I spent a lot of time at the hospital’s coffee shop working on this issue.
Multiple interviews at New Hanover Regional Medical Center had me going back-and-forth between our office in the Mayfaire area and the South 17th Street hospital. So, caffeine was a good friend.
On one of those pit stops, I checked out a history display across from the café. These displays are dotted throughout the hospital’s main-floor hallways and lobbies, showcasing items from the area’s local medical history.
This one, though, is perhaps the best.
Amid the nursing uniforms and antique medical instruments sits a horse saddle.
It belonged to Dr. Bertram Williams, and he used it when riding by horseback to check out the densely wooded site not yet accessible by cars. It was 1961, and New Hanover Memorial Hospital, merging the community’s white and black hospitals in the midst of the civil rights period, was about to be built there.
Fast forward nearly 60 years, and that hospital has morphed into a health system that plays a significant role in the local economy and employs more people than anyone else in the area. For those reasons, as well as its role in individuals’ health and medical needs, we chose to look at NHRMC’s rapid growth for our inaugural summer issue focusing on the region’s health care industry.
In the 2019 Pulse section (starting on page 17), you’ll find out how New Hanover Regional got as large as it has and get a preview of its future focuses. But you’ll also learn more about trends impacting care overall (page 30), the community’s health status (page 35) and current market demand for medical office space (page 44).
Ever notice that there seem to be more dentists in Wilmington than in other similarsized cities? We did too, so we asked some of them how they stand out from the crowd. It turns out that going to the dentist’s office these days looks a lot different than it used to (page 46).
It’s not all health talk this issue.
This being summer, and tourism still being a major sector here, we also introduce our annual Waterways section, focusing on the businesses and activities that fuel the coastal lifestyle (starting on page 49).
Up next this year is our Spark issue in the fall with stories about economic development and innovation in Southeastern North Carolina. And in December, we launch our WilmingtonBiz 100 list – an issue that highlights the area’s top 100 Power Players, Influencers, Innovators, Connectors and Rising Stars.
For story ideas on those upcoming issues or feedback on this one, as always, reach out anytime.
Here’s to your health.
-Vicky Janowski, editor
