The last year has been a busy — but very exciting — time at Merit Health Natchez as we look forward to welcoming a new phase of healthcare and becoming a single strong, provider for Natchez. The long-awaited consolidation of Merit Health Natchez and Merit Health Natchez — Community Campus will soon be complete, and we are ready to celebrate with you.

From 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, we invite our community to join us at Merit Health Natchez for guided tours of our newly renovated areas. There is no doubt you have noticed the work crews, equipment, materials and outside elevator that has been a part of our building for the past several months. I am pleased to announce the outside elevator, constructed to allow workers’ access to the third and fourth floors, was taken down this past week. This was a clear sign to us that we were nearing completion. This week, any outside activity you see will be landscaping for our front campus in anticipation of welcoming you to our new beginnings.

Approximately $25 million has been invested to enhance safety and quality care since the acquisition a year ago, including about $12 million for the renovation projects we will be showcasing this Thursday. Most recently, work began to bring back into operations the elevator bank at the front of the hospital to offer added convenience for patients and visitors. Replacement or repair of clinical equipment has been ongoing over the last year, notably the reopening of the cath lab. Other work includes new patient beds, patient monitoring equipment, a secure medication management system and more. Still more improvements have been made to physical operations, such as new lobby flooring and furniture, replacement of HVAC and A/C units, repaving of the employee parking lot, new security measures and other projects.

This Thursday, you will have the opportunity to see some of the 34,000 square feet of upgraded, expanded and renovated care with us. Our staff will be giving guided tours of the third and fourth floor areas, and refreshments will be served. We will have available for your viewing scrapbooks from both hospitals showcasing their decades of service to the community. These pictures and newspaper clippings, some dating back to 1958 when the hospital was just a vision, serve as a reminder of how fortunate our community has been to have decades of healthcare professionals dedicated to serving our community. Those of you who were born at the hospital or have had babies delivered over the years, will certainly want to come and enjoy seeing the changes and improvements we have made to the labor, delivery, nursery and postpartum areas of the hospital .

Our employees have put their hearts and souls into their work for many years, and especially over these last several months. I want to publicly acknowledge and genuinely thank them for their sense of engagement and earnest dedication in caring for those who we serve.

Please join me and our dedicated staff of managers, employees, physicians, board of trustees and volunteers this Thursday for our open house so you can see firsthand how the new Merit Health Natchez is building a healthier future for you and the entire community.

 

Eric Robinson is the CEO of Merit Health Natchez and Merit-Health Natchez — Community Campus.