If things seem just a bit brighter and cleaner at Natchez Regional Medical Center, hospital administrators say, “Just wait.”

Aside from the new carpet, lights and ceiling tiles on the first floor, the hospital’s current renovation work may be difficult to spot, but nonetheless critically important.

Natchez Regional’s new owners said on day one of their ownership that millions of dollars would be pumped into the aging facility to improve its form and function.

That investment began to occur recently, and it’s exciting to see.

While some of the early work has been flooring and a few other easy-to-see cosmetic upgrades, behind the scenes, big-ticket items are in the works.

Plans to upgrade the hospital’s blood refrigeration device, new air handling device and heat exchanger for the boiler are all things that most of us may never see as patients or visitors, but such infrastructure investment should improve health care and make the hospital a safer, more comfortable place.

As the hospital plans to absorb the patient load of Natchez Community Hospital, which will eventually be sold or repurposed, additional and significant renovations are ahead — entire patient floors and whole hospital departments will be renovated, when the state provides the necessary paperwork.

When completed, the plans for the hospital should greatly improve the facility in which the community depends on so deeply for its health care.

For the investment into our community’s future, we are grateful to the new owners.