New Wilmington Health Associates CEO Jeff James believes in innovation.

It hasn’t taken long for James, 44, to make his presence felt. With assistance from the WHA governing board, James recently completed a strategic plan that centers on providing high-quality patient care and an increased local presence by the medical group.

“We’re focused on the patient and the best quality of care and we will continue to raise the bar for health care in the community,” James said. “We hope to be good stewards of the community and be more visible. By doing that, more people will stay in Wilmington for their health care and more people will come to Wilmington for their health care.”

Wilmington Health Associates, with its main campus at 1202 Medical Center Drive, has more than  70 board-certified physicians, representing 15 specialties. WHA was founded in 1971 and now has nine locations in and around Wilmington.
James said ongoing priorities of the independent physicians’ group include patient satisfaction and quality of care, offering new services, adding healthcare providers and reducing patient wait time.

To that end, James initiated a program called Today’s Care, which offers patients immediate or walk-in appointments at Wilmington Health Associates’ primary clinic on Medical Center Drive.

“If you want to be seen today you will be seen. What our staff is now doing is they’re suggesting you just come in and you will be seen today,” he said. “It provides value for the patient. Waiting on the phone does not provide value for the patient.”

James has a clear vision for the future of Wilmington Health Associates.

“More services will be added, more specialists will be hired and more primary care will be delivered, all of it from our perspective with the patient coming first,” he said.
James and his family came to Wilmington from Champaign, Ill., where he served as chief financial officer and chief operating officer for a large medical clinic. The Illinois native held a similar position at a physicians group in Texas prior to that.

He is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor of science degree in business, with a major in finance.

James is no stranger to North Carolina. When in the service, he was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station at Cherry Point. His family also vacations frequently at Emerald Isle in Carteret County.

“We had a short list of states and North Carolina was on it,” James said. “We looked around the country, my wife and I, and we were interested in making one more career move. We wanted to be in a growing market, we wanted to be in an area with quality healthcare and we wanted to be in a group about the size Wilmington Health Associates has.”

James said Wilmington Health Associates will grow with the community.

“I do see the population growth and Wilmington does seem to be the natural spot in the region as a center for health care,” he said.

James and his wife Liz have two children, ages 9 and 3.
James sees his role as CEO of Wilmington Health Associates in a “traditional” sense.

“I help the board develop policies that it makes and I help the board develop a vision for the group,” he said. 

Dr. Jonathan Hines, a specialist in internal medicine and WHA board president, said James has already made a difference since becoming CEO in September.

“Jeff James is having a profound impact on the culture at WHA. Jeff is challenging all of us to evaluate what is most fundamental about our organization – why we exist, where we are going, how do we get there,” Hines said.

Through the process, Hines said associates consistently return to the same goals and objectives, all emphasizing patient care, patient service, coordination of services and quality.

“We plan to continually survey and measure ourselves in regards to quality of service and ease of service, and we plan to publish it. We intend to create a professional environment where all of our employees have an opportunity for growth, can take pride in the place they are working, and can share in a sense of ownership about what we are doing,” Hines said.

While continuing a commitment to quality patient care, Hines said as a corporate citizen, WHA will become more involved “in the needs of the community at large.”

James echoed those sentiments, and said initiatives are in the works to extend the reach of Wilmington Health Associates.

James and members of the physicians’ group are also mindful of the uncertain economic times.

“The current economic situation in the U.S. does have an impact on health care. Most people, if asked, would say they have made some lifestyle changes,” James said. “Unfortunately, what is happening is folks are cutting back on the health care they need.”

He said cutting back can take the form of delaying doctor appointments or diagnostic procedures, or reducing the intake of prescribed medications.

“That will eventually have an impact on their health,” James said.