James W. Hoekstra, M.D., is president of High Point Medical Center, a 351-bed hospital system that joined Wake Forest Baptist Health on September 1, 2018. He reports directly to the CEO of Wake Forest Baptist and dean of Wake Forest School of Medicine and to the president of Wake Forest Baptist’s health care system.Hoekstra serves on Wake Forest Baptist’s strategic leadership team and is a key physician leader within the health system, helping drive the growth of clinical programs through acquisition and integration of network health systems, physician practices and network clinical programs. He is also responsible for growing academic relationships for Wake Forest School of Medicine, through expansion of teaching sites for medical and physician assistant students, especially at High Point Medical Center.
Hoekstra graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1984 and completed his emergency medicine residency at the University of Cincinnati. Following five years on faculty of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, he was recruited in 2003 to Wake Forest School of Medicine.
During his time as professor and chair of Wake Forest Baptist’s department of emergency medicine, Hoekstra built a network of more than one dozen Wake Forest Baptist-managed emergency departments across North Carolina. He was instrumental in the integration of Cornerstone Health Care with Wake Forest Baptist Health and took a succession of leadership roles. He was named vice president for business development in 2015 and senior vice president and associate dean, clinical and academic network development in 2017.
Hoekstra’s work reflects a deep commitment to creating strong community, academic and provider relationships that advance Wake Forest Baptist’s mission to improve health. Jim and his wife, Sheryl, have been married for 37 years. They have three adult children and two grandchildren. In his free time, Hoekstra enjoys golf and watching spectator sports.