Jackson Jambalaya

The Mississippi Hospital Association has some competition.  

The Mississippi Healthcare Collaborative issued the following statement. 

A coalition of Mississippi Healthcare providers announced Monday a formal collaborative focused on providing sustainable solutions to challenges facing access to care. The Mississippi Healthcare Collaborative brings together representatives of the state’s leading acute and trauma care hospitals, rural hospitals, mental health providers and primary care providers.

“Our mission is clear: to create a healthier Mississippi,” said Kent Nicaud, President & CEO of Memorial Hospital, and Chair of the Collaborative’s board. “Members of the Collaborative represent an impressive 70% of patients in Mississippi. We believe that everyone in our state deserves access to high-quality healthcare, and we are dedicated to making that a reality.”

The diverse group of providers unites representatives from facilities offering state-of-the-art hospital-based procedures to those operating in rural clinics serving low-income communities. Founding members include Community Health Centers Association of Mississippi, Forrest Health System, George Regional Health System, Memorial Health Systems, Methodist Rehabilitation Center, Merit Health, Mississippi Rural Health Association, North Mississippi Health Services, Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, Singing River Health System, South Central Regional Medical Center, Universal Health Services (Alliance Health Center, Brentwood Behavioral Health System, Diamond Grove Center for Children, Gulfport Behavioral Health System, Parkwood Behavioral Health System), and University of Mississippi Medical Center. 

"For too long, too many health providers have been siloed in our advocacy. It’s time to sit down at the same table and work together,” said Terrence Shirley, CEO of the Community Health Center Association of Mississippi (CHCAMS). The CHCAMS represents Mississippi’s 21 Federally Qualified Community Health Centers (FQHC), providing care through one million patient visits annually, at its approximately 300 sites, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.

The Mississippi Healthcare Collaborative is committed to fostering meaningful partnerships among healthcare professionals, policymakers, and community stakeholders. The Collaborative aims to harness the power of data to identify critical health needs, drive evidence-based solutions, and advocate for financially sustainable policies that enhance the quality and accessibility of healthcare for all residents. Its members serve 78 of 82 counties.

Drew Snyder, former executive director of the Mississippi Division of Medicaid, will serve as Chief Health Policy Officer of the Mississippi Healthcare Collaborative.  Snyder joins by way of Health Resources, a newly formed health-policy consulting wing of Capitol Resources. Capitol Resources is one of the South’s leading government relations, public affairs, and public opinion research firms.

The Mississippi Healthcare Collaborative invites all interested parties, including healthcare professionals, policymakers, and community advocates, to join in this crucial effort to strengthen healthcare in Mississippi. Together, the Collaborative can forge a path toward a healthier future for every resident.