Most recognize Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center as a leader in healthcare and innovation, but the intricate details of this esteemed institution remain relatively unknown. In this article, we’re uncovering why the largest employer in the region has folks gravitating from every corner of the nation to Winston-Salem.
Nestled in the heart of North Carolina, Winston-Salem boasts a dynamic mix of history, culture, and industry. While it’s known for its rich heritage and vibrant arts scene, the city is also a hub for some of the state’s most influential employers. These organizations not only drive the local economy but also shape the future of this growing city. Here are the top powerhouses in Winston-Salem:
- Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
- Novant Health
- Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
- Hanesbrands Inc.
- Krispy Kreme Inc. (previously Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc.)
- Truist Financial Corporation
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
- PepsiCo
- Reynolds American Inc.
In this article, we’ll uncover how Winston-Salem’s largest employer, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, attracts people from every corner of the nation.
A Beacon of Healthcare Excellence
Winston-Salem’s reputation as a great place to retire is partly due to its top-tier healthcare facilities. Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is one of two prominent local hospital systems leading the way. This comprehensive academic medical center offers routine check-ups and specializes in complex surgeries and care in oncology, cardiology, neurology, and orthopedics. Patients from all over the region come here for cutting-edge treatments and compassionate care, reassured by the center’s comprehensive services.
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist is a pre-eminent academic health system based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and part of Atrium Health Enterprise. Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s two main components are an integrated clinical system – anchored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, an 885-bed tertiary-care hospital in Winston-Salem – that includes Brenner Children’s Hospital, five community hospitals, more than 300 primary and specialty care locations and more than 2,700 physicians; and Wake Forest School of Medicine, the academic core of Atrium Health Enterprise and a recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research that includes Wake Forest Innovations, a commercialization enterprise focused on advancing health care through new medical technologies and biomedical discovery.
Economic Engine of Forsyth County
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is Forsyth County, NC’s largest employer, with over 20,000 employees, including nearly 3,000 physicians, more than 1,300 faculty, and 1,000 students. Its impact on the local economy is profound and multifaceted, contributing significantly to the prosperity and growth of our community.
Atrium Health has invested in Wake Forest Baptist and Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem and the school’s new campus in Charlotte. These investments amount to a combined $700 million in the region by Atrium Health, part of a $3.4 billion pledge by Atrium Health over ten years.
Educational Impact
Affiliated with the Wake Forest School of Medicine, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center’s residency programs are vital in attracting talented individuals to Winston-Salem. The combination of professional opportunities, community engagement, and the appealing lifestyle of Winston-Salem ensures that many residents train at the medical center and choose to make the city their long-term home. This dynamic interplay between education, career development, and community life not only contributes to the continued growth and vibrancy of Winston-Salem but also inspires and motivates individuals to pursue their careers in healthcare.
The emergency medicine residency at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (WFBMC) has been continuously operating and fully accredited since 1974. It is the oldest EM residency program in the Southeast and one of the founding programs in the country.
Medical Research & Innovation
The Wake Forest Innovations division operates the Innovation Quarter, a mixed-use center in downtown Winston-Salem that is a hub for research, business, and education in biomedical science, information technology, digital media, clinical services, and advanced materials. Innovation Quarter comprises approximately 2 million square feet of office, laboratory, and educational space – much of it in converted tobacco factories and warehouses – on its 300-plus acres. Key tenants in the park are the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) and Inmar. WFIRM is working to engineer replacement tissues and organs and develop healing cell therapies for over 40 body areas. Inmar is an information technology company that employs 900 people.
Cultural & Social Impact: Impact on the “Diabetes Belt”
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the leading causes of kidney failure, making kidney disease care a “critical need in the areas within the “diabetes, stroke, and kidney disease belt.” Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist operates 16 free-standing outpatient dialysis centers throughout the Triad and the Western Piedmont region and is the largest academically owned and operated dialysis operation in the country.
According to the CDC, nine out of people with early kidney disease don’t know they have it because symptoms don’t present until the late stages. Routine blood and urine tests can tell how the kidneys cannot work, but these tests can’t identify high-risk patients. In 2021, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist partnered with Renalytix, making KidneyIntelX, testing that identifies high-risk kidney failure patients, available to those with diabetes-associated kidney disease. Now, local physicians can take proactive measures that significantly reduce the risk of kidney failure.
Advanced Care
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist is the region’s only Level I trauma center. The different levels indicate the resources available in a center and the number of patients admitted yearly. Level I is the highest designation for hospitals caring for critically injured patients.
The Burn Center of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist is one of only two in North Carolina. At the time of verification, it was one of only five American Burn Association (ABA) verified burn centers in the Southeast. To achieve verification, a burn center must meet the rigorous standards for organizational structure, personnel qualifications, facilities resources, and medical care services set by the ABA. ABA-verified centers have all the burn care team members, including nurses and rehabilitation specialists, psychosocial support, and other necessary capabilities.
Use of Medical Helicopters
The Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist air ambulance program, AirCare, recently celebrated a 38-year history since its first flight in May 1986. During that time, the AirCare program transported nearly 40,000 patients, helping them get trauma and critical-care services. The hospital says that helicopters are getting more use each year because of new services and procedures available at the hospital. The fleet has grown from one to four helicopters, transporting individuals across North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina.
The work AirCare at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist does is crucial because studies indicate that mortality is 20% lower when patients are transferred to a trauma center within 60 minutes of an accident. Within minutes, the chopper is in the air, flying over the Ardmore neighborhood. The crew treats patients at the scene, and within 10 minutes, the aircraft is usually back in the air, heading to the medical facility.
Children’s Specialty Care
Brenner Children’s Hospital is the first and only hospital in the Triad region to provide expert pediatric specialty care. The pediatric hospital has the highest NICU designation possible for the tiniest babies and is one of the state’s only Level I Children’s Surgery Centers.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Piedmont Triad (better known simply as the Ronald McDonald House) is a “home away from home” for families with children aged 21 and under receiving treatment at Brenner Children’s Hospital. The House provides an area for families to rest, eat, and find support as they cope with their children’s medical needs. While the cost to operate a room at the Ronald McDonald House is $88 a night, they only ask families to make a $10 per night donation for their stay. *The House does not provide medical treatment.
A New Birth Center for New Moms & Babies
While Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has been around for over 100 years, from the mid-1970s until 2019, the hospital did not routinely deliver babies. In July 2019, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist opened The Birth Center. Over the past five years, more than 14,600 babies have been born, and nearly 3,600 babies have been cared for in the Level IV NICU (the highest possible designation).
The hospital has 40 maternity and post-maternity patient rooms, including two larger rooms for twins and two double-size rooms with unique amenities. A special room is also available for adoptive parents and their babies to bond and begin their new lives together.
Since its opening, the birth unit has added new services, including gynecological surgery, the NEST—Nurse Education Support Team (a team of health care professionals who provide postpartum follow-up home visits), and Deacon Doulas (trained, volunteer birth companions who provide physical and emotional support during childbirth at no cost to patients).
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is pivotal in attracting quality professionals to Winston-Salem. The medical center draws top talent to the region through diverse employment opportunities, competitive compensation, professional development programs, and a collaborative work environment. Coupled with the appealing quality of life in Winston-Salem, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center stands as a magnet for individuals seeking fulfilling careers and a vibrant community to call home.
References
Dialysis Facilities in Piedmont Triad – Seasons. https://www.seasons.com/resource/dialysis-facilities-in-piedmont-triad/
FAQ – Ronald McDonald House Charities Piedmont Triad. https://rmhcpt.org/who-we-are/faq/
Member Spotlight: Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist – Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. https://greensboro.org/member-spotlight-atrium-health-wake-forest-baptist/
Newsroom | Atrium Health WaCenter’sestaptist. https://newsroom.wakCenter’sedu/?q=nil&year=2017&sortby=2
Transporting Patients | Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. https://www.wakehealth.edu/referring-physicians/transporting-patients
Wake Forest Baptist Locates Helicopter in Lexington | Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. https://newsroom.wakehealth.edu/news-releases/2010/11/wake-forest-baptist-locates-helicopter-in-lexington
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center’s Burn Center Receives Verification | Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. https://newsroom.wakehealth.edu/news-releases/2009/05/wake-forest-university-baptist-medical-centers-burn-center-receives-verification
Wake Forest University School of Medicine – WikEM. https://wikem.org/wiki/Wake_Forest_University_School_of_Medicine
