Robinson said the hospitals would be doing a needs assessment as the consolidation is implemented to see what other services may be implemented.

The assessment will not only look at what needs the community’s populations have, but will be done with direct engagement with the medical staff, he said.

“When I first came here as CEO (at Community), I said we have to stem the flow of outmigration of people who are leaving the area for treatment,” Robinson said. “We should feel some responsibility for patients who are leaving.”

The consolidation will also allow the hospital to better invest by reducing redundancies — for example, the two DaVinci surgical robots in town.

“Instead of having these two buckets with a million dollars in them, you can take the one and keep using it, and you can take the second bucket and invest that million dollars elsewhere,” Robinson said.

While company officials said some personnel changes will be necessary as the transition to a single hospital takes place, NRMC employees will continue in their current positions for the time being and have been able to enroll in CHS company benefits through NCH.

“We’ll need employees on both campuses to assist in consolidation planning and implementation, so it’s too early to know the extent to which staffing changes may be necessary,” Robinson said. “It is our goal to grow services in Natchez and care for a greater number of patients locally.”

“If we have any attrition and we can do without that job for the time right now, we are saving that job later.”

Company officials said CHS is in discussion with third parties for a possible non-acute medical use of the NCH building after the consolidation, but said the process was still too early to discuss.

Dr. Rod Givens, the president of the Homochitto Valley Medical Society, said consolidating the hospitals paves the way for a stronger future for the hospital, patients, physicians and the community.

“As the community sees stability and enhancement of their local health care options, we hope more and more residents realize there is no reason to drive 60 to 90 minutes to receive care in another community,” Givens said.

NRMC was previously owned by Adams County. It was sold during a bankruptcy proceeding that was approved earlier this week.

The sale was for $10 million. To cover the cost of paying off the county-backed bonds associated with the hospital, CHS also agreed to pre-pay $8 million in ad valorem taxes.