On Tour At NMCC

North Mississippi medical center opened its doors to the media and local elected officials for a first-hand look at the ways the hospital is taking care of their covid-19 patients.

Mississippi medical center opened its doors to the media and local elected officials for a first-hand look at the ways the hospital is taking care of their covid-19 patients.

Wcbi news's stephen pimpo joined them on that tour and has the story.

"this is a world class facility.

We're lucky to have a facility like this in northeast mississippi."

North mississippi medical center is the largest rural hospital center in the united states, serving 24 counties in north mississippi and northwest alabama.

The 44 beds at the facility designated for covid patients stay full nearly every day.

"as you know, our hospital systems across mississippi, it's my understanding they're at full capacity so this hospital has tremendous flexability.

They can add capacity if needed."

The hospital has received 76 million dollars in federal funding and about 6 million dollars from the state of mississippi through the cares act to respond to the pandemic.

"we're looking for every clinical resource we can find to help support our healthcare team and the capacity needs we have within our healthcare system."

Some of the money bought equipment, such as ventilators and negative pressure rooms. but ceo shane spees says their greatest concern is financial support for staff as the whole country deals with a shortage of healthcare workers.

"we may have 250- 260 staff members any given day during covid because of infection rate or exposure."

He says close to 5 million dollars have gone towards offsetting staffing expenses.

Another way the hospital is addressing the staffing concern is by focusing on reducing the exposure.

Nearly 6 million dollars has ben used to install patient monitors outside every room in the covid unit.

"we can monitor vitals outside the room, we can monitor equipment outside the room, we can monitor the patient from outside the room."

However, spees reminds patients that financial resources can only get them so far.

"the wearing of the mask, the social distancing, the frequent washing of hands, that's the most effective way we have today to fight this pandemic."

In tupelo....stephen pimpo...wcbi news.

North mississippi medical center currently has 41 coronavirus patients, including 9 in icu.

So far...hospital officials say none of their staff have contracted the virus from working in their covid