rural health care in America. Each campus of the school of medicine has an affiliated life-sciences focused innovation district: The Pearl, in Charlotte, and Innovation Quarter, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. With more than 165,000 teammates serving patients at 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations across eight states, Advocate Health reinvests over $6 billion each year to improve community health, making it one of the nation's largest providers of community benefit.