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Mississippi Delta loses its only neonatal intensive care unit

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Mississippi Delta loses its only neonatal intensive care unit

A Greenville hospital closed its neonatal intensive care unit in July after the unit reported losses of $1 million a year. 

Now, there is no longer a NICU in the Mississippi Delta. 

Delta Health-The Medical Center, which is currently operating with only one medical floor, also closed its cardiac rehabilitation department. It and the NICU are “non-revenue producing ventures,” said interim CEO Iris Yeldell-Stacker in an Aug. 1 presentation to the Washington County Board of Supervisors. 

Hospital officials told Mississippi Today that operating the NICU created annual losses for the hospital of $1 million. An average of 150 newborns have been placed in the NICU each year since 2019.

The hospital serves four Delta counties: Bolivar, Coahoma, Sunflower and Washington – all counties with poverty levels over 30%, well above both the state and national average. 

“Infants that require care in the NICU will be transferred, as they always have been,” Amy Walker, chief nursing officer at Delta Health System, said. “This will likely cause a hardship on the families of the infant as they will have to travel to Jackson to be with their baby for what could be a lengthy hospital stay. We will still provide a well baby nursery for babies delivered here, and can provide things like IV fluids and limited antibiotic therapy for those babies.”

The NICU’s closure shocked many employees who saw it as a valuable asset, said an employee who asked to remain anonymous in the story for fear of retribution from the hospital. The employee said the hope for the unit was to break even, not turn a profit, but that this proved impossible due to a lower than expected number of transfers from surrounding communities.

The NICU was classified as a level II, meaning it could provide some intensive care for sick and premature infants, such as those who required respirator support or those who were born experiencing drug withdrawals. The hospital transferred an average of 16 babies per year to Children’s of Mississippi’s level IV NICU, the only unit in the state with this designation. 

Now, all babies born in the Delta that require NICU care will be sent to Children’s of Mississippi in Jackson or go out of state. 

The hospital’s NICU was being managed by Children’s of Mississippi when it closed. University of Mississippi Medical Center officials said they had no comment for the story. They also declined Mississippi Today’s request to interview the doctors and nurses who managed the unit. 

Further operational changes are likely in Delta Health System’s future because of its dire financial state. The entire system has a current income of negative $13.2 million for 2022,  according to Yeldell-Stacker. Its Greenville hospital is responsible for $334,000 of these losses, while the rest were attributed to Delta Health System’s other medical centers and groups. 

Yeldell-Stacker cited increased operating costs, mostly coming from an increase in contact labor. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital paid nurses between $40 and $55 per hour, whereas contact nurses cost between $155 to $175 per hour. 

The hospital also received a $14 million loan from Medicare early in the pandemic, which Yeldell-Stacker said they are paying back to the tune of $1 million per month, further dragging down its  finances. 

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: April 25-27

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-04-25 09:48:00

SUMMARY: This weekend in Mississippi (April 25-27) features a variety of events across Central and Pine Belt regions. Highlights include MiraGotSoul at Vibe Studio in Jackson, a community Dinner and Movie in Clinton, and the Natchez Kite Festival. Enjoy live performances with Sweet Lizzy Project in Natchez and the New Bourbon Street Jazz Band in Clinton. Family-friendly activities include the Native Plant Fest and Community Farmers Market in Jackson. In Hattiesburg, catch the Henry Cho tour and the Downtown Crawfish Jam Music Festival. Overall, it’s a weekend full of entertainment, culture, and fun activities for all ages.

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Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: April 18-20

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-04-18 07:36:00

SUMMARY: This weekend (April 18-20), Mississippi offers a variety of events for all ages. In Jackson, enjoy Food Truck Friday, a jazz concert, free outdoor movie screenings, and multiple exhibitions including “Of Salt and Spirit” and “Hurricane Katrina: Mississippi Remembers.” For family fun, there’s an Easter Egg Hunt at the Ag Museum and “Bunnies & Butterflies” at MCM. Natchez features the Spring Pilgrimage, Lafayette’s 200th anniversary celebration, and a farmers market. In the Pine Belt, highlights include Live at Five, a Spring Candle-Making Workshop, and Easter events at the Hattiesburg Zoo. Don’t miss the Bluff City Block Party and more!

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Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: April 11-13

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-04-11 07:37:00

SUMMARY: This weekend in Mississippi (April 11-13), enjoy a variety of events across the state. Highlights include the Eudora Welty Birthday Bash in Jackson, Trivia Night at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, and Boots & Bling Fundraiser in Natchez. For family fun, check out the Bunny Bonanza in Jackson or the Easter Egg Hunt in Clinton. The Natchez Concours d’Elegance Car Show and Stranger Than Fiction Film Festival offer cultural experiences, while the 12th Annual Dragon Boat Regatta in Ridgeland and the Hub City Classic Car Show in Hattiesburg provide exciting activities for all ages.

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