NATCHEZ — Late Thursday afternoon, Natchez Regional Medical Center filed for chapter 9 bankruptcy.

Hospital Attorney Walter Brown said the filing went smoothly.

“We’re good to go,” Brown said.

Brown said now that the filing has been made, a judge will be assigned to the case.

But that won’t likely happen for at least one week.

Once the judge has been assigned, he or she will begin reviewing the motions filed in the bankruptcy proceedings.

Brown said since the court is now essentially “in charge,” it has to approve how the hospital uses its finances.

The motions to be approved will do things like allow the hospital to continue to pay employees and vendors.

“It’s all routine,” Brown said. “But it’s also complex and very necessary.”

Hospital CEO Scott Phillips said while the hospital is not bankrupt, the facility is using bankruptcy as a means to restructure its debt and prepare the hospital for a pending sale.