NATCHEZ — Beginning June 22, all surgery at Merit Health Natchez temporarily will be relocated to its Community Campus — formerly Natchez Community Hospital — to allow for the complete renovation of the surgical unit at Merit Health Natchez.

Eric Robinson, CEO at the hospitals, said it has been approximately 20 years since any improvements have been made to the former Natchez Regional Medical Center’s surgical suites.

“Nearly every square inch of the department will be upgraded,” he said in a press release issued Thursday afternoon.

When complete, the area will have improved infection control and modern finishes. Also, one new operating table and new lighting will be installed where needed, and a new temperature monitoring system and medical air access — the system that is used to administer the gases used in anesthesia — will be added. The renovations will include an enhanced system for managing these anesthesia gases.

Investment in the renovations in the surgical suite is expected to cost approximately $1 million, Robinson said.

Surgeries are being moved to the Merit Health Natchez Community Campus out of an abundance of caution, he said.

“Our primary concern is our patients’ safety. To complete an extensive renovation of this nature and continue to perform surgeries at the same time would be extremely difficult,” said Geoffrey Flattmann, M.D., general surgeon and chief of surgery at Merit Health Natchez, in a press release issued by Merit Health. “Fortunately, we have the opportunity to consolidate our two surgical departments at the Community Campus during construction.”

At present, 17 physicians and one dentist operate at Merit Health Natchez. They include:

– General surgeons Dr. Paul Bauer and Flattman

– Ob/Gyn physicians Dr. Beverly Love, Dr. Kofi Kumi, Dr. Melissa Jones and Dr. Frank Guedon

– Orthopedists Dr. Karl Hubbard and Dr. Dan McCallum

– Ear, nose and throat physician, Dr. John White

– Family physician Dr. Rick Jeansonne

– Internal medicine physician Dr. Blane Mire

– Anesthesiologists Dr. Jack Dunn and Dr. Vidya Kamalapur

– Cardiologists Dr. Vikram Dulam and Dr. Brad LeMay

– Gastroenterologist Dr. Randy Tillman

– Dentist Dr. Craig Bradford

In 2014, 3,808 surgery cases were handled between the two hospitals.

In addition to protecting patients from any risk of infection, moving surgeries to the Community Campus also will reduce the amount of time required for renovations to be completed as construction workers would not have to work around active surgery rooms.

Patients who have conditions that could lead to surgery will be admitted, when possible, to the Community Campus. Patients without potential surgical needs will be admitted to Merit Health Natchez.

Robinson said emergency medical service personnel and first responders will be made aware of the renovations and the time frame for them and will direct ambulance patients to the appropriate facility. However, should a patient arrive via private vehicle to the Merit Health Natchez emergency room and they need surgery, “we will have them appropriately transported to Merit Health Natchez-Community Campus,” he said.

Robinson said the hospitals do not anticipate any shortage of beds or resources for surgical or medical patients.

The project is expected to be completed by early fall, in time for consolidation of the two hospitals, which is anticipated to happen before the end of this year.

Total renovations at Merit Health Natchez are expected to cost $12 million, hospital officials have said previously.