NATCHEZ — Natchez Community Hospital and its lawyers will no longer hold up the opening of a catheterization lab at Natchez Regional Medical Center.

Community’s CEO Donny Rentfro announced Tuesday the hospital’s decision to withdraw an appeal to the state’s decision to grant Natchez Regional Medical Center a certificate of need to open a catheterization lab.

Rentfro said the decision was difficult, but it was made for the benefit of the community.

“We strongly believe that the need to provide the care in Natchez is more important than who provides it,” Rentfro said.

Rentfro also cited a lengthy and expensive appeals process as a reason to withdraw the hearing request.

Attorney for the Natchez Regional Medical Center hospital board Walter Brown said the hospital can begin services at the lab pending final approval from the state health officer, which he expects to come in October.

Brown said Regional Medical Center provides the best venue for the lab because the equipment is already in place, NRMC has a cardiologist on staff and the backing of the Jackson Heart Clinic and NRMC has had a larger base of community support for the project.

Cartiologist Dr. Brad LeMay said he is pleased with the administrators at Community Hospital’s decision to withdraw its appeal.

“I’m glad (NCH) made a rational decision to do what needed to be done,” LeMay said.

In an NRMC press release, CEO Lana Morgan said she was grateful for Community’s decision to withdraw the appeal.

“While we always remained positive about the outcome (of the hearing), this recent decision has taken away what could have been months of delays in beginning this very needed service,” Morgan said.

Rentfro said Community’s attorneys were confident about the hearing process, but the hospital decided to withdraw contest due to the lengthy and expensive legal process and delay in additional access to patient care for Miss-Lou residents.

“I hope action demonstrates desire to have a cooperative relationship with Regional (Medical Center) to benefit all residents of the area,” Rentfro said.

Miss-Lou Regionalism Health Care Committee Chair Sarah Smith said the decision to stop legal proceedings between the hospitals fits with what her committee is trying to accomplish by working to benefit the entire region.

LeMay said he expects between 40 and 60 patients to receive diagnostic services at the catheterization lab per month.

Sixty percent of local cardiology patients currently travel out of town to Baton Rouge, Jackson, Alexandria and McComb for medical treatment, LeMay said.

LeMay said the number of patients he sees in Natchez who have previously traveled out-of-town for treatment increases every week, and he expects the number to grow with the opening of the catheterization lab.

“Now we can move on ahead and take care of patients,” LeMay said.

Community’s officials filed for a certificate of need in December 2009 to build and operate a catheterization lab, and NRMC officials filed for a certificate of need in January to reopen its existing lab.

The state requires certificates of need to restrain health care facility costs and allow coordinated planning of new services and construction.

The Mississippi State Department of Health ruled in favor of NRMC in May. Natchez Community Hospital appealed the decision in June and requested an independent hearing for review.

The hearing was scheduled for Sept. 27-Oct. 1.