East Alabama Medical Center (Opelika). Established in 1952 as Lee County Hospital, the hospital changed its name to East Alabama Medical Center in 1981. Today, EAMC — located in the principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area in the east central part of Alabama — is licensed for 314 general, acute care beds and houses a 26-bed skilled nursing facility. In 2015, iVantage named EAMC a HealthStrong Top Hospital and Healthgrades recognized the medical center with two patient safety awards and three specialty excellence awards.