Mountain Area Health Education Center

At MAHEC we are passionate about excellence in healthcare. For 38 years we have provided high quality, compassionate healthcare as a foundation for training top physicians and health professionals. Our impact in the region is significant:

• 100,000+ patients receive family, ob-gyn or dental healthcare at MAHEC.
• We provided $3.2 million in safety net healthcare for women last year.
• 377 medical and dental residents have graduated from MAHEC.
• 60% of our family medicine alumni stay in WNC to become your family physicians.
• 23,000+ healthcare professionals received continuing education at MAHEC last year.

In addition, our staff, faculty and alumni are important resources to the 16 hospitals in our region.

Yet Western North Carolina has a critical shortage of primary care physicians and many of our neighbors do not have access to primary healthcare. Our goals as an academic medical center are ambitious, we will:

1. Recruit and train the best and the brightest medical residents
   to become the foundation of primary healthcare in WNC and beyond.
2. Increase training opportunities
   that encourage healthcare providers to work in our region, particularly in rural areas.
3. Strengthen the healthcare safety net
   for low-income patients so that no one is denied healthcare.
4. Provide high quality healthcare to women,
   particularly ensuring that all women have access to prenatal care and safe deliveries.
5. Help medical practices
   improve quality, reduce costs and adapt to the changing healthcare system.
6. Develop new models of collaborative care
   to employ pharmacists, nurse practitioners, behavioral medicine specialists, and physician assistants as partners in direct patient care.
7. Create innovative educational programs
   to strengthen the skills of health professionals.

How will we do this? MAHEC has a talented and passionate staff. Our values - quality, creativity, and collaboration - will drive us forward. It will require leadership at all levels of our organization, which we have. It will take the courage to try without fear of failing. I look forward to the journey and encourage you to learn more about MAHEC in the coming year.

From Jeff Heck, MD
MAHEC President and CEO

MAHEC was established in 1974 and is a leader in healthcare, education and innovation. Our vision is to:

• Provide high quality health care;
• Train physicians, dentists and health professionals; and
• Develop innovative healthcare models.

Located in Asheville, MAHEC serves a 16-county region in Western North Carolina. We are the largest Area Health Education Center in North Carolina, which evolved to address national and state concerns with the supply, retention and quality of health professionals.

MAHEC is Your Doctor.

Primary, Ob-Gyn and Dental Healthcare
Our vision is for quality, compassionate healthcare for the people of WNC. We provide a full spectrum of healthcare services including primary care, behavioral medicine, pharmacotherapy, labor and delivery, dental health, and internal medicine.

• Family Health Centers in Asheville, Big Ivy, Cane Creek and Hendersonville
• Ob-Gyn care includes maternal fetal medicine specialists and reproductive endocrinology experts
• Dental services for the entire family
• Geriatric healthcare at Deerfield Retirement Community and Givens Estates

MAHEC is Your Teacher.

Medical and Dental Residencies
At MAHEC we train future physicians to provide excellent, compassionate healthcare in WNC. Our faculty are appointed by UNC Chapel Hill, set a high standard of excellence and are dedicated as visionaries, mentors and caring physicians.

• MAHEC is creating the next generation of family doctors and dentists for WNC
• Residency training in: family medicine, ob-gyn, dental care, geriatrics, hospice and palliative care
• 377 medical and dental residents have graduated from MAHEC
• 62% of our family medicine graduates stay and practice in WNC

Regional Education
MAHEC specializes in continuing education programs, at the regional and national level, for health professionals in medicine, nursing, mental health, pharmacy, dental and allied health.

• 23,000+ healthcare professionals received training and education last year
• Healthcare professionals representing 26 states attended MAHEC conferences
• 900+ continuing education programs offered

Student Education
MAHEC provides learning opportunities for students pursuing health professions.

• K-12 programs in Health Careers and Minority Mentoring
• Summer internships and clinical rotations for students
• UNC School of Medicine, Asheville – collaborative curriculum development, administrative leadership and student services
• UNC School of Pharmacy, Asheville – leadership and clinical rotations

MAHEC is Your Advocate.

Innovation and Information
MAHEC is committed to the innovation of quality patient-centered care, systems of healthcare delivery, and educational excellence. We are on the cutting edge of evidence based research to improve patient healthcare in WNC and beyond.

• Center for Healthy Aging: initiatives include falls prevention, advanced care planning, oral health, heart disease and stroke prevention
• Center for Quality Improvement: works with primary care practices to improve quality of patient care, office efficiency and implement and optimize electronic health records
• Center for Research: clinical and educational research in quality of care, Triple Aim, graduate medical education, and cost effective models of care
• Library and Knowledge Services provides customized medical research
• Staff, faculty and graduates are key resources to 16 hospitals in WNC

• Click here to read our 2012 Progress Report.