The Greenwood Leflore Hospital Board has released a statement saying that “discussions are underway with the University of Mississippi Medical Center concerning an agreement on the joint operation of GLH facilities and services.
It’s far from a done deal, but officials are keeping their fingers crossed because GLH’s ongoing revenue shortfalls are so serious that it might have to discontinue operations around the end of this year.
The GLH board met in closed session with the Leflore County Board of Supervisors and the Greenwood City Council Thursday to share information with their members about
The hospital board then issued the statement about the discussions. The statement said affiliations can improve service in addition to addressing financial concerns.
“Potential areas for enhanced service delivery include chronic care management, remote patient monitoring, telehealth-based care and advanced/specialty care,” the statement said. “For inpatient acute care services, additional resources can enhance the quality and availability of care.”
Jason Studley, the hospital’s CEO, also sent a memo to hospital employees that said, “Please note that no agreement has been reached at this point. These are initial discussions between GLH and UMMC regarding the possible affiliation to continue to provide medical and surgical services to Greenwood and the surrounding areas. Many details are yet to be considered before an agreement can be reached.”
In the memo, Studley said that if there is an agreement, “the timing of any transition of operations is not expected until later this calendar year.”
Both hospitals are publicly owned. Approval of affiliation would be required from the hospital board, the City Council, the Board of Supervisors and the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning.
UMMC officials declined to comment, as did Harris Powers Jr., chairman of the hospital board.
Powers directed inquiries to Studley, who decided not to answer written questions but furnished the memo.
