For five decades, Duke Regional Hospital has been honored to care for generations of families throughout our community. Since opening our doors in 1976, we have grown alongside the communities we serve -- advancing healthcare, expanding access, embracing innovation, and strengthening partnerships that improve lives every day.
As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we honor the dedicated employees, physicians, volunteers, community supporters, and our patients and visitors who have helped shape Duke Regional Hospital into what it is today. Together, we look forward to building a healthier future for the next generation.
Durham County General Hospital opened its doors on October 3, 1976. A merger of Lincoln Hospital and Watts Hospital, the mission of the new hospital was to provide "health services of a uniformly high quality as economically feasible to citizens of Durham County."
The new hospital's services included surgery and medical nursing units, intensive care units and operating rooms, pediatrics, psychiatry, orthopedics, neurosurgery, and laboratory and radiology testing.
The 1980s saw a rise in new technology, and Durham County General Hospital geared up to bring these advances to its residents. The new George Washington Watts Memorial Building opened, along with new emergency management services facilities, a $4.35 million Lincoln Community Health Center, and much more.
Join us as we celebrate Duke Regional Hospital's 50th anniversary!
During the 1990s, what was once a small community had exploded into a large regional area. The hospital responded by expanding its focus to serve Orange, Person, Chatham, and Granville counties. The expanded service area resulted in changing the name to Durham Regional Hospital.
In 1998, an agreement with Duke University Health System was signed, and the two officially began a 20-year partnership. The agreement was amended in 2009, extending the partnership for a "rolling" 40-year term.
On July 1, 2013, Durham Regional Hospital became Duke Regional Hospital as a result of extensive market research in the communities the hospital serves. This name change was based on feedback from residents who participated in the research and preferred a Duke-branded health care facility.
As part of the hospital's rebranding, a new tagline, "Serving our community since 1976," was added to the Duke Regional Hospital logo. It reflects the hospital's history and tradition of caring, and also the merging in 1976 of the predecessor hospitals.
In 2021, the Duke Behavioral Health Center North Durham opened and included inpatient, outpatient, and emergency behavioral health services. At the same time, the hospital expanded its Emergency Department to enhance our team's ability to serve community members in need of emergency care.
Duke Regional Hospital has served Durham, Orange, Person, Granville, and Alamance counties and the surrounding communities for 50 years. With 388 inpatient beds and more than 3,500 employees, we provide outstanding medical care with compassionate, personalized service in a comfortable community hospital setting.
We offer a comprehensive range of medical, surgical, and diagnostic services, including orthopedics, weight loss surgery, women's services, and heart and vascular services.
We also offer care at the Duke Rehabilitation Institute, Duke Behavioral Health Center North Durham, the Health Services Center, James E. Davis Ambulatory Surgical Center, Duke Ambulatory Surgery Center Arringdon, and Lincoln Community Health Center.
For 2024-2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked Duke Regional Hospital as #9 in North Carolina and #4 in the Raleigh-Durham area. Duke Regional Hospital is a Baby-Friendly® hospital. This designation recognizes our adherence to the highest standards of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies.
