Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center officials completed due diligence and closed on a 30-year lease of North Wilkesboro, N.C.-based Wilkes Regional Medical Center July 1.
Under the agreement, Wilkes Regional will be rebranded as Wake Forest Baptist Health-Wilkes Medical Center. Officials decided on the name after surveying more than 730 Wilkes employees.
Wake Forest Baptist will also invest $238 million to support Wilkes Regional and the surrounding community.
Officials said the hospital will begin offering additional clinical services in the coming weeks.