CAMC is home to a nationally recognized Heart and Vascular Center; the largest Cancer Center in West Virginia; National Centers of Excellence in Robotic Surgery, Urology and Continence Care for Women; the first kidney transplant center in the state;Regional Neurosciences Center; West Virginias first freestanding Women and Childrens Hospital; highest level pediatric intensive care unit; the most critical NICU resources; the region's only Comprehensive Stroke Center; nationally-accredited Weight Loss Center; BCBS Blue Distinction Center for hip and knee replacement; and the highest level trauma center.
CAMCs mission is Striving to provide the best health care to every patient, every day. The Charleston Area Medical Center we know today was born in 1972 to provide the best care to southern West Virginia patients, and provide quality education for medical and other health care students.
CAMC Health System is a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient, the first and only organization in West Virginia to ever receive the honor. View CAMCs current list of awards, recognitions and accreditations.
24/7 Care provides 24/7/365 access to U.S. board-certified physicians and licensed physician assistants and nurse practitioners through secure video visits for non-emergency illnesses like the flu, ear infections, sinus infections and more! 24/7 Care providers also can prescribe medications for a wide range of conditions when medically appropriate.
CAMC strives to maintain a diverse and inclusive environment in which to learn, to work and to heal. In doing so, CAMC does not discriminate, nor tolerate discrimination, based on race, color, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.
In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA) and other applicable statutes and regulations, CAMC prohibits all forms of discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression and gender identity in its educational programs and activities. Prohibited conduct under this policy includes sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual violence and retaliation, as those terms are defined herein.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, a federal civil rights law, states: No person in the United States shall on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
CAMC Health System, Inc. has federally-funded educational programs and is, therefore, covered by Title IX.Title IX covers all of the operations of a healthcare corporation having an education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. All employees and all students are covered. Complaints regarding discrimination on the basis of sex (including sexual harassment and sexual violence) can be filed with the Title IX coordinator.
CAMC has a designated Title IX Coordinator with the responsibility to oversee CAMCs response to reports of discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual violence and retaliation and to identify and address any related patterns or systemic problems. CAMCs Title IX Coordinator may be reached at the contact information below. Questions or concerns regarding Title IX, sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual violence or retaliation in CAMCs educational programs and activities may be directed to the Title IX Coordinator.
CAMC was formed Jan. 1, 1972, with the merger of the two dominant hospitals in the city: Charleston General Hospital and Charleston Memorial Hospital. The institutions merged to create a community-based academic medical center capable of training future physicians.
In addition to the milestones below, there will be many more moments that we will celebrate throughout 2022. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, as we look back over 50 years of firsts, advancements, achievements and highlights all year!
In 1924, patients and equipment were moved from the Thomas Hospital and Sanitarium building to the brand-new Charleston General Hospital facility - a 120-bed hospital at Elmwood Avenue and Brooks Street.
Started in 1955, the CAMC School of Nurse Anesthesia is one of the oldest nurse anesthetist programs in the country. The school was the first entry-level nurse anesthesia doctorate program in the nation. The 26-month program is designed to prepare registered nurses for a career in the field of nurse anesthesia using an integrated classroom and clinical format.
For more than 65 years, cancer services at CAMC have been accredited by the American College of Surgeons. Having first achieved this accreditation in 1956, CAMC has continued to reach - and surpass - the high bar set by the ACS's national standards. Only one-third of cancer programs nationwide receive this accreditation, which certifies that a program has met or surpassed 34 quality care standards.
In 1986, HealthNet Aeromedical Services was formed, initially by CAMC and West Virginia University Hospital in Morgantown, providing swift transportation to hospitals in emergencies where time saved can mean lives saved.
A surgical team headed by Cleveland Clinic-trained Dr. Ernest Hodge performed CAMC's first kidney transplant in General Hospital's special care center on September 29, 1987. A healthy kidney was removed from Mrs. Theda Green, 46, and transplanted into her daughter, Vickie Green, 25, of Pineville, West Virginia.
The CAMC Family Resource Center was created as an extension of Women and Children's Hospital in October of 1989 to focus on counseling and informational services, ranging from parenting classes to support groups for families in the community.
In 1997, the CAMC Health Education and Research Institute (CHERI) was created to be the medical center's education and research division. Now known as the Institute for Academic Medicine, this division supports training and continuing education programs, clinical and health services research, and professional and public education through events and seminars.
In June 1997, the doors opened to the Women's Comprehensive Breast Center at CAMC Women and Children's Hospital. Since then, the program has evolved into what is now the CAMC Breast Center. The facilities were relocated to the new Cancer Center in 2015, providing advanced mammography services, breast biopsy and ultrasound, bone density screenings and more.
CAMC opened West Virginia's first hospital unit dedicated exclusively to children's hematology and oncology in August of 2001 at Women and Children's Hospital. The unit has since grown into the CAMC Children's Cancer Center and has served thousands of families with expertise, compassion and skill.
In April 2001, CAMC held the first HealthFest. For the next 17 years, thousands of West Virginians attended the annual event, which provided free or low-cost health screenings. With the Affordable Care Act and CAMC offering low-cost lab screenings every day, the last HealthFest was held at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center in 2018.
In the fall of 2001, CAMC received the first federal Ryan White Title III grant awarded in the state of West Virginia. This enabled the establishment of the Ryan White Program. The grant authorized the support of comprehensive early intervention and primary care services for patients diagnosed with HIV. The program continues to serve the community, providing testing, counseling, nutritional and pharmaceutical services, and more.
In September 2003, CAMC opened the state's first and only bariatric center at Women and Children's Hospital. The renamed Weight Loss Center later moved to its current location in Northgate Business Park and has since helped thousands of patients on their weight loss journeys. The center is nationally accredited for adult and adolescent bariatric surgery.
In 2007, CAMC launched the first multispecialty robotic surgery program in the state. In 2012, CAMC added a robot with a teaching console allowing the surgeon control of the procedure while directing a resident.
In 2007, CAMC neurosurgeon John Schmidt, MD, developed a new surgical technique to help combat brain swelling as a result of a traumatic injury. Called a hinge craniotomy, this procedure allows the brain to swell while keeping it protected by using hinges to secure a titanium bone flap to the skull. This surgical technique was the first of its kind.
The first 'Imagine U: Virtual Healthcare Experience' event took place in 2007 with the presentation of an open heart bypass surgery. 'Imagine U' is a statewide collaborative effort between CAMC and the West Virginia Department of Education that introduces students to health care careers using technology that links classrooms to the operating room.
The grand opening of the CAMC Heart & Vascular Center and Clinical Teaching Center was held on December 17, 2008. Construction of the 210,000 square foot facility began in 2006 on the campus of CAMC Memorial Hospital.
In April 2010, surgeons at CAMC performed West Virginia's first robotic procedure on a pediatric patient. Using the da Vinci Surgical System, urologist James Tierney, DO, and a skilled surgical team helped repair a congenital condition on a nine-year-old patient.
The CAMC Cancer Center opened its doors to patients in May 2015. Built on property that used to house Watt Powell Park, the center houses outpatient oncology services, the CAMC Breast Center and CAMC Radiation Oncology Services.
CAMC Health System was one of four recipients of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2015 - the first and only organization in WV to ever receive this honor. America's highest honor for innovation and performance excellence, the Baldrige Award is presented annually to U.S. organizations by the office of the President of the United States.
In July 2016, CAMC Memorial completed construction on a 48-bed addition that expanded its ICU / telemetry units. The new units included 32 cardiopulmonary ICU beds and 16 telemetry beds. This expansion was part of a major investment by the hospital to improve infrastructure, patient flow and services provided to patients.
The CAMC Outpatient Surgery Center, located across from General Hospital, opened in 2017. The state-of-the-art building houses four operating suites for outpatient procedures in specialties including orthopedics, urology, plastic surgery, ophthalmology and facial surgery.
In January 2018, the CAMC Kidney Transplant Center performed West Virginia's first-ever, living donor, paired kidney exchange. Pam King donated her kidney to Dave Kent, and Dustin Kent (Dave's son) donated his kidney to Pam's husband, Brian.