The Homochitto Valley Medical Society, the local component society of the Mississippi State Medical Association, has been conducting meetings that have served as a forum for local physicians to discuss the future of healthcare in the Miss-Lou. As a united group of physicians and patient advocates, we agree that the best future for our healthcare system is to strive for a new, state of the art medical facility. The participating physicians believe this goal is most likely attainable through the eventual unification of the separate healthcare facilities in our area.

A unified, single heathcare system would foster the recruitment of additional highly qualified medical specialists and primary care physicians and preserve the current area hospital bed capacity in a more robust financial state.

Unification would also minimize needles duplication of services, provide more patient comfort and allow our citizens more opportunity to stay in the Miss-Lou to receive care.

Consequently, such a healthcare system will more likely assure the quality of care that our citizens deserve as the Miss-lou attains economic growth and prosperity.

Keith T. Schwager, M.D.

president of the Homochitto Valley Medical Society