The University of Mississippi Medical Center sent the following letter written by Vice-Chancellor Dr. Louanne Woodward.
Recently, I have seen statements in some media that insinuate the University of Mississippi Medical Center is leaving Jackson. It’s true that we are creating more opportunities for all Mississippians to access our care outside the state capital, but leaving Jackson? Nothing could be further from the truth. We are growing and expanding BOTH in Jackson and across the state.
In our 70-year history, UMMC has grown into what Mississippi needs, an institution that day-in and day-out works to improve Mississippians’ health and well-being through our three-part mission of education, research and patient care. Everything we do rolls up to caring for patients, directly or indirectly, in all parts of the state, including Jackson. This city is the home of our six growing and vibrant health science schools, the primary location of our research programs, which heavily focus on the diseases most impacting Mississippians, and where we provide most of our patient care, some of which can be found nowhere else in the state.
I recently had the pleasure of meeting with new Jackson Mayor John Horhn. I enjoyed working with him as a state senator and very much look forward to working with him as mayor. We discussed UMMC’s substantial investments into the city, which has been our home since 1955. As Jackson’s largest employer and a significant local economic driver, we understand the importance of a strong working relationship with city leaders.
When I welcome new employees, I often speak of our statewide footprint. Bottom line: We strive to extend our expertise across the state to increase access to care. We know that not everyone can easily get to Jackson and navigate the city or our campus. Growing up in a rural area, I have an understanding of the transportation challenges some Mississippians face. I also saw the impact of those same challenges during my years of practice as a UMMC emergency medicine physician.
We recently announced significant expansions – the opening of new clinics in Ridgeland at Colony Park South and the acquisition of the former Merit Health Madison hospital in Canton, now UMMC Madison. This 67-bed community hospital joins UMMC Grenada and UMMC Holmes County in providing acute care closer to communities and offers additional training opportunities for students, residents and fellows. More training options and outpatient services will be available early next year with the opening of Colony Park North, an ambulatory surgery center.
But Jackson is our home. Has been and always will be.
When we increase access to UMMC care, we do it with a keen awareness of which services should or must be provided on our Jackson campus – in or near the hospital – and which ones can be offered in other areas.
Our Jackson campus has grown from a single University Hospital to multiple specialized facilities for caring for the critically ill, women and infants, children (two towers) and adults. Our emergency departments, adult and pediatric, have grown to address demand, and late last year we opened additional adult critical care and inpatient beds as well as the state’s most comprehensive burn unit. All of this, and more, in Jackson at 2500 North State Street.
Investments into construction projects for our Jackson facilities are significant: $204 million in new construction over the last two years, $76 million in facility upgrades and maintenance and annual spending of $4.5 million for leased properties. I won’t list all the projects, but a few key ones underway are the Alyce G. Clarke Center for Medically Fragile Children, a new clinic for The MIND Center and an adolescent acute inpatient psychiatric unit.
Also, we have several major projects scheduled to launch in Jackson over the next five years, representing an investment of $264 million. These commitments, which include a new Cancer Center and Research Institute, are vital for the health and well-being of Mississippians.
What other organization is investing in Jackson’s future to this level?
It is because of our strong foundation in Jackson that we have been able to build a network of hospitals and clinics to extend the reach of the Medical Center into every region of Mississippi. We have Children’s of Mississippi clinics in 13 cities, adult-care clinics in 26 and four helicopter bases scattered across the state. Through these locations we strive to meet the needs of our patients daily, a commitment from our skilled and dedicated caregivers.
Expansion to community health care is common for academic medical centers like UMMC. Look at peer institutions such as University of Alabama – Birmingham, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and University of Arkansas Health Sciences Center, just to name a few. They all have a hub-and-spokes system of care in which the medical center is anchored in a major city, yet community health care is an important part of the system.
As always, UMMC is there for our state in times of great need, providing trauma care when life hangs in the balance, intensive care for premature infants, transplants of lifegiving organs, telehealth-based care for quick and easy connection to our programs, advanced cancer treatments and clinical trials that halt disease progression and more.
Our approach to health care decisions is not a matter of either centrally based services or community health, but BOTH.
Succeeding in our mission is possible, but only when we reach within and beyond county lines and continue to partner with community and state leaders, and other health systems and care providers. We have wonderful partners and supporters at the state and federal leadership level, philanthropic heroes who step up again and again to make the magic happen and physicians and health systems who work with us to improve health care in communities. The health needs of our state are too great for us to do anything less.
We will continue to evaluate ways we can improve the health of all Mississippians – in Jackson and beyond. Our mission is strong, and our vision is clear. It’s simple really – keep the main thing, the main thing – A Healthier Mississippi.
Dr. LouAnn Woodward
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and
Dean, UMMC School of Medicine
23 comments:
Awesome to see this. Like it or not, if Jackson doesn't succeed, the state will fail. If you like your Ole Miss Rebels and your MSU Bulldogs, you can't root for Jackson's failure because all of the graduates of those schools are heading for greener pastures. Young professionals do not want to live in a cookie cutter neighborhood in a suburb. There won't be much stock left for either school come 20 years if Jackson/The State of Mississippi fails. It's time to make Jackson a great place to live again. CCID + New Mayor + Jxn Water + Potential One Lake Project + Anti Peddling & Anti-Camping on Public Prop laws = A great chance at making it happen. Start supporting your favorite Jackson businesses and restaurants again. I haven't been to Jackson once in the past year and not seen a Capitol PD cruiser multiple times. No more fears of carjackings or auto theft for me. Things can change but it takes the presence of people in town to make it happen. With that being said, I hope UMMC can ask the new mayor or MDOT to please repave Woodrow Wilson!
UMC “Invests” taxpayer dollars into a moneypit.
what for? DEI?
someone tell her that nonsense has been debunked and BANNED!
the entire planet has democrat fatigue!
As a frequent user of services at the UMMC Medial Mall, the UMMC Ridgeland facility & the main campus in Jackson I remain impressed with the facilities & professionalism of the staff. What a crown jewel UMMC is to Jackson & the entire state!
1:56 We are also getting DEI fatigue. It's not the only thing. Give it a rest already.
Ole Miss needs to rid itself of DEI programs which are now identified by another name
1:44 pm, If Jackson fails? I think that ship has already sailed. I was in Jackson yesterday and noticed they still have the pan handlers at the red lights. New mayor hasn't gotten rid of them yet.
Anyone: *notes the existence of literally anything*
20% of Online Conservatives: (screeching) DEI WOKE LIBTARD DEMONRATS EATING PETS
Anyone: I'm sorry, are you okay?
20% of Online Conservatives: DEIIIIIIIII!!!!!! WOOOOOKE!!!!
1:56 you are the problem, on so many levels. Go away.
She said a helluva lot to say, "If it were not for the present laws that constrain our plans, we would be gone from Jackson yesterday".
Forty years ago, Jackson was a great place for UMMC employees to work, but now they're afraid for their lives to drive to and from work, much less walk through the waiting rooms and the ER.
As soon as the legislature has the balls to take appropriate action, the place will become a mausoleum.
"Young professionals do not want to live in a cookie cutter neighborhood in a suburb."
Really? Is that why so many of them flock to Madison, Tupelo, Southaven/Hernando and Ocean Springs. You know....those communities that are serious about law enforcement.
I have no idea which department at UMMC it is, but one of them issues blinders with the Employee Handbook and Orientation Summary.
Chuck and his sister made it really clear they had no love for white people or their businesses in Jackson so I left.
I'll wait and see if the new mayor has equal respect for my skin tone and opinions before I come back and add my presence of people to make it happen.
Hope your new man takes a very different and more welcoming tone than his predecessor did with Caucasians. The ball is in his court.
UMMC just bought Merit Madison (Canton). Maybe they will also purchase the other Merit campuses in the Metro area.
Ahh yes. So many graduates from State and Ole Miss FLOCK to Madison to live in the ____ apartments and buy houses in the _____ neighborhood! And they get to walk around to the ____ and enjoy the nightlife at ______. It’s totally affordable and LOTS of fun!
No doubt it’s safe, but you are delusional if you think anyone post grad is moving to Madison unless they are living with their parents.
I still remember Woodward‘s press conferences during the Wuhan Flu pandemic. What a clown.
1:56, somewhere at UMMC, most likely in psychiatry, I’m sure they are working on a cure for what ails you, so be thankful for them. Meanwhile, chill.
As the parent of a UMMC student, I can assure you Louanne Woodward Does a wonderful job running UMMC.
Work in Jackson, live in the burbs. Hope Jackson keeps improving with the new mayor. Will benefit all of Mississippi if Jackson prospers.
There are zero apartments in Madison. And post grads are all over Madison. It’s delusional to think people don’t move to Madison. You’re an idiot.
Isn’t umc more of a welfare/medicaid hospital?
The more they build, the fewer places there are for paying patients to park.
Oh, and the billing department can't add or subtract.
At UMMC, they hire and teach the smartest and best qualified. Some of you just can't tolerate than not all those people are white and male. That you have to tell yourselves that no women or people of color can possibly be smarter and more competent in every way is actually pathetic and screams insecurity.
All of my graduation class from Mississippi State fled the state. Im the only one in Finance class(spring of 2022) that is still here. Most moved to Dallas, Nashville, Atlanta etc. The people in this thread that think new grads are graduating college and immediately buying houses in Madison are delusional lol
All of my graduation class from Mississippi State fled the state.
Every single one but you? BS.
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