A WakeMed representative said the hospital system got a proposal from UNC Health over a potential partnership.
WakeMed recently decided to collaborate with Atrium in a deal that could produce $2 billion for Wake County, but the board of directors has been considering potential partners for some time. On May 5, WakeMed got an unsolicited proposal from UNC Health to discuss a possible alliance that would reduce the number of Wake County health systems to two.
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WakeMed said officials will continue to discuss its path forward with the community and aligned stakeholders. The system is holding "WakeMed Listens Community Forums" this week and next week.
For now, WakeMed is upholding its recently announced pairing with Atrium Health.
"A combination of WakeMed and UNC Health would reduce the number of health systems serving Wake County from three to two. Combined, WakeMed and UNC Health would control 80 percent of the healthcare market in Wake County. We have heard from numerous stakeholders, including the State Treasurer, that maintaining robust competition is important for our rapidly growing region."
North Carolina State Treasurer Brad Briner said he believed the Atrium partnership was designed to prevent other groups from considering bids.
"We have been told that multiple other parties would like to put a bid forth for WakeMed, which is better than what Atrium has offered," Briner said. "But it doesn't seem like WakeMed or the board so far are entertaining that, which I think is a mistake.
