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Employees, local officials and supporters attend the press conference announcing the site of the future Highland Community Hospital.

Southwest Mississippi will soon have a much-needed brand new hospital.

Forrest General Hospital is planning to build a new hospital facility on a 31-acre parcel of land on Route 11 in Picayune.

“Based upon the input we have received from the Picayune area, the community wants a modern healthcare facility that can better meet their needs,” said Bill Oliver, president of Forrest General Hospital, which acquired the former Crosby Memorial Hospital in May 2006, with plans to build a new facility. “We’re excited about the opportunity of creating a special healthcare facility that can be an asset to the community. We’re actively recruiting physicians who want to move into the area and help the current medical staff serve one of the fastest-growing communities in Mississippi.”

Located in Pearl River County, noted as one of the 10 fastest-growing counties in the nation in 2006 partly because of the influx of Hurricane Katrina refugees who relocated to the quaint southern city, Picayune has nearly doubled in size since 2000 from 10,525 residents to approximately 20,000. Located 50 miles from New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, it has become a favorable home site for commuters.

“We’re very fortunate to be able to build a new hospital, as Picayune has needed this for a long time,” said Steve Grimm, administrator of Highland Community Hospital. “While we move forward on this new facility, the community will continue to see Highland offer new services to the area. We have implemented a hospitalist program, where we have physicians available on-site to admit patients immediately, and are working on improving additional services. All of these things are possible because of our dedicated employees and the support of the community.”

Hospital administrators, doctors and medical staff will collaborate with Marshall Erdman & Associates, a national full-service design and construction firm specializing in healthcare facilities, on the design of the new hospital. Marshall Erdman & Associates will also supervise the construction.

The new hospital will provide more services than Picayune residents have seen before, allowing them to receive quality, advanced medical care in their hometown.

Phase I of the new hospital will initially feature 46 inpatient beds and a modern layout designed to accommodate the latest trends in healthcare. Highland’s outpatient services will also expand greatly to meet the needs of the growing local population. Upon completion of the new hospital, the Emergency Room (ER) will be more than twice the size of the current ER, allowing for more timely treatment of patients.

Highland plans to help fund some of the costs of the new facility through community contributions.

“Construction costs in Picayune have increased dramatically since Katrina, so financial feasibility is tight,” said Forrest General COO Ed Tucker. “We’ll definitely need contributions from the community to bring to Picayune and Pearl River County the first-class facility we envision. But, we know people want to see tangible progress before donating or pledging their hard-earned money. So, we are moving ahead — selecting the site, designing the facility, and obtaining financing — and counting on community support when the time comes.”

An additional 15 acres adjoining the hospital property will be used for the construction of a new physician office building. Also being designed and constructed by Marshall Erdman & Associates, the building is scheduled for completion later this year.

The new Highland Community Hospital will be located at Highland Commons, a planned unit development consisting of approximately 300 acres. According to Cooper Company, who is developing the property, about half of Highland Commons will be residential, including single-family homes and condominiums, and the remainder of the property will be used for commercial and office-professional space, including a multi-use town center. Carle Cooper of Picayune donated 20 acres of the new hospital’s 31-acre parcel.


PHOTO CUTLINE: Employees, local officials and supporters attend the press conference announcing the site of the future Highland Community Hospital. Pictured (from left to right) are Carle Cooper; Dr. Risher Watts,
Forrest General Hospital board member; Steve Grimm, administrator of Highland Community Hospital; Bill Oliver, president of Forrest General Hospital; Andy Cooper; Donna Cooper and Picayune Mayor Greg Mitchell.



February 2008

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