UNC Health Care fires back: Makes public records request of WakeMed

The UNC Health Care System appears to be taking a more aggressive stance in its ongoing dispute with WakeMed over the future of Rex Healthcare.

Last week, the UNC Health Care System, which owns Rex, sent a public records request to WakeMed asking for minutes from Board of Directors meetings, agendas for those meetings and annual financial audits for the hospital system.

UNC wants documents dating back to Jan. 1, 2009.

WakeMed made a public records request of UNC last winter, seeking records such as the university system’s correspondence with Wake County doctors.

This latest request by UNC is further evidence that the dispute between the two hospital systems shows no signs of dissipating.

WakeMed made a hostile $750 million bid to buy its cross-town rival Rex earlier this year. UNC’s board rejected the offer, but WakeMed has continued to push its case with politicians and the public.

WakeMed contends that buying Rex from the UNC Health Care System would improve patient care in Wake County and beyond, reduce costs by eliminating redundant services, and provide a much-needed cash infusion for the parent UNC system and the state.

WakeMed is also trying to defend its home turf from what it has said are “predatory” expansion tactics by UNC Health using taxpayer money.

UNC has begun to push back more aggressively against WakeMed’s claims.

The system has a website dedicated decided to the issue, which includes a feature “Myth vs. Fact.”