Members of the Partnership Advisory Group, which last week recommended negotiating with Novant Health to buy NHRMC, will answer questions from the public Wednesday.
 
The question-and-answer session will take place online starting at 5:30 p.m., with residents being able to post questions during the livestream on New Hanover County’s Facebook page.
 
On Thursday, the 21-member Partnership Advisory Group (PAG) voted unanimously in favor of Novant Health, which was one of three finalists being considered in a deal for New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Atrium Health and Duke Health also had made offers for the county-owned hospital.
 
NHRMC trustees meet Tuesday to weigh in on the recommendation. They along with New Hanover County commissioners – who meet July 13 – have to agree to move ahead with the PAG’s recommendation in order for a definitive agreement to be negotiated with Novant.
 
Hospital trustees and county commissioners have the final say on any deal. If negotiations continue, a final agreement could be made public and a public hearing held in September, officials said. That would have commissioners and hospital trustees voting on the potential agreement in September or October.
 
Novant’s proposal includes an offer to buy NHRMC from New Hanover County for about $2 billion and invest more than $2.5 billion in capital improvements and new services in the area.
 
“Novant Health’s proposal involves establishing a regional system hub in Wilmington similar to existing hubs in Winston-Salem and Charlotte,” a news release from the county and hospital stated.
 
Winston-Salem-based Novant Health already has a local presence with Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center in Bolivia and physician group practices throughout Brunswick County.
 
In its offer, Novant also brought to the table an agreement with UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine to expand UNC School of Medicine’s Wilmington branch campus, expand the rural pipeline for students wanting to work in rural North Carolina, establish a new UNC Health Sciences campus based out of the South Eastern Area Health Education Center, develop a children’s clinical service-line partnership with UNC Children’s and develop research clinical trials and population health studies programs, officials said.
 
“If the Board of Trustees and Board of Commissioners vote to move forward with the Partnership Advisory Group’s recommendation in July, there will be multiple other steps and considerations over the coming months and the public will continue to be kept informed,” the release stated.
 
Wednesday’s talk with PAG members about the advisory group’s process, research and recommendation will be livestreamed at Facebook.com/newhanoverco. Viewers can post questions through the stream’s Facebook comments. It will also be available to watch live on NHCTV.com and NHCTV’s cable stations Spectrum Channel 13 and Charter Channel 5.