Duke University Medical Center (Durham, N.C.)

With 924 licensed beds, this academic medical center has more than 10,000 full-time employees, of which about 15 percent have a medical or doctoral degree, or both. It is part of three-hospital Duke University Health System, which has an Aa2 bond rating from Moody’s Investor Services. In Dec. 2010, the hospital began an $800 million expansion project, including a cancer center and a new hospital tower adding 20 percent more beds. Recently Duke initiated a community care model to reduce unnecessary ED visits in partnership with a local federally qualified health center.