Mississippi News
Greenwood Leflore Hospital announces more layoffs, clinic closures
Greenwood Leflore Hospital announces clinic closures, layoffs after UMMC submits bid to lease hospital
Greenwood Leflore Hospital announced on Thursday that it is closing some of its operations and laying off more employees due to its perilous financial situation.
Several of the hospital’s units, including intensive care and labor and delivery, will remain closed after a sewage problem forced the hospital to shut down in mid-August.
Three of its clinics are also closing, according to a hospital-wide memo sent by Interim Chief Executive Officer Gary Marchand.
He estimated that 20 full-time and 20 part-time staff members will be laid off as a result. The hospital already laid off 30 employees in May to offset losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The hospital, which is jointly owned by Leflore County and the city of Greenwood, cited financial losses from the temporary shutdown last month and severe staffing shortages as the reason for the reduction in services. It is one of the largest employers in the area.
The 208-bed hospital suspended inpatient services on Aug. 16 after clogged manholes forced sewage into the crawl space below the hospital, causing patients to be transferred to other facilities and clinics to be shut down for three days days. Hospital officials estimate this shutdown cost them $1.2 million in revenue.
After 12 of the hospital’s medical and surgical beds were reopened on Aug. 24, hospital officials said they were still conducting a financial analysis to determine if certain services remained viable. Thursday’s announcement shows they determined that many were not.
“… It became apparent that the revenue losses we incurred during the shut-down significantly impacted GLH’s plans to operate its services until a lease could be finalized … The estimated loss of revenue related to this event requires that we revise our previous plans,” Marchand said in the memo.
The hospital’s main goal, Marchand said, is to stay operational through the end of the year.
Marchand also announced that the hospital received a joint-operation proposal from the University of Mississippi Medical Center that could serve as a windfall for the hospital.
UMMC declined to comment for this story.
In an attempt to stay afloat, Greenwood Leflore officials are trying to renegotiate the prices they pay vendors for various supplies and services until the lease agreement with UMMC is finalized.
Marchand claimed that the ICU remaining closed is due to a lack of staff, saying the unit has less than half of the personnel it would need to operate safely. Current ICU employees will be allowed to fill vacant positions in other departments.
Marchand also cited a staffing shortage as the reason for the labor and delivery unit closure, saying the unit only has 15% of the staff it needs. However, a pregnant person who arrives at the hospital in active delivery will be stabilized in the hospital’s emergency department before being transferred to another hospital.
The primary driver of the hospital’s staffing shortage is the discontinuation of premium payments for part-time nurses. These nurses were not brought in through a staffing agency, as most contract nurses are, but instead signed in-house agreements that netted them $50-55 per hour, a much higher rate than the $24-$35 per hour rate paid to registered nurses employed full-time.
The hospital’s After Hours clinic will be closing and its providers will be consolidated into the emergency room’s Fast Track services, which Marchand said serves a similar function. Magnolia Medical and Ryan White, two of the hospital’s clinics that specialize in HIV treatment, are also closing due to low patient volumes.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Ole Miss women get pair of double-doubles and roll to 83-65 March Madness win over Ball State
SUMMARY: Mississippi coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin found solace in returning to a different arena in Waco, Texas, following a disappointing previous tournament experience. The No. 5 seed Ole Miss Rebels redeemed themselves with an 83-65 victory over 12th-seeded Ball State in the NCAA Tournament’s first round. Starr Jacobs led the Rebels with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Kennedy Todd-Williams and Madison Scott each scored 15 points. Ole Miss dominated rebounding, leading 52-32, and will face fourth-seeded Baylor next. Coach McPhee-McCuin noted the team’s evolution since their last visit and the significance of playing in Texas, where Jacobs feels at home.
The post Ole Miss women get pair of double-doubles and roll to 83-65 March Madness win over Ball State appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 21-23
SUMMARY: This weekend (March 21-23), Mississippi offers a range of exciting events. Highlights include Hal’s Marching MALfunction Second Line Stomp and Jessie Robinson’s blues performance in Jackson, as well as the Natchez Food & Wine Festival and the Natchez Little Theatre’s production of *This Side of Crazy*. There are also numerous exhibitions like *Of Salt and Spirit: Black Quilters in the American South* in Jackson and *Gold in the Hills* in Vicksburg. Other events include the 48th Annual Crawfish Classic Tennis Tournament in Hattiesburg, karaoke nights in Laurel, and a variety of family-friendly activities across the state.
The post Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 21-23 appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 14-16
SUMMARY: This weekend (March 14-16) in Mississippi offers a variety of events. In Jackson, iconic saxophonist Boney James performs at the convention center, while the JXN Food & Wine festival showcases culinary talents. The LeFleur Museum District hosts a “Week of Wonder,” and several exhibitions, including “Of Salt and Spirit,” celebrate Black quilters. Natchez features the Spring Pilgrimage tours, a reenactment of Annie Stewart’s story, and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. In Hattiesburg, comedian Rob Schneider performs, and various events like a St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl and a talent show will take place throughout the area.
The post Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 14-16 appeared first on www.wjtv.com
-
Local News Video7 days ago
Local pharmacists advocating for passage of bill limiting control of pharmacy benefit managers
-
News from the South - Florida News Feed5 days ago
Family mourns death of 10-year-old Xavier Williams
-
News from the South - Florida News Feed7 days ago
LIVE: SpaceX NROL-69 mission launch
-
News from the South - Alabama News Feed6 days ago
1 Dead, Officer and Bystander Hurt in Shootout | March 25, 2025 | News 19 at 9 p.m.
-
News from the South - Arkansas News Feed6 days ago
Report: Proposed Medicaid, SNAP cuts would cost Arkansas thousands of jobs, $1B in GDP
-
News from the South - North Carolina News Feed6 days ago
Classmates remember college student hit by car, killed near NC State
-
News from the South - Alabama News Feed4 days ago
Severe storms will impact Alabama this weekend. Damaging winds, hail, and a tornado threat are al…
-
News from the South - Oklahoma News Feed6 days ago
Rep. Tom Cole Says DOGE Is ‘Pretty Responsive’ to His Concerns