Temporarily, no visitors aged 11 and under are permitted. This year's dominant flu virus is a mutated flu A virus that appears to make children and teens sicker than the typical flu. We are restricting visitors aged 11 and under because young children often can carry and transmit viral infections with no symptoms, especially early in the infection. As always, visitors should not come to the hospital if they have respiratory viral symptoms or nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Effective 1/1/26, all UNC Health Appalachian (UNCHA) teammates (including providers and staff) will be required to wear masks when they are around other people indoors.
Patients and visitors will also be encouraged but not required to wear a mask when they are around other people (e.g., in the hallway, in the waiting room, in the exam room being seen). This applies to all UNCHA hospitals, outpatient facilities, and offices.

Patients & Visitors

At UNC Health Appalachian, we know that being a patient may not be an easy time, and we work continuously to exceed your expectations during your stay. Each member of the UNCHA team wants to make your time with us as pleasant as possible, and he or she does so by adhering to the organization’s core values of One Great Team, Carolina Care, Leading the Way and It Starts with Me. This is our commitment to you.

Patient & Visitor Guides

Watauga Medical Center

View Guide

Appalachian Regional Behavioral Health Hospital

View Guide

Cannon Memorial Hospital

View Guide


Our Commitment to Care

Our goal is to provide the best patient care. If at any time you have questions or concerns about the quality of care that you or a family member are receiving or have received at one of our facilities, do not hesitate to speak with your nurse or nursing supervisor. If you feel that your issue wasn’t resolved, please ask for the House Supervisor. UNC Health Appalachian seeks to provide prompt review and timely resolution of concerns from its inpatients and outpatients.

Learn about Patient Rights & Responsibilities

Quality

For complaints about quality of care, contact the Risk Management Department at (828) 263-1207.

Privacy

For any questions about our Notice of Privacy Practices, you may contact the Privacy Officer at (828) 262-4239.

Ethics Committee

All UNCHA facilities have representatives on the UNCHA an Ethics Committee, which is available to give you support and guidance when you are faced with difficult decisions about medical care and treatment issues. The committee does not tell you what you should do, but can help affected parties look together at the larger situation and consider all feasible alternatives. If you would like support from the Ethics Committee, let your nurse know, or call (828) 262-4100 and ask the switchboard to page the chaplain on call at pager 1400.

File a Formal Complaint

You have the right to file a complaint or concern with either or both:

The NC Division of Health Service Regulation
Complaint Intake Unit
2711 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699
(800) 624-3004

Office of Quality and Patient Safety
The Joint Commission

One Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
(800) 994-6610
Fax: 630-792-5636
complaint@jointcommission.org
Website: www.jointcommission.org, then click “Report a Safety Event”

Resolution of Conflicts

Although conflicts often are a part of life, they can add to the stress you feel when you or a loved one is hospitalized. At UNCHA, our job is to:

  • anticipate potential care-related conflicts and eliminate them
  • work with you to resolve conflicts quickly and considerately

While we strive to meet and exceed the expectations of our patients, staff, physicians and visitors, at times we may fall short. An important value at UNCHA is receiving, responding to and resolving all complaints in a courteous and timely manner. Your feedback helps us to improve our care and delivery systems.

If you have a complaint, you may contact us online or speak with any facility employee or volunteer, and he or she will initiate the complaint process. If the individual can resolve the problem, he or she has the authority to do so. If not, your concerns are forwarded to the appropriate department manager, and if necessary, to hospital administration.