COLUMBIA — Washington Regional Medical Center wants to establish a primary-care clinic in Columbia as part of a broader effort to expand the Plymouth hospital’s presence across northeastern North Carolina, hospital officials told Tyrrell County commissioners Tuesday.

Bruce Patterson, executive vice president for business development and business affairs at Washington Regional, told commissioners during their Sept. 15 meeting that the hospital has set aside money for additional rural health clinics and wants Tyrrell County to be among the communities it serves.

“We want to open one here in Columbia,” Patterson said. “We have set aside funds to do that.”

Washington Regional currently operates primary-care clinics in Plymouth and Williamston. Patterson said the organization also plans to open an urgent care center in Williamston in November and is considering a future clinic in Edenton.

“With the hospital being financially stable, we’re able to reinvest back in the community,” Patterson said. “That’s one of the reinvestments we want to make.”

The Columbia proposal prompted a broader discussion about whether Tyrrell County residents know what medical services are available in nearby Plymouth, particularly when emergency care is needed.

During the discussion, one speaker noted that U.S. 64 provides a relatively direct route between Columbia and Plymouth and said travel time could be critical during an emergency.

“It appears to me it would be much quicker to take them to Plymouth than to take them to Edenton because of the 64 expressway,” the speaker said. “Taking them to emergency care is vitally important — the time factor.”

The discussion also exposed one of the challenges Washington Regional still faces: Some Tyrrell County residents may not realize how much the hospital has changed — or even that it remains open.

One person at the meeting said he had not realized the hospital was still operating, while another questioned whether local residents know they have the option of seeking emergency care in Plymouth.

“It looks like we need to do some type of informing the community,” one speaker said.

Patterson acknowledged the hospital is still working to overcome its past reputation.

“If there are doubts from before, give us a chance,” he said. “Please let folks know we’ve made some significant strides.”

That history is part of the reason Affinity Health Partners came to Plymouth in the first place. Patterson said Washington County Hospital was in Chapter 7 bankruptcy when the company became involved in 2019.

“We decided this one had the greatest odds of success of getting turned around,” he said.

Affinity ultimately invested about $7.5 million in the hospital, Patterson said, replacing or upgrading much of its infrastructure and rebuilding its workforce. He said the hospital has grown from 38 employees — only five of them full time — to about 190 full-time employees.

The company later conveyed the hospital to a nonprofit organization while continuing to manage it under a long-term contract.

“We’re invested financially, and out of our own pockets, to make that hospital work,” Patterson said. “Because if it doesn’t work, we aren’t getting our money back.”

Patterson said Washington Regional now has 25 medical providers, including nine physicians and osteopathic physicians, with nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other advanced-practice providers making up the remainder. Its average daily patient census is now about 12, he said.

Among the investments Patterson highlighted were a 128-slice CT scanner, 3D mammography equipment, refurbished patient rooms and infrastructure improvements throughout the hospital.

He also outlined partnerships with Duke University, including an affiliation with Duke University School of Nursing and a relationship through which Duke cardiology specialists read echocardiograms performed at Washington Regional.

The hospital operates a specialty clinic where providers in several specialties see patients on scheduled days each month. Washington Regional also accepts “swing bed” patients who have undergone major procedures at larger hospitals and need rehabilitation or other post-acute care closer to home.

Expansion includes veterans transportation, food access

Washington Regional is also pursuing several projects intended to extend its reach beyond the hospital, including transportation that could help area veterans and an expansion of a mobile fresh-food program into communities east of Plymouth.

The veterans discussion followed concerns raised at the meeting about Tyrrell County veterans who must travel long distances for medical care, sometimes relying on specialized transportation dispatched from the Hampton Roads area.

“We have veterans that drive too far — two and a half, three, even four hours — to get service,” Patterson said.

Washington Regional recently purchased two vehicles to provide patient transportation, he said, and hospital officials expressed interest in working with Tyrrell County to determine whether the service could help local veterans access care closer to home.

“We can start doing that so they don’t have to go that far,” Patterson said. “At least be an option.”

Patterson said hospital officials have also explored establishing services at Washington Regional in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. That effort did not move forward, he said, but the hospital remains interested in revisiting the idea.

Another expansion could bring mobile fresh-produce markets into Tyrrell County.

Patterson said Washington Regional is working with Ripe for Revival, a Rocky Mount-based organization that operates mobile fresh-produce markets. Under the partnership, Washington Regional plans to provide space on its Plymouth campus for refrigeration and serve as a base from which the markets can travel farther into northeastern North Carolina.

The organization’s mobile markets currently reach Plymouth, Patterson said, but the partnership is intended to expand service to 15 additional communities east of the town.

“We said we wanted to do at least two communities in Tyrrell, at least two more in Plymouth, one more in Martin, and then certainly 10 other communities in eastern North Carolina,” Patterson said.

He asked Tyrrell officials to help identify communities where the markets could be useful, specifically mentioning Columbia.

Washington Regional is also working to connect residents with specialty medical services that otherwise could require travel outside the region.

Through a partnership with Shriners Children’s, Patterson said, Washington Regional can serve as an access point for children with orthopedic and other serious pediatric conditions. Diagnostic work can be performed in Plymouth, with specialists participating remotely in assessments.

If a child needs physical rehabilitation, Patterson said, it can potentially be provided at Washington Regional. Children requiring major surgery can be connected with a Shriners facility, with transportation and financial assistance available through the Shriners system depending on the family’s circumstances.

“You can think of us as a portal for those services into the area,” Patterson said.

The partnerships are part of a broader strategy for operating a small, independent rural hospital, he said.

“We know darn well, in order for this hospital to work, it can’t work like it used to work,” Patterson said. “It can’t be all things to all people. But we’re going to try and do the best we can with what we get.”

Emergency department, surgical expansion planned

A major renovation of the emergency department and surgical area is also planned.

Patterson said the hospital is pursuing approximately $10 million through the state’s Emergency Rural Health Stabilization Fund. He described the money as a low-interest loan and said Washington Regional was in the final stages of completing required documentation.

If the financing is finalized, the hospital plans to expand behind the existing surgical area and construct a new emergency department. Once that is complete, the existing emergency department would be closed for redevelopment of the surgical area.

The current emergency department was built to handle about 200 patients a month but is now seeing approximately 550, Patterson said.

He estimated the overall construction process would take 18 to 24 months.

The hospital also has received $1 million in federal funding, Patterson said, for equipment upgrades including telemetry, ultrasound equipment, patient beds, IV pumps and laboratory equipment.

Reopening the hospital’s two operating rooms remains part of its long-term plans. Patterson said officials eventually want to offer orthopedic procedures such as hip and knee surgery in Plymouth.

Patterson estimated Washington Regional’s operations and planned investments would provide about $50 million in economic benefits to the area over the next five years through employment, taxes and other activity.

Commissioners welcomed the hospital’s outreach to Tyrrell County.

“We appreciate you coming,” Chairman Jordan Davis told Patterson. “We appreciate all the information, and we appreciate the investment in the community and the possible partnership coming forward.”

Patterson’s message to Tyrrell County was simple.

“Put us to work,” he said.

Bridge replacement could begin in November

Later in the meeting, commissioners received an update on the South Creek Bridge replacement project.

Davis said he had spoken with the N.C. Department of Transportation after previously being told construction could begin in August or September.

He said DOT now expects to let the contract in October and could begin construction in November, with completion potentially in April or May.

The bridge closure would create significant detours for people using Rider Creek and Newlands roads, Davis said.

“The bridge definitely needs to be replaced, but it would definitely cause a lot of problems for people living in that area,” he said.

Officials cautioned that the schedule could change.

Commissioners also discussed erosion and drainage concerns along Cross Landing Road. A commissioner said DOT has cleared environmental hurdles and is beginning to gather resources for riprap and other work intended to stabilize the road shoulder.

Officials said drainage from hundreds of acres of surrounding farmland has contributed to erosion near the roadway.

Budd representative gives federal update

John Tayloe, Northeast Regional Director for U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, also attended Tuesday’s meeting and updated commissioners on federal legislation, constituent services and an ongoing effort involving community banking in Tyrrell County.

Tayloe highlighted changes expanding access to Pell Grants for short-term workforce training as well as recent housing and banking legislation. He also reminded commissioners that Budd’s office assists residents, businesses and local governments with issues involving federal agencies.

Tayloe said he continues to work on a community-bank issue previously raised by county officials.

“I’m working the community bank issue for you, ongoing,” Tayloe said. “I have now had four conversations, and one as late as last week.”

Tayloe said he had recently spoken with the president of the bank involved and hoped those discussions could lead to further conversations.

“We know and recognize, from the senator being here, just how important a community bank is to this town and to the county,” Tayloe said.

County officials thanked Tayloe for maintaining a relationship with Tyrrell County. One commissioner said he had turned to Tayloe numerous times for help, particularly with veterans’ issues.

“I have called on John at least 15 times,” he said. “He’s never failed to answer. He’s never failed to respond, and he’s been most helpful on a number of issues dealing with veterans.”

Tayloe said Budd recently completed visits to all 100 North Carolina counties during the current Congress, something he described as a commitment by the senator to maintain contact with communities across the state.

“There’s so much that’s learned boots on the ground and being here and talking with people just like you,” Tayloe said.

He encouraged commissioners to continue contacting his office when they need assistance.

“That right hand of fellowship is extended to all of you on the commission,” Tayloe said. “You have my contact information. Reach out when you need to.”

Opioid settlement funds discussed

County officials also reviewed Tyrrell County’s opioid settlement funding, an annual discussion required under the terms governing the use of the money.

The county is expected to continue receiving settlement payments over a period of years as money from opioid-related legal settlements is distributed to local governments.

Officials said Tyrrell has been working with MTW District Health Department on programs connected with the funding and that additional, smaller settlement streams have begun coming to the county.

The board took action acknowledging the required public discussion of the settlement funds.

October meeting moved

Commissioners also handled a series of property-tax releases and adjustments during the meeting and thanked county employees who recently assisted with maintenance work at the school.

The board’s October meeting will be held Oct. 13 rather than on its regular meeting date.