NATCHEZ, Miss. – Merit Health plans to continue enhancing services at its Natchez hospital as it dedicates more money to the facility and recruits more medical providers, said its chief executive officer.
“Merit Health is committed to continuing to improve health-care outcomes right here in the Miss-Lou – the Mississippi-Louisiana area, and I’m proud to say we’re showing progress,” said Kevin Samrow.
He noted Merit Health spent about $1.7 million last year for facility improvements and is spending a similar amount this year.
This comes as Mississippi hospitals in recent years have been financially distressed – stirring fears many will be forced to close or reduce services..
Meeting last week with Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson and the Board of Aldermen, Merit’s CEO cited various positive indicators for the Natchez hospital. Examples include the hiring of more hospital nurses (an additional 49, up 53 percent from last year) and having the emergency department “fully staffed with local nurses and techs … for the first time in a long time.” Samrow also noted hospital labs and equipment have been upgraded.
He acknowledged Natchez has a shortage of specialized medical doctors –
“We need to continue to recruit and hire medical staff” – but noted Merit has recently recruited a new physician specializing in hospital care and an orthopedic assistant who collaborates with a Vicksburg-based orthopedic surgeon who comes to Natchez to do procedures six times a month.
A goal, he said, is to add more medical staffers and increase Merit’s capacity to care for more patients at the hospital.
In addition to providing essential medical services for Natchez, Merit has been a major economic pillar for the community. It employs about 435 people and paid about $30 million in local taxes last year.
According to a recent national report, 37 percent of Mississippi’s hospitals are facing immediate risk of closure and 52 percent face some risk of closure. Nearly every state has hospitals on the brink, according to the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. The primary reason cited: private insurance plans are paying hospitals less than the actual costs of patient care.
At least six Mississippi hospitals have closed in recent years, according to the Mississippi Hospital Association, which has been urging the state Legislature to expand Medicaid to help offset financial losses hospitals suffer from uncompensated care.
While the Legislature has declined to make more people eligible for the public health insurance program, it has provided hospital subsidies. It appropriated nearly $104 million last year to help Mississippi’s struggling hospitals. That included $1.3 million for Merit Health Natchez.
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