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HEALTH

Taking Care

Fayetteville and Cumberland County are served by Cape Fear Valley Health System, which runs the only nonmilitary hospitals in the county.

Cape Fear Valley is a 619-bed, private, not-for-profit system that includes an acute-care hospital and a long-term acute-care hospital.

The health system also runs a physical rehabilitation center, a cancer center, a psychiatric hospital, a sleep center, a diabetes and endocrine center, and a fitness center.

In recent years, Cape Fear Valley has made some big changes -- most noticeably in early 2006, when it went from a county-owned institution to a private entity.

And it continues to expand as the population grows. A five-story parking deck opened in July and a patient tower is under construction that will have 96 inpatient beds and 36 observation beds. It is scheduled to open in September 2008.

Services are expanding as well. Earlier this year, the hospital affiliated with Cleveland Clinic physicians to perform heart surgeries inside the hospital. And last year, the health system opened Health Pavilion North on Ramsey Street so patients in outlying areas of the county could have better access to services.

Cape Fear Valley Health System owns Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Highsmith-Rainey Memorial Hospital, Southeastern Regional Rehabilitation Center, Behavioral Health Care, Health Pavilion North, the HealthPlex, the Diabetes & Endocrine Center and three walk-in medical clinics called ExpressCare.

Hospitals

Cumberland County

Cape Fear Valley Medical Center: 1638 Owen Drive. Information: 609-4000 or www.capefearvalley.com.

Who We Are Staff photo by Ed Panas Dr. Ada Ventura-Braswell painted a mannequin of a pregnant women. She has it displayed in her office. Dr. Ada Ventura-Braswell How long have you lived in the area? "Since 1999," says the obstetrician and gynecologist. She is the medical director at Cape Fear Valley Ob-Gyn Clinic. "I grew up in Miami. My parents are both Cuban, but I was in the military for eight years and worked at Womack for four years." What makes this a fun place to live? "I love crafting. I do them with my three children," she said. "That's my zen." Tip: Crafts stores in Fayetteville sell supplies for a variety of projects: A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts Store, 5075 Morganton Road; Crafts, Frames & Things, 108 Owen Drive; Hobby Lobby Creative Center, 1748 Skibo Road; and Michael’s, 2091 Skibo Road.

Highsmith-Rainey Memorial Hospital (part of Cape Fear Valley Health System): 150 Robeson St. Information: 609- 1000.

VA Medical Center: 2300 Ramsey St. Information: 488-2120.

Womack Army Medical Center: 2817 Reilly St., Fort Bragg. Information: 907-6000 or www.wamc.amedd.army.mil.

Cape Fear region

Central Carolina Hospital: 1135 Carthage St., Sanford. Information: (919) 774-2100 or www.centralcarolinahosp.com

Bladen County Hospital: 501 Poplar St., Elizabethtown. Information: (910) 862-5100 or www.bchn.org.

Columbus Regional Healthcare System: 500 Jefferson St., Whiteville. Information: (910) 642-8011 or www.crhealthcare.org.

Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital: 800 Tilghman Drive, Dunn. Information: (910) 892-1000 or www.bjrh.org.

FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital: 155 Memorial Drive, Pinehurst. Information (910) 715-1000 or www.firsthealth.org.

Southeastern Regional Medical Center: 300 W. 27th St., Lumberton. Information: (910) 671-5000 or www.srmc.org.

Sampson Regional Medical Center: 607 Beaman St., Clinton. Information: (910) 592-8511 or www.sampsonrmc.org.

Scotland Memorial Hospital: 500 Lauchwood Drive, Laurinburg. Information: (910) 291-7000 or www.scotlandhealth.org.

Health departments

Cumberland County: 227 Fountainhead Lane; 433-3600

Bladen County: 300 Mercer Mill Road, Elizabethtown; (910) 862-6900

Columbus County: 304 Jefferson St., Whiteville; (910) 640-6615

Harnett County: 307 Cornelius Harnett Blvd., Lillington; (910) 893-7550

Hoke County: 429 E. Central Ave., Raeford; (910) 875-3717

Lee County: 106 Hillcrest Drive, Sanford; (919) 718-4640

Moore County: 705 Pinehurst Ave., Carthage; (910) 947-3300

Robeson County: 460 Country Club Road, Lumberton; (910) 671-3200

Sampson County: 360 County Complex Road, Clinton; (910) 592-1131

Scotland County: 1405 West Blvd., Laurinburg; (910) 277-2440

Clinics

The CARE Clinic: 239 Robeson St. The clinic accepts low-income patients with no health insurance for medical appointments and dental extractions. Clinic days are Tuesdays and Thursdays and the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. Appointments are required. Information: 485-0555 or www.thecareclinic.org.

Better Health of Cumberland County: 1422 Bragg Blvd. The program offers emergency prescription payment assistance to low-income patients with no health insurance. A loan closet of medical equipment is available. Diabetes clinics are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; other programs are by appointment. Information: 483-7534 or www.betterhealthcc.org.

Mental Health Agencies

Cumberland County: Cumberland County Area Mental Health Center, 711 Executive Place, 323-0601 or www.ccmentalhealth.org

Bladen, Columbus, Robeson and Scotland counties: Southeastern Regional Mental Health Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services, 2003 Godwin Ave., Lumberton, (910) 738-5261 or www.srmhc.org

Harnett and Lee counties: Sandhills Center for Mental Health, 130 Carbonton Road, Sanford, (919) 774-6521; or N.C. 421, Buies Creek, (910) 893-5727

Hoke and Moore counties: Sandhills Area Mental Health Center, 1120 Seven Lakes Drive, West End, (910) 673-9111

Sampson County: Eastpointe Mental Health, 406 County Complex Road, Clinton, (910) 592-5791 or www.eastpointe.net; or 117 Beasley St., Kenansville, (910) 296-1851

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Who We Are Heidi Maxwell How long have you lived in the area? "I moved here four years ago from Robeson County. I'm originally from Pennsylvania." What do you do in your free time? "I like to knit. It's very soothing to me, very relaxing," says the nutritionist at Cape Fear Valley Ob-Gyn Clinic and HealthPlex. "I just enjoy the satisfaction of completing a project." Maxwell spins her own yarn on a spinning wheel and eventually wants to take classes in dyeing wool. Tip: The shop A Row of Purls has ongoing knitting classes and is forming a knitting guild to make knitted items for charity. For information on classes, go to www.arowofpurls.com or call 483-3678. The shop is at 7418 Clinton Road in Stedman.

Who We Are Karen Rose How long have you lived in the area? How long have you lived in the area? "I've lived here since 1984." How do you get involved in the community? "I'm a nurse at the CARE Clinic. I came here as a pediatric nurse, and have stayed here." Rose says the spirit of the volunteers is amazing. "No matter what they are doing, you can tell they're here because they want to be, not because they have to be. They give the place a whole new attitude of care." Tip: The clinic is open primarily in the evenings, but volunteers are needed for a variety of day and night duties. Medical and nonmedical positions are available. For more information, call 488-0555.

Updated: August, 2007