Discussing The Future Of One Local Hospital

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)-The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors and their consulting firm, Stroudwater Associates held a public hearing hearing on Tuesday to discuss the future for the Oktibbeha County Regional Medical Center.

During the meeting, Stroudwater Associates presented its findings to the public on the assessment they did on OCH a few months ago.

The public then had a chance to weigh in.

Many residents in the packed crowd voiced their opinions on how they’d like to OCH stay in Oktibbeha County, and how it’ll be a detrimental loss to the county if the board decides to sell the facility.

Others however, expressed their concerns about wanting to see the hospital move in a different direction to better Improve health care in the county.

“I would like to see Oktibbeha county hospital become apart of a hospital system, and I think there are ways, I know there are that can be done without the loss of jobs,” said Dr. Shirley Hanshaw, Oktibbeha County resident. “There are ways that can be done to invite more specialties into the system to prevent out-migration.”

“Well first of all I think the hospital Has done a terrific job,” said Dr. Clyde Williams, resident of Oktibbeha County. “I’ve used it. My kids have used it. My kids were born there, it’s doing what it needs to do. So why do we look now at an indefinite kind of situation coming up with national health care. This is not the Time to even consider this sort of thing.”

Board president Orlando Trainer said the board will take everything from tonight’s hearing under consideration before taking the next step forward.