UNC Health Lenoir News

UNC Health Lenoir is proud to announce the addition of Aquablation® therapy to its urology service line, offering patients a leading-edge, minimally invasive treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), commonly known as enlarged prostate. This innovative therapy combines real-time imaging with the precision of a robotic, heat-free waterjet to remove prostate tissue and relieve urinary symptoms with greater accuracy and preservation of function.

UNC Health Lenoir has been recognized as a Top Rural Hospital by The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog organization known for setting the highest standards for patient safety, quality, and transparency in the United States. This prestigious honor is awarded to a select group of hospitals that demonstrate exceptional performance across a range of safety and quality measures.

UNC Health Lenoir is proud to announce the arrival of the state-of-the-art da Vinci 5 robotic surgical system, marking a significant milestone in the advancement of surgical care for Kinston, Lenoir County, and the surrounding region. The da Vinci 5 represents the newest generation of robotic-assisted technology. The first procedure using the da Vinci 5 at UNC Health Lenoir was successfully performed on December 2, 2025, by Dr. Jennifer Allison, General and Bariatric Surgeon.

UNC Health Lenoir is pleased to announce that Rachel Garris has been named the 2024 President’s Service Excellence Award (PSEA) of the year winner. Awarded annually, the PSEA of the year is presented to an employee selected by their peers who exemplifies superior performance, strong leadership, effective communication, and service excellence. Rachel has been a dedicated nurse at UNC Health Lenoir since June 2014. She began her career as a staff nurse in the Progressive Care Unit and quickly advanced to charge nurse. She later transitioned into the ICU, where she served courageously throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, Rachel is one of our highly skilled Vascular Access Nurses.

On November 21, UNC Health Lenoir hosted its annual “Feastival of Foods” food drive, continuing a long-standing tradition of supporting local families during the holiday season. Teammates from across the hospital united to collect more than 5000 pounds of food for Lenoir County residents facing food insecurity. Donation boxes were placed in every hospital department beginning in October, and employees filled them to the brim with nonperishables, canned goods, and pantry staples. At the culmination of the event, volunteers gathered to weigh, sort, and prepare the donations for distribution.

On November 21, UNC Health Lenoir hosted its annual “Feastival of Foods” food drive, continuing a long-standing tradition of supporting local families during the holiday season. Teammates from across the hospital united to collect more than 5000 pounds of food for Lenoir County residents facing food insecurity. Donation boxes were placed in every hospital department beginning in October, and employees filled them to the brim with nonperishables, canned goods, and pantry staples. At the culmination of the event, volunteers gathered to weigh, sort, and prepare the donations for distribution.

UNC Health Lenoir earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.

UNC Health Lenoir is proud to announce a new partnership with Wake Emergency Physicians, PA (WEPPA) to provide staffing and clinical leadership for the hospital’s Emergency Department.