A newly released study reveals 31 hospitals in Mississippi are so financially vulnerable that they are at risk of closure because of either money-losing decisions made internally or unexpected external events they cannot control.
The Center for Mississippi Health Policy commissioned the study by researchers from the Social Science Research Center at Mississippi State University to examine the economic impact of rural hospitals on Mississippi communities.
The researchers looked at three financial indicators — profitability, uncompensated care and Medicaid shortfalls — to arrive at their findings.
Of the 31 hospitals at risk of closure, 20 are rural hospitals. There are 41 rural hospitals in Mississippi.
The report identified the following nine hospitals, five of which are critical access hospitals, as being the most in danger of shutting down:
- Covington County Hospital (Collins)
- Hardy Wilson Memorial Hospital (Hazlehurst)
- Highland Community Hospital (Picayune)
- Holmes County Hospital & Clinics (Lexington)
- Montfort Jones Memorial Hospital (Kosciusko)
- Natchez (Miss.) Regional Medical Center
- Noxubee County General (Macon)
- Tallahatchie County General Hospital (Charleston)
- Tippah County Hospital (Ripley)
If all nine of the hospitals were to close, it would lead to a loss of an estimated 2,600 jobs, about $8.6 million in state and local tax revenues, and a total economic impact of $289.2 million, according to the study.
Mississippi is not alone in its rural hospital crisis. A 2015 study from iVantage Health Analytics revealed 283 rural hospitals in 39 states are vulnerable to closure.
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