Morehead Hospital unveils new name: UNC Rockingham Health Care
Morehead’s top executive, Dana Weston, to remain president of new entity
EDEN – Morehead Memorial Hospital officially became UNC Health Care’s 13th affiliated hospital as of Jan. 1. As part of the agreement, Morehead Memorial, which has a long history of serving patients and their families in the Rockingham County region, will change its name to UNC Rockingham Health Care.
“UNC Health Care is committed to ensuring that the Rockingham County community continues to receive appropriate, high-quality health care in a convenient setting, close to home,” said Chris Ellington, president of UNC Health Care Network Hospitals. “As the integration of UNC Rockingham Health Care continues in the new year, we are excited about opportunities to ensure the stability and continuity of much-needed medical care for years to come.”
UNC Health Care also announces that Dana Weston, who has served as Morehead’s top executive since 2015, will remain president of the hospital.
“Dana is a dynamic leader who is highly regarded by Morehead employees, physicians and community leaders,” Ellington said. “We look forward to tapping her expertise and dedication to providing excellent patient care as Morehead is integrated into UNC Health Care.
Weston is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Emory University in Atlanta, where she majored in neuroscience and behavioral biology. She continued her education at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she received a master’s degree in healthcare administration. Upon graduation, Weston was awarded a Hospital Administration Fellowship at Duke University Hospital.
“Morehead Memorial Hospital faced significant challenges over the years, but now we are looking ahead to a bright future as a member of the UNC Health Care family,” Weston said. “It’s an exciting time as we partner with our team members, physicians, patients and their families, and community leaders to determine the best strategies for ensuring that UNC Rockingham Health Care remains a vibrant part of this region.”
As of Jan. 1, all employees of Morehead Memorial in good standing automatically became employees of UNC Rockingham Health Care. That operating entity will run both the hospital (UNC Rockingham Hospital) and the adjacent skilled nursing facility (UNC Rockingham Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center).
UNC Health Care is an integrated health care system comprised of UNC Hospitals and its provider network (UNC Faculty Physicians), UNC Physicians Network, the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine and other hospitals and hospital systems across the state.
Additional hospital entities include UNC REX Healthcare, Chatham Hospital, Johnston Health, Pardee Hospital, High Point Regional Health, Caldwell Memorial, Nash Health Care, Wayne Memorial and UNC Lenoir Health Care.
