Effective January 25, 2012, University Health Systems (UHS) of Eastern Carolina will become Vidant Health, and Pitt County Memorial Hospital will become Vidant Medical Center. The name Vidant Health is derived from the Latin root vi, which is universally associated with life, vibrancy and vitality and is closely associated with the system’s mission “to enhance the quality of life for the communities we serve, touch and support.”

“Changing the name of our health system doesn’t change who we are as an organization,” said Dave McRae, Chief Executive Officer of UHS. “We are committed to improving access to quality health care services in the region, enhancing the patient’s experience and improving health outcomes. By aligning all of our hospitals with the system name, we will be able to tell people who we are and how we are all connected together.”

Seven of the nine regional hospitals and physician practices in the UHS system will change their names to incorporate Vidant, while Outer Banks Hospital in Nags Head and Albemarle Health in Elizabeth City will continue to operate under their existing names. UHS was created in 1997 and has grown to 10 hospitals and added physician groups and incorporated home health, hospice and wellness services.