The board of trustees for three rural Mississippi hospitals aims to secure administrative service agreements with South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel, Miss.
The hospitals seeking partnerships with South Central Regional are Magee General Hospital, Collins-based Covington County Hospital and Simpson General Hospital in Mendenhall.
The collaborations are linked with South Central Regional's hiring of Gregg Gibbes, its new president and CEO. Mr. Gibbes is expected to assume the corner office on July 1, and currently serves as CEO of Covington County Hospital, Magee General and Simpson General.
"This is incredibly positive for Simpson General as well as the other hospitals entering into the consortium," David Massey, board chair for Simpson General, said in a June 13 news release. "Collaboration has improved resources and we have lent and received expertise from [Covington County] and [Magee General] through our current agreements. Now with South Central in the mix, each of the small rural hospitals anticipates an even greater ability to remain independent and survive in a tremendously challenging industry environment."