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Charlotte, NC -- Presbyterian Hospital and its parent organization Novant Health solicited feedback from its managers and employees on how to best celebrate the healthcare system's tenth anniversary. After considering several good ideas, the organization chose the option that its employees overwhelmingly recommended - give something to its communities around the region.

"Our healthcare system is going to build three Habitat for Humanity homes in celebration of our anniversary," explained Paul Wiles, president and CEO of Novant Health. "One home will be constructed in each of our three major regions. We'll be using the funds we would have spent on an anniversary party and instead purchase lumber, nails, glass, paint and all the supplies to build a new future for three deserving families in our communities."

Locally, Presbyterian Hospital and its staff will build a home in the Charlotte area. Fellow employees in Brunswick County and in the Triad region - areas where the health system has the largest concentration of hospitals, physician clinics and other facilities - will follow suit.

"We are grateful for the support and generosity of partners like Novant Health to make sure children and their families have a simple, decent place to live and grow," said Bert Green, executive director of Habitat Charlotte. "Such a gift is an example of their commitment to help to eradicate poverty housing in Charlotte."

Each of the three regions will work closely with its local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. The construction is slated to begin in late March or early April 2008.

The not-for-profit healthcare system formed in 1997 when Presbyterian Healthcare of Charlotte merged with the Forsyth Medical Center organization in Winston-Salem, bringing together two regions, five hospitals and approximately 13,000 employees. Today, the healthcare system consists of eight hospitals, an 800-physician medical group and 19,000 employees. The health system will continue to grow as it begins building three new community hospitals and expanding outreach with new neighborhood medical plazas. In addition, several organizations have announced plans to join Novant, including Rowan Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, NC and the national MedQuest company with 91 diagnostic imaging centers.

Verispan's 2007 Top 100 list of integrated healthcare networks ranks Novant Health as North Carolina's highest rated healthcare system and 7th in the nation. Verispan, an independent health informatics company, analyzes integrated healthcare networks based on eight critical success factors and then utilizes that evaluation to rank health systems throughout the country.