I am deeply concerned about things that are happening at our local hospital, Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, so I’m writing publicly in search of public answers and accountability.
Many Pike Countians and citizens from parts of Amite County depend on the hospital for our own and our families’ health care, and many patients cannot afford to travel elsewhere for care. As a taxpayer, I believe I have a right and a responsibility to my fellow citizens to ask questions.
First, how can the hospital be home to the Cardiovascular Institute of Mississippi when there is no cardiovascular surgeon here? I’m told that the last cardiovascular surgeon left involuntarily left and was quickly snapped up by Baptist Health Systems in Jackson. Our county and city probably have a lot of patients with coronary and cardiovascular diseases. Can the administration tell us why the doctor left and what plans are underway for a replacement?
Secondly, employees (some of whom have worked at the hospital for more than 35 years) are being terminated or having their positions eliminated without any offer of other positions within the hospital. Instead, they are being told that they can apply for other positions.
Does the hospital personnel manual not have a reduction in force policy? As a former administrator of a public agency, my agency was required to have such a policy. I would think that a public entity as large as Southwest Health System would have these policies too. In addition, are minorities taking the brunt of these separations?
Thirdly, has Southwest Health System gotten too large for Pike County? What started as Southwest Regional Medical Center in McComb has spread to several other counties and enterprises, including Lawrence County Hospital and St. Luke Home Health and Hospice. There’s a reason people go to Brookhaven, Jackson, and Hattiesburg for health care, and we need to find out why. That’s gas, food, shopping and insurance reimbursements that can help fuel our local economy.
Furthermore, I’ve heard that a lot of out-of-county people are being hired to work at the hospital instead of local residents. Why are a lot of people from Marion County coming to work here and taking their paychecks back to Marion County? That doesn’t benefit Pike County taxpayers very much.
If I’m wrong about any of this, I invite the administration to provide a public and timely response to my concerns so that the taxpayers, patients, employees, public officials and medical staff will have peace of mind and confidence in our local hospital. I look forward to the response.
— Lorraine B. Gayden, Summit
EDITOR’S NOTE: Charla Rowley, CEO of Southwest Health System, responded to the letter:
• Cardiovascular: “The Cardiovascular Institute of Mississippi currently employs two board-certified interventional cardiologists who are prepared to take care of your heart and vascular healthcare needs. The Cardiovascular Institute of Mississippi is the only heart attack (STEMI) receiving facility in this region. We provide 24-hour, around the clock care for heart attacks and peripheral vascular emergencies.
“The Cardiovascular Institute of Mississippi has the region’s only fully accredited cardiac rehabilitation program, which is designed to strengthen your heart after heart attacks, heart surgeries and for patients suffering from congestive heart failure. The center includes two brand-new, state-of-the-art Cardiac Catheterization surgery rooms that provide advanced techniques to diagnose and treat heart disease while minimizing risk and stress for our patients, cardiac administration offices, a 12-bed cardiac one-stop post-operation unit, an outpatient cardiac clinic and a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation center.
“With the departure of our Cardiothoracic Surgeon, we are actively recruiting to be able to provide this service to our community. However, we have a very effective transfer agreement in place in the rare case a patient needs emergency open heart surgery.”
• Employees: “Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center does have a reduction in force policy that is followed in the event we do have a reduction in force.”
• Too large? “Southwest Health has encompassed Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, Lawrence County Hospital and St. Luke Home Health and Hospice. This relationship began in 2002 and we are still proudly providing services to patients in the areas each of these entities serves.”
• Employee residency: “As the largest employer in Pike County in terms of dollars paid and the second-largest employer in Pike County in terms of people, Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center’s employees contribute to the local economy by shopping, eating, and utilizing services from the local businesses here.”
According to Rowley, all but 20 of Southwest Health’s 1,083 employees live in Mississippi. The rest live in Louisiana.
A breakdown of Mississippi employee residence: Pike County 615, Lincoln 147, Amite 86, Walthall 71, Lawrence 43, Marion 24, Franklin 22 and Copiah 15.
Also, Lamar County 8, Adams 6, Madison 6, Rankin 6, Hinds 3, Forrest 2 and Wilkinson 2. Another seven employees live in Mississippi counties not on this list.
