Atrium Health Raises Minimum Wage for Teammates
Minimum starting rate increase is part of $764 million investment by Advocate Health across six states
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 19, 2024 – Atrium Health announced a significant investment into its North and South Carolina workforce, raising its minimum starting rate – or the minimum hourly wage – to $18.50 per hour, effective Jan. 12, 2025. The increase recognizes teammates’ contributions to making communities better, while also strengthening the health system’s impact on the local economy.
The starting rate increase is part of a $764 million investment – up more than 35% from the prior year – in compensation programs across all of Advocate Health, of which Atrium Health is a part.
The move reflects an ongoing pledge to create and maintain one of the nation’s top workplaces by supporting the dedicated teammates who deliver compassionate care to patients and communities every day.
“Our teammates are our greatest asset and most valuable resource,” said Nakesha Lopez, chief people and culture officer at Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the nation. “It’s their commitment and expertise that make Atrium Health a trusted and preferred health care provider in the region. By investing in them, we not only honor their contributions, but also ensure we attract and retain top talent to sustain the excellent care for which we are known.”
Increasing the minimum starting rate for North and South Carolina-based teammates by 6% is one part of a broader effort to take care of the teammates who work tirelessly to keep local communities healthy. Atrium Health has raised its minimum wage every year since 2012, and its North and South Carolina teammates will now earn at least $11.25 per hour more than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
“We are committed to creating an environment where teammates feel valued, supported and empowered,” added Lopez. “Compensation is just one of the many ways we invest in, reward and recognize our devoted teammates. By prioritizing our investment in them, we can continue to foster a positive work environment that values our teammates’ long-term growth and development while also setting new standards for excellence in health care delivery.”
In addition, the health system will continue investing in teammates’ career growth, offering market-competitive pay and annual merit increases, as well as incentive plan compensation and premium payments for shift workers and on-call workers.
Advocate Health in 2024 provided $29.5 million in educational assistance to more than 8,000 teammates and more than $253 million in annual merit increases.
About Atrium Health
Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health is part of Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, which was created from the combination with Advocate Aurora Health. A recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine is its academic core. Atrium Health is renowned for its top-ranked pediatric, cancer and heart care, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Atrium Health is also a leading-edge innovator in virtual care and mobile medicine, providing care close to home and in the home. Ranked nationally among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals in eight pediatric specialties and for rehabilitation, Atrium Health has also received the American Hospital Association’s Quest for Quality Prize and its 2021 Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award, as well as the 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Equity Award for its efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care. With a commitment to every community it serves, Atrium Health seeks to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all, providing nearly $3 billion in free and uncompensated care and other community benefits in 2023.
About Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States – created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.