Hospital contributes to health care, helps drive county’s economy

Walthall General Hospital not only provides needed services for residents, it’s also an industry, providing jobs to some of the most skilled people in the area and incomes that are plowed back into the county. Walthall General Hospital is a critical access facility operating 25 inpatient beds, and a 5 bed Level IV Emergency Dept. and Trauma Center. Emergency services are provided 24 hours a day to patients of all ages.
“Our staff is trained to provide world class care to our patients at a local level. At the point a patient requires specialty care we rely on our partners at Forrest General Hospital. As a part of the Forrest Health system, Walthall General Hospital’s patients and staff have access to invaluable resources that are readily available across our health system. Naturally, some patients need a higher level of care than can be provided locally, and that’s the advantage to our affiliation with Forrest Health,” said WGH administrator, Nacole Dillon.
With the support of Forrest Health our local hospital provides services that a small rural hospital would have found impossible years ago, even at larger hospitals. Because of this, residents can take advantage of local care rather than having to travel to another facility; which is not only time consuming, but difficult to arrange for many elderly residents. Both independently and through its affiliation with Forrest Health, WGH has developed and implemented several programs including:
• Swing Bed program, providing for patients needing IV, rehab, physical, wound, cardiac, pulmonary, weakness and orthopedic surgery recovery
• Walthall General Hospital Outpatient Wound Healing Center
• Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program, aids in rehab after open heart surgery, provides therapy for those affected by COPD, targets smokers; all in an effort to improve their lifestyle and quality of living.
•Full service Laboratory with Blood Bank
•A portable MRI machine from Phillips systems available one day a week through an outside provider.
•Upgrades of all radiology rooms
•Upgrading of manual films to digital films
•Replacement of a regular X-ray machine
•Echo cardiograms, ultra-sound of the heart
•Rehabilitation Services- provides inpatient and outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.
•Respiratory Therapy- offers EKGs, pulmonary function testing, halter monitors, arterial blood gas studies, and breathing treatments.
•Standardized electronic medical record system allowing for seamless transition of care. All providers with in the Forrest Health System, regardless of the location of their clinic have access to the patient’s medical record including all test results.
In addition to the services above, Walthall General Hospital also operates the Walthall Rural Health Clinic on its campus. Services provided include medical procedures as a first response to common life-threatening injuries and acute illness, along with routine health care maintenance, minor surgical procedures, administrative health care examinations, diagnostic and therapeutic services and supplies and other services provided consisting of primary medical care. In addition to the quality care provided, another advantage to using Walthall’s clinic is that the providers share the same electronic medical record system used by the Forrest Health System which results in seamless care, referrals, and access to diagnostic test results.
“Walthall General Hospital is an asset to this county. This hospital provides essential care for our residents. We are in the process of completing renovations to the clinic’s exterior and are working on some remodeling projects as well as cosmetic upgrades to the hospital. We, at Walthall General, know we will never be the biggest facility, but our goal is to be the best at the services we provide to our patients,” said Dillon.