Mississippi Today

Senate Public Health hearing to delve into crisis facing hospital, health care as whole

Published

2 years ago

November 21, 2022

Senate Public Health hearing to delve into crisis facing hospital, health care as whole

by Bobby Harrison, Mississippi Today
November 18, 2022

Senate Public Health Committee Chair Hob Bryan, D-Amory, said no one is tasked with looking at Mississippi’s overall health care system. That is what he hopes to do in an upcoming meeting of the Public Health Committee.

Bryan’s Public Health Committee is slated to meet at 1:15 Monday afternoon at the state Capitol to address the “financial crisis of hospitals in Mississippi.”

State Health Officer Daniel Edney and others have commented on the problems and the possible closure of multiple hospitals across the state.

“This is not just a Delta problem,” Bryan said, backing up Edney and others. “It is an overall state problem.”

When asked what hospitals faced the possibility of closure, Bryan did not answer directly, but said both North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo and Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg “have said they will lose tens of millions of dollars … next year. They can sustain it for a while because they have reserves, and they can do other things.”

But Bryan said if those two medical centers – two of the larger hospitals in the state located in, by Mississippi standards, affluent areas – “are saying that, can you imagine what is happening in other areas?”

Bryan said many entities in the state are tasked with oversight of aspects the health care system, but no one looks at the whole system. He said that is, in part, what will be explored during his committee hearing.

For instance, he said the state Board of Health develops an overall health care plan. That plan would say there needs to be a hospital in Greenwood but would not address how to ensure that is the case.

Ensuring prison inmates are treated close to where they are housed would provide much needed revenue to hospitals in those underserved areas, particularly in the Delta, he said. Another option would be to establish a nursing home for inmates paid for primarily through federally funded Medicaid. That nursing home could be operated by a hospital, giving the medical center funds to help it stay open.

“I don’t know if any of this is feasible, but I do know no one is looking at it,” he said.

Bryan said there has been a long-term problem with Mississippi hospitals, but now there is an acute or immediate problem caused in part by the COVID-19 pandemic that has driven up salaries for health care providers, particularly nurses.

He said insurance companies and other factors are pushing the more lucrative medical procedures away from hospitals while leaving the hospitals to perform the less lucrative procedures. Often patients must travel longer distances to undergo the procedures.

Asked whether Medicaid expansion, providing health care to 200,000 or more primarily uninsured Mississippians with mainly federal money would help, he said, “Of course … I will talk about Medicaid expansion forever, but you know, what more can you do?”

Bryan was referring to the fact that opposition from many of the state’s political leaders, primarily Gov. Tate Reeves and House Speaker Philip Gunn, have blocked efforts to consider Medicaid expansion that has been adopted by 39 other states.

The Senate hearing is slated to be livestreamed on Mississippi Legislature's YouTube page.

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

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Mississippi Today

UMMC holds free cancer screenings

Published

15 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

Published

17 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

Published

17 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.