Healthcare
Western North Carolina has always been a place for healing. The Cherokee Indians and early European settlers drew upon the curative powers of mountain herbs. Over a hundred years ago, people suffering from tuberculosis flocked here to take advantage of the mountain climate, and sufferers of rheumatism came for the relief offered by natural hot springs.
Today, the mountain region enjoys a thriving health care and hospital industry and is blessed with a full range of doctors and specialists, as well as providers of alternative and complementary medicine. Healthcare workers account for 25% of the region’s service sector employment.
The region’s hospitals have national standing, with Mission Hospitals in Asheville recognized as a Top 100 Heart Hospital and a Top 50 Orthopedic Hospital, Spruce Pine Hospital named a leader in the care of pneumonia, and Transylvania Community Hospital recognized as a Community Value 5-Star Hospital (based on measures of community benefit and financial performance).
The region is also home to the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Asheville and the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC, which provides education, information, technology, research, training, and services to improve health outcomes in Western North Carolina). The University of North Carolina, MAHEC, regional universities, and AdvantageWest are in the process of establishing the new North Carolina Center for Health and Aging. The objective of this facility and program is for Western North Carolina to become a center of excellence in the areas of wellness and gerentology.
Western North Carolina is at the forefront of an integrated approach to healthcare, aided by the Western North Carolina Health Network, which has linked 16 regional hospitals together to support the delivery of cost-effective, quality health services to our region. Western North Carolina’s strong health care system is a great reason to locate here.
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"As a life-long resident of western North Carolina I can’t imagine a more beautiful or diverse place to live and work."
D. Samuel Neill
Attorney-At-Law & AdvantageWest Board Member
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