On April 9, 1961, a dedication ceremony was held for Wake Memorial Hospital, and a legacy of care and caring for the Wake County community began.
In 1955, the Wake County Board of Commissioners had asked the voters to authorize a $5 million bond issue to supply funds for construction of a general hospital system that would provide health care services for all Wake County citizens. An additional $3.2 million grant from the federal government was approved, and work began on a central facility in Raleigh and four division hospitals to be located in Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Wake Forest, and Zebulon.
Today, WakeMed Health & Hospitals features two hospitals (with a third on the way in North Raleigh), two stand alone emergency departments (and another opening in Brier Creek in late 2011), 870-beds, more than 1,000 physicians on staff, 7,600 employees, 1,000 volunteers and more than 600,000 patient contacts each year.
As the only hospital system based in Wake County and the county’s largest employer, we are proud to have called Wake County home for the past 50 years and look forward to the next 50 and beyond.
I cannot believe that WakeMed is 50 years old!!!! I remember when it was new!!! I guess that dates me!,,