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Highlands Medical Center reports staffing, patient volumes and $14.5 million capital investment to Jackson County Commission
Summary
County commissioners received an update from Highlands Medical Center covering employment, service lines, patient volumes, uncompensated care, security upgrades and EMS support; hospital and EMS leaders described recent investments and operational details.
Jackson County commissioners heard a presentation from a Highlands Medical Center representative on the hospital’s staffing, services and recent investments, and an EMS leader described collaboration between the hospital system and county EMS.
The hospital representative, speaking for Highlands Medical Center, told the commission Highlands is the county’s largest employer with 765 employees and reported 93,000 total patient encounters in fiscal 2024, including 2,006 inpatient admissions and more than 51,000 outpatient visits. “Our total uncompensated care … was $14,000,000 in 2024, and we're already scheduled to be over $16,000,000 for this fiscal year,” the representative said.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the hospital’s services and investments affect county residents’ access to care, emergency response capacity and local employment. The hospital detailed capital spending tied to its affiliation with a larger system and described steps to strengthen security, specialty services and EMS support.
The hospital representative outlined clinical services available on-site — emergency, respiratory therapy, imaging, med-surg, operating room, ICU, maternity and specialty clinics — and named affiliated providers and programs such as the Clearview Cancer Institute and a sleep center. The representative said the health system has invested about $14,500,000 in capital improvements since the affiliation, including a $2,500,000 HVAC project and new surgical and endoscopy equipment.
John Howell, president of HHL System EMS, described the EMS relationship with the health system and cross-system support for critical transports and staffing. “We've been a part of the health system for a year now and it's been a beneficial relationship for us and I think for the health system,” Howell said. He told commissioners two new ambulances have already been provided and two more are expected in the next six months. Howell said the county currently stations six units and that the system’s software now permits station-level run counts.
Commissioners and the sheriff praised the hospital’s recent improvements and the partnership with EMS. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about uncompensated care trends and run types; the hospital representative said patient volume is growing because the system is adding clinics, and Howell said roughly 60 percent of calls are emergency responses, with the remainder nonemergency and transfers.
The presentation also described Highlands’ nursing homes and workforce initiatives: Highlands Health and Rehab (50 beds) and Cumberland Health and Rehab (100 beds), training programs such as free CNA classes and a workplace-violence prevention program that included upgraded security measures and a drug-detection canine. Commissioners were invited to the hospital foundation’s upcoming gala and told the foundation and volunteers contributed to purchases and equipment in fiscal 2024.
Ending: Commissioners thanked Highlands’ leadership and EMS for the update and for investments that, they said, are improving local care and emergency capacity.
