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Natchez, MS (July 18, 2022) – Merit Health Natchez welcomes Deena Keasler as the chief financial officer, effective immediately. “Deena has over 10 years of experience in healthcare finance,” said Chief Executive Officer Garett May. “Her experience, combined with her proven leadership and credentials, makes her a perfect fit for this position." Keasler comes to Merit Health Natchez from our sister hospital, Merit Health Wesley, in Hattiesburg, MS. She served as the assistant chief financial officer for ... ... Read More

Natchez, MS (July 14, 2022) – Employees of Merit Health Natchez are now eligible for new and enhanced benefits designed as pathways to help them eliminate existing student debt faster, pursue additional professional education, and advance their careers. The goal in offering Merit Health Natchez Pathways benefits is to support and retain employees and attract a strong workforce, especially frontline nurses, technicians, therapists and other clinicians and caregivers, along with support personnel. Benefit... ... Read More

Natchez, MS – Over the course of a year, the impact of Merit Health Natchez adds up as the skilled and compassionate hands of physicians, nurses and other team members deliver safe, quality care around the clock every day. Beyond clinical care, the hospital is a major employer and regularly invests resources to expand and enhance the services available locally. The overall community benefit each year is significant and totaled more than $58.6 million in 2021. Last year, the hospital and clinics delivere... ... Read More

Natchez, MS (March 24, 2022) – The average U.S. life expectancy of 84 years means many Baby Boomers reaching age 65 have nearly two decades of life ahead. Advanced years bring more risks to your health that can impact quality of life as you age. Charla Knapp, Nurse Practitioner at Merit Health Medical Group Primary Care Clinic, reminds us some factors like genetics are beyond your control, but healthy lifestyle choices, timely identification and management of the following common, chronic conditions can... ... Read More

NATCHEZ, Miss. (March 3, 2022) – Daylight Saving Time (DST), the yearly practice of setting clocks forward one hour between March and November has been observed in much of the United States since 1966. The idea behind DST is to “save” natural light, since spring, summer, and early fall days typically get dark later in the evening compared to late fall and winter days. The non-DST period between November and March is known as Standard Time. When DST starts at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 13, 2022, we’ll set o... ... Read More

New American Heart Association Dietary Guidelines Natchez, MS (February 18, 2022) – The new updated dietary guidelines from the American Heart Association focus more on your overall eating habits rather than a list of no-no’s. Taking in sufficient nutrients will support your heart health and general well-being over your lifetime. Research on dietary patterns have found 14% to 28% lower cardiovascular disease mortality among U.S. adults with high compared with low adherence to high-quality dietary patter... ... Read More

Natchez, MS (February 9, 2022) – Continue the New Year right by committing to you in 2022. Simple actions can make a big impact on your health over time. Dr. Barbara Smith, a primary care physician with Merit Health Medical Group Primary Care Clinic, shares a few to consider this year. Connect with others . Spend time with friends, family and those you care about. You’ll benefit your mental well-being and your physical health. Studies show that people who have close friends and family are healthier and ... ... Read More

NATCHEZ, Miss. – January 13, 2022 — Cases of COVID-19 are soaring due to the rapidly spreading Omicron variant. Dr. Lee England, internal medicine and infectious disease specialist on staff at Merit Health Natchez, shares what you need to know about the virus. Omicron appears to spread more easily than the original COVID virus and the Delta variant. Highly transmissible, Omicron moves quickly from person to person, primarily increasing infections and hospitalizations among the unvaccinated along with so... ... Read More

NATCHEZ, Miss. –January 6, 2022– Linda Baker, a registered nurse at Merit Health Natchez for more than 30 years, has received a national 2021 Nursing Excellence Award. Baker is one of 10 national winners selected across all hospitals affiliated with Community Health Systems, one of the leading operators of general acute-care hospitals and outpatient care centers in communities across the United States. The organization’s affiliates include Merit Health Natchez and 82 other hospitals in 16 states. Baker ... ... Read More

Highest Honors Given for 2021 Award Winners NATCHEZ, Miss. - Merit Health Natchez recently bestowed its highest honors to the 2021 employee and managers of the year. The award winners for 2021 are: Lloyd Trisler, Pharmacist, Employee of the Year; Terre Bryan, Director of Case Management, Non-Clinical Manager of the Year; and Buffy Bolyer, Manager of Respiratory Therapy, Clinical Manager of the Year. “These award winners truly represent service and operational excellence in their delivery of great patien... ... Read More