Officials cut ribbon on new ECU Family Medicine Center
Three years almost to the day after a ground-breaking ceremony, East Carolina University officials cut the ribbon Friday on one of the university’s most awaited new buildings: the new ECU Family Medicine Center.
Touting its patient-care capacities and advanced features, Dr. Kenneth Steinweg, chair of family medicine at ECU, said, “There is none other for family medicine like this in the country.”
ECU Chancellor Steve Ballard, center, flanked by N.C. Reps. Edith Warren, left, and Marian McLawhorn, right help cut the ribbon at the new ECU Family Medicine Center on Friday, Sept. 23. Photos by Cliff Hollis
The center has been open for patients for a few weeks, but Friday’s ECU board of trustees meeting on the health sciences campus presented an opportunity to officially unveil the new building.
The building replaces a cramped, outdated 32,000-square-foot facility that opened in the 1970s and was attached to Pitt County Memorial Hospital. The new center has educational and office space the former center lacked. It also includes space for sports medicine, physical therapy, geriatrics and more, which used to be housed at different sites.
Dr. Jim Jones, founding chair of family medicine, praised the new building, the university for pursuing it and the General Assembly for funding it.
“You can’t persuade young medical students to go into family medicine if the facility they train in is second-rate,” Jones said. “It’s important students (know) they’re going into a field of medicine that’s respected and has the support of the university and the legislature.”
The Frances J. and Robert T. Monk Sr. Geriatric Center, part of the Family Medicine Center, replaces an off-campus doctor’s office that had four exam rooms. The Monks, who were patients of Steinweg’s in that small office, wanted to support a new, modern facility for the care of elderly patients. They pledged $2.5 million to help build it.
“They wanted to give back to the community that’s given so much to them,” Robert Monk III said of his late grandparents.
The day before the ribbon-cutting, third-year family medicine resident Dr. Daniel Becerra said patients seem to like the new center. “I had 13 patients scheduled and 14 show up,” he said. “That’s always good when you have more patients.”
Becerra said the design of the new building, with large windows, also improves the experience for patients and staff, he said.
“Being able to see outside, see people walking, feel connected to the outside world make it feel less like a doctor’s office,” Becerra said. “I feel a little more connected to the world.”
In addition, patients can park near the building, wait times have decreased, and services such as radiology and laboratory services are on site.
As the center attracts new patients, the diversity of people and their illnesses and injuries will also grow, adding to educational opportunities for medical students and residents, Becerra said.
“The training is just going to increase with an already highly respected program,” Becerra said.
The new Family Medicine Center has 52 exam rooms plus another 12 exam rooms in the geriatric center. It has sports medicine, minor surgery, medical procedure and urgent care clinical areas. Administrative staff members also have offices at the center. Many previously worked in the Brody Medical Sciences Building.
Construction on the facility began in 2009. Building and equipping it cost approximately $38.1 million, with more than $36 million appropriated by the General Assembly. The Golden Leaf Foundation awarded $1 million to help build the facility.
Janice Paris, center, demonstrates exam room features in the new ECU Family Medicine Center on Friday, Sept. 23.
Dr. Paul Cunningham, dean of the Brody School of Medicine at ECU, speaks at Friday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony with Robert Monk III, whose grandparents pledged $2.5 million to help build the geriatric center that bears their name.