By Joanie Morris

Kannapolis Citizen

Along with all the things happening in Kannapolis, one thing is sure — NorthEast Medical Center will be there.

Carol Lovin, vice president of strategic planning and marketing, said the proposed facility at the new North Carolina Research Campus can mean only good things for the hospital and Kannapolis.

The same day billionair businessman David Murdock unveiled plans for the giant Research Campus, NorthEast Medical Center announced its intention to provide specialty care and other services on the site where thousands of textile workers once reported for duty. While exact footage has yet to be determined, officials estimate that the NorthEast facility could be anywhere from 25,000 to 50,000 square feet.

"We see our primary role as providing specialty services and other offerings such as advanced diagnostic services as well as integrative medicine," Lovin said Tuesday.

Integrative medicine was first developed by the University of Arizona to compliment the traditional medical model. Lovin explained the practice of integrative medicine with an example of a cancer patient. While the patient chooses to follow a traditional medical treatment path that includes chemotherapy and surgery, the patient would also integrate alternative methods, such as acupuncture, nutrition-based medicine and prayer.

"It doesn't take the place (of traditional medicine) but integrates the complimentary things that can only help, not hurt," Lovin said.

In addition to integrative medicine, Lovin said specialty and subspecialty care will be an integral part of NorthEast's master plan.

Internal medicine and imaging machines for CT and MRI scanning will also be available at the clinic. She said the hospital hopes such facilities will enable NorthEast to develop partnerships with the university research programs and also Cabarrus Family Medicine, which will re-locate its Kannapolis facility to the new downtown campus.

"From NorthEast's perspective, I think it would be important to evaluate the possibilities of the health care clustered (at the campus) because I think that sort of arrangement helps foster collaborative relationships and promotes the effective development of healthcare services," Lovin said.

Dr. Allen Dobson, founder of Cabarrus Family Medicine and director of the North Carolina Division of Medical Assistance, said the two facilities will not be competing for business but will compliment one another.

"It can do nothing but improve the health of our citizens," Dobson said.

Dobson and Lovin agree that the smart thing would be for all of the medical facilities to be grouped in one general area.

"I think that is the general thought we had with Mr. Murdock," Dobson said, "that we would put healthcare in a general vicinity...

"It's an incredible opportunity," Dobson added. "Hopefully, we'll have the opportunity to serve the folks in Kannapolis, like we have (in the past), and grow to meet the needs of the folks coming in."

Dobson said the clinic will continue to participate in residency programs, where 24 resident doctors are placed throughout the county in four other clinics. In all, Cabarrus Family Medicine has five clinics in the county that cater to 60,000 patients.

"I can't tell you how excited we are to see the impact of this development on the county," Dobson said. "It's going to be a huge transformation for our county."