This week, Carolina Journal published an update on the UNC-Vidant dispute. The subject of the article is an email to ECU faculty and staff regarding the Vidant issue from East Carolina University Interim Chancellor Dan Gerlach and Brody School of Medicine Dean Dr. Mark Stacy. In their email, Gerlach and Stacy vehemently deny any involvement in removing UNC appointment powers to the Board of Vidant Medical Center. CJ quotes the email as reading:
“No one at ECU/Brody was consulted or agreed to this change. This action violated the affiliation agreement that ECU and Brody have with Vidant and Pitt County. Their action broke an agreement that has been in place, in some form, for decades.”
East Carolina University has decided to take legal action against Vidant, stating:
“The plain fact is that Vidant Health and Pitt County acted behind closed doors to change how appointments are made to the Vidant Medical Center Board… We at ECU made the decision to protect our interests and engaged legal counsel to defend the agreement.”
The email mentioned the benefits Vidant has received due to its relationship with the UNC system:
“Its legal agreement with ECU and the University of North Carolina System has given Vidant access to benefits such as supplemental Medicaid payments, crucial payments Vidant has now put at risk through this unilateral action.”
The article reports that ECU is recommending Vidant and Pitt County return to the original agreement in order to protect Vidant’s Medicaid payments. The article closes out with this excerpt from the email:
“This is a fight that ECU did not know about, start, invite or need. The court has directed mediation, the best way to handle concerns, and we are working with the parties to complete that process as soon as possible.”
Read the full article here. Read more about this issue here.
