After announcing plans to sell Singing River Health System, the hospital system’s Board of Trustees has approved a sale, leading to a unanimous vote by the Jackson County Board of Supervisors to hold a public hearing on the topic.
Singing River’s Board of Trustees claims that the hospital system has been struggling financially and has experienced losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The hospital system has locations in Ocean Springs, Pascagoula, and Gulfport. It is the second-largest employer in Jackson County, having roughly 3,500 employees.
Tiffany Murdock, Singing River Health’s CEO, spoke to the Jackson County Board of Supervisors about the costs the county would take on if the proposed sale isn’t approved.
“As much as y’all have supported us, and we think that you know, you’ve been great to us. A half-a-billion-dollar healthcare system and I think Raymond James said it, too, it’s not usually county supported. That’s just not a feasible situation,” said Murdock. “Due to, first off, the challenges we have now, it could be $60 million next year and $75 million a year from now.”
The public hearing is the first step in the process of the sale. It is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on August 17 in the Board of Supervisors’ meeting room at the Jackson County administration building.
