The Community Voices Program of FirstHealth Community Services hosts the first-ever North Carolina Men’s Health Summit. A “report card” on the state of men’s health in North Carolina is released during  the event at the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education in Chapel Hill.
Moore Regional Hospital reaches a milestone in its cardiac care history with its 5,000th open-heart surgery. The surgeon operating on Scotland County resident Solomon Bridger is John Krahnert, M.D., who also performed the hospital’s first open-heart surgery in 1990.
The Outpatient Cancer Center Specializing in Hematology and Oncology opens on the campus of Moore Regional Hospital. (See the related story)
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Montgomery Memorial Hospital receives a grant from the North Carolina Office of Rural Health to establish a program for introducing medical residents and practicing physicians to the challenges and benefits of rural health care delivery.
FirstHealth departments and employees begin an effort to provide medical equipment and supplies for hospitals and toys and supplies for an orphanage in war-torn Afghanistan after hearing about their plight through letters from Ramey Wilson, M.D., a member of the Moore Regional Hospital Hospitalist Service and a major in the U.S. Army.
FirstHealth Community Health Services introduces an ultrasound screening program for aortic aneurysm, stroke/carotid artery and peripheral vascular disease on its Mobile Health Services van.
FirstCarolinaCare Inc., FirstHealth’s health maintenance organization, changes its name to FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company and is licensed as a health and accident insurer with a health maintenance organization line of business. With the new name and structure, FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company is licensed to offer preferred provider organization plans in addition to its point-of-service and health maintenance organization plans.
Children from throughout Richmond County participate in the Kids’ Day program at Richmond Memorial Hospital. The annual event emphasizes child health and safety.
Patients with chronic wounds get a new treatment option with the introduction of hyperbaric (pure-oxygen) therapy at the Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center at Richmond Memorial Hospital. Because of high patient volumes, a second chamber opens in the fall. A Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center with two hyperbaric chambers opens at Moore Regional Hospital. Montgomery Memorial Hospital offers wound care services.
FirstHealth introduces FirstFit, a program to encourage healthy living among its employees, during Hospital Week 2007. (See a related story.)
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FirstHealth’s School Health Program receives a Hallmarks of Healthy Workplaces award from the North Carolina Nurses Association.
Montgomery Memorial Hospital opens its new Breast Health Program, taking the detection and treatment of breast cancer to a new level in the Montgomery County. (See the related story.)
The FirstHealth Family Care Centers begin a clinic-byclinic roll-out of a new Electronic Medical  Records system.
During a media event that attracts regional press coverage, Andy C. Kiser, M.D., a cardiothoracic surgeon at Moore Regional Hospital, introduces his pioneering Ex-Maze procedure to correct atrial fibrillation.
FirstHealth Community Health Services receives grants totaling $1,752,635 from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust and the American Legacy Foundation. (See related story.)
Nick Cavros, M.D., an interventional cardiologist with Pinehurst Cardiology Consultants, attracts regional media attention when he is the first physician in the state to use a new device called the TURBO-Booster to clear blocked arteries in the legs.
John Stevenson, M.D., retires after more than 30 years as a radiologist with Richmond Memorial Hospital. Dr. Stevenson also served FirstHealth of the Carolinas in various leadership roles, including two years as chair of its Strategic Planning Committee and tenure on the RMH Board of Trustees.
 Moore Regional Hospital observes the 10th anniversary of its Pain Clinic.
Moore Regional Hospital notes a red-letter day in heart care with the 20th anniversary of the hospital’s first heart catheterization. David Cowherd, M.D., the pioneering invasive cardiologist who performed the first procedure on July 27, 1987, has now performed more then 10,000 cardiac catheterizations, and the number of invasive cardiologists at Moore Regional has grown from one to 15.
FirstHealth Hospice & Palliative Care receives accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Health Care.
FirstHealth Home Care introduces Moore Great Beginnings. In the program that targets all babies born at Moore Regional Hospital, a registered nurse is available to visit newborns in their home within five days of their leaving the hospital.
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Montgomery Memorial Hospital begins a Better
Breathers Support Group for patients with lung and
respiratory disorders.
The full-service “FirstSpa” opens in the FirstHealth Center for Health & Fitness. (See the related story.)
The FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital Foundation observes the 25th anniversary of the hospital’s Wellness Screening Day program by offering all screenings at no cost to the public.
All three FirstHealth hospitals (Moore Regional, Montgomery Memorial and Richmond Memorial) are notified of their Joint Commission reaccreditation.
 FirstHealth announces the development of a comprehensive Heart Institute and the employment of three cardiovascular thoracic surgeons (John Krahnert, M.D.; Andy Kiser, M.D.; and John Streitman, M.D.) Look for more information about this development in the spring/summer issue of FirstHealth of the Carolinas.
The 12th annual Pottery Plus Auction raises money for FirstHealth Hospice & Palliative Care and to support the construction of a Hospice House.
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