NCHF Announces Five Rural Hospital Partners for 2026 Rural Workforce Initiative

RALEIGH, NC – September 30, 2026 – The North Carolina Healthcare Foundation (NCHF) is proud to announce the selection of hospital partner sites for its Rural Workforce Initiative, a collaborative effort to strengthen the rural healthcare workforce pipeline across North Carolina.

The NCHF 2026 Rural Workforce Partner Hospital sites include:

• Cape Fear Valley Health Bladen County Hospital in Elizabethtown

• ECU Health Chowan Hospital in Edenton

• FirstHealth Montgomery Memorial Hospital in Troy

• Novant Health Pender Memorial Hospital in Burgaw

• UNC Health Appalachian – Cannon Memorial Hospital in Linville

The initiative will address critical issues affecting rural communities by focusing on financial literacy, early career exposure, expanded access to short-term training opportunities, and improved recruitment and retention strategies designed to support long-term workforce stability.

“Strengthening the rural healthcare workforce starts with creating meaningful opportunities for students to explore careers in their own communities. By connecting education with real-world experience, we are helping build a pipeline of future healthcare professionals who understand and are committed to serving rural populations,” said Jan Scholl, MSN, RN, CPHQ, Nurse Executive at FirstHealth Montgomery Memorial Hospital. “FirstHealth Montgomery is proud to support an initiative that invests in students, strengthens community partnerships, and creates pathways for future healthcare leaders to serve where they are needed most.” 

As part of this effort, NCHF has developed a Rural Workforce Initiative Toolkit, designed to offer a practical roadmap tailored to the unique strengths and challenges of North Carolina’s rural healthcare ecosystem. The toolkit is intended to evolve and be refined throughout the initiative. You can access a preview of the Rural Workforce Toolkit by visiting the website here. 

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About North Carolina Healthcare Foundation 

Established in 1964, the North Carolina Healthcare Foundation is the charitable non-profit, innovative and programmatic arm of the North Carolina Healthcare Association. The Foundation brings together diverse voices and perspectives to support community-based innovation and develop leading-edge programming to drive lasting change. Its goal is to power system-wide solutions, redefine the healthcare delivery system and improve the health and well-being of people in North Carolina and beyond. The Foundation works in concert with the Association to shape policy, inform the public and drive change. 

About North Carolina Healthcare Association

Founded in 1918, North Carolina Healthcare Association (NCHA) is the united voice of the North Carolina healthcare community. Representing more than 150 hospitals, health systems, physician groups and other healthcare organizations, NCHA works with our members to improve the health of North Carolina communities by advocating for sound public policies and collaborative partnerships and by providing insights, services, support and education to expand access to high quality, efficient, affordable and integrated health care for all North Carolinians.