Vidant Executive Appointed to ECC Board of Trustees

Dr. Patrick Heins was recently appointed to a four-year term on the Edgecombe Community College Board of Trustees. He is president of Vidant Edgecombe Hospital in Tarboro. Shown presiding at the official swearing-in ceremony is Carol White, Edgecombe County Clerk of Court, who delivered the oath of office.

Dr. Patrick Heins, president of Vidant Edgecombe Hospital in Tarboro, has been named to the Edgecombe Community College Board of Trustees.

Appointed to the ECC board by the Edgecombe County Board of Education, he fills the position formerly held by Wick Baker, who served on the board from 2007 until September of this year. Baker and his wife, Kristi, moved to Texas.

“As a trustee, I hope I can provide insight into the current and future needs of healthcare so that Edgecombe Community College can continue to best meet those needs,” Dr. Heins says. “ECC has produced high quality graduates for years, and I hope to be part of continuing that trend well into the future through a diverse faculty, staff, and student body.”

He has served Vidant Health since 1996, in management roles since 2001. His first position with Vidant Health was as a nursing assistant. After earning registered nurse credentials, he worked as a staff nurse in the surgical intensive care unit at Vidant Medical Center.

From this post he went on to become administrator of outpatient services at Vidant Medical Center, then vice president of nursing services at Vidant Duplin Hospital in Kenansville, followed by vice president of patient care services at Vidant Edgecombe Hospital. Prior to being named president of Vidant Edgecombe, he was president of Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie.

Dr. Heins holds a doctorate of nursing leadership from the University of Maryland, a master’s of business administration from East Carolina University, a bachelor of science in nursing from ECU, and a bachelor of arts in criminal justice from the University of Maryland.

“He’ll do a tremendous job,” says Dr. Jerry Price, chair of the ECC Board of Trustees. “The College’s flagship programs are health sciences, and with Dr. Heins’ extensive experience in healthcare, he will be a great asset to our board and to the College.”

Locally, Dr. Heins is a member of the Tarboro Edgecombe Chamber of Commerce, Area L AHEC Board, Strategic Twin-Counties Education Partnership Board, and a volunteer with the Greenville Homeless Shelter.

“Having worked in the Tarboro/Edgecombe community for 15 years, I’ve seen firsthand the opportunities Edgecombe Community College has created for students and for employers. The relationship between the College and Vidant Edgecombe Hospital has been mutually beneficial for years, so having the opportunity to continue that partnership is exciting to me,” Dr. Heins notes.

“Also, being on the ECC Board of Trustees is a small way to support future students who will in turn benefit employers and the community. It is an honor to be part of such a great organization and its board.”

In addition to his many years of service in healthcare, Dr. Heins was a major (retired) with the U.S. Army Reserves, serving in the Psychological Operations Battalion. He completed multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.