A group of healthcare providers in Mississippi have launched a collaboration to work toward finding solutions for ongoing problems plaguing the state’s hospitals.
The coalition, dubbed the Mississippi Healthcare Collaborative, is an alternative to the Mississippi Hospital Association, which faced scrutiny following a $250,000 donation to former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Brandon Presley from a political action committee connected to the association.
A total of eight hospitals and health systems allegedly withdrew their memberships from the Mississippi Hospital Association, which was an ardent advocate for Medicaid expansion, over the donation more than one year ago.
In the meantime, the new collaborative has been formed to serve as an intermediary representing the best interests of its members.
According to a press release, the Mississippi Healthcare Collaborative is committed to fostering meaningful partnerships among healthcare professionals, policymakers, and community stakeholders. The collaborative aims to harness the power of data to identify critical health needs, drive evidence-based solutions, and advocate for financially sustainable policies that enhance the quality and accessibility of healthcare for all residents.
Founding members of the collaborative, which serves 78 of Mississippi’s 82 counties, include:
- Community Health Centers Association of Mississippi
- Forrest Health System
- George Regional Health System
- Memorial Health Systems
- Methodist Rehabilitation Center
- Merit Health
- Mississippi Rural Health Association
- North Mississippi Health Services
- Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center
- Singing River Health System
- South Central Regional Medical Center
- Universal Health Services (Alliance Health Center, Brentwood Behavioral Health System, Diamond Grove Center for Children, Gulfport Behavioral Health System, Parkwood Behavioral Health System)
- University of Mississippi Medical Center
“Our mission is clear: to create a healthier Mississippi,” Kent Nicaud, president and CEO of Memorial Hospital, and chair of the collaborative’s board, said. “Members of the Collaborative represent an impressive 70% of patients in Mississippi. We believe that everyone in our state deserves access to high-quality healthcare, and we are dedicated to making that a reality.”
Former Mississippi Division of Medicaid Executive Director Drew Snyder will serve as the collaborative’s chief health policy officer. Snyder joins through Health Resources, a newly formed health-policy consulting wing of major firm Capitol Resources.
