There was a time on the Outer Banks when a broken wrist or birth of a baby meant a trip to Elizabeth City or Chesapeake. In March of 2002 everything changed when the Outer Banks Hospital opened in Nags Head.
Outer Banks Hospital
With 18 beds, the Outer Banks Hospital is a relatively small hospital, but it serves the needs of the Outer Banks community well. In addition to the 18 acute patient beds, there are two labor and delivery rooms and three operating rooms.
For most people the first visit to the Hospital is usually the emergency room. Depending on the month, daily visits to the ER average between 40 in the winter to 80 plus in July and August.
The Outer Banks Hospital was the first North Carolina hospital to receive a dementia friendly designation.
Part of the Vidant Health network, one of the largest healthcare providers in northeastern North Carolina, the hospital is also associated with Chesapeake Regional Healthcare system, giving patients access to larger hospitals with more resources.
The Vidant Health network includes a number of regional hospitals in northeastern North Carolina as well as the Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, a 900 bed facility associated with the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.
There are three areas of care the hospital has focused on—Women’s Health, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, and Cancer Care.
Cancer Care
The Outer Banks Hospital offers cancer care through two facilities. Its Radiation Therapy Center located just across the street from the hospital. The Cancer Resource Center is located in the Medical Office Building next door to the hospital. In addition to treatment, the cancer care team is active in promoting early detection through screenings and prevention.
Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
With two clinics, one in Southern Shores and the other in Kill Devil Hills, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine offers a full range of services including surgical procedures for joint replacements and sport injuries. Surgery is performed at the Outer Banks Hospital. The medical team also provides nonsurgical care and rehab services.
The Kill Devil Hills office is located at 3102 N Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills; the Southern Shores office is in the Marketplace.
Outer Banks Women’s Care
Located immediately adjacent to the Outer Banks Hospital, Outer Banks Women’s Care offers a full range of services to women, including prenatal and maternity care, well woman and gynecological surgical procedures. The practice has recently been awarded a Mother-Baby award for outpatient healthcare.
Urgent Care Clinics
The Outer Banks Hospital operates two urgent care clinics. The Southern Shores location is in the Marketplace Shopping Plaza.
The Nags Head offices are located at 4923 South Croatan Highway in Nags Head, directly across from the hospital. The Nags Head office also offers primary physician care by appointment.
Sentara Healthcare
Sentara Healthcare operates five hospitals in the Hampton Roads area and one in North Carolina at Elizabeth City. Most of the healthcare providers on the Outer Banks working in Sentara facilities are associated with Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, the Elizabeth City hospital.
Sentara maintains a large facility in Kitty Hawk at 5200 North Croatan Highway.
The Kitty Hawk site provides primary and urgent care as well as a number of medical specialist including internal medicine, OBGYN, and orthopedics and sports medicine. There are also onsite diagnostic tools.
There is also a Sentara location in Manteo. Sentara Family Medicine Physicians is located at 715 N. Main Highway and provides primary care for children, adolescents and adults.
Community Care Clinic of Dare
The Community Care Clinic of Dare provides primary and urgent care to anyone who cannot afford medical care. In addition to primary and urgent care, the Community Clinic helps patients with the cost of medications.
There are two clinics in the system: in Nags Head at 425 Health Center Drive, and on Hatteras Island at 50347 NC 12 Highway, Frisco, which is the Hatteras Island Health Department building.