New Faces, New Projects: YHS Is Forging Ahead

By David Howell

Editor

WATER VALLEY – Yalobusha Health Services  (YHS) is proud to announce additions to the leadership team as the county-owned healthcare system forges ahead with plans to renovate and add a second floor to the hospital that will house a Geri-Psych unit as well as other big projects in the community. 

YHS Administrator Terry Varner reported Devid Graham has been hired as chief financial officer of YHS, Shellie Taylor as the nursing home’s director of nursing, Trina Robison as assistant director of nursing at the nursing home, Nina Akins as the nursing home’s social worker and Jessica Embry was promoted to chief operating officer at YHS.

Graham brings over four decades experience as a CFO/accountant to the facility. He grew up in Hattiesburg and has been employed as CFO for both profit and non-profit healthcare organizations in Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama.

“I have known him for almost 20 years and he will be a tremendous addition to our staff,” Varner said about the new CFO.

A Water Valley native, Taylor comes to YHS from North Delta Planning and Development District. She previously worked for YHS as a registered nurse and Varner reported the healthcare team is excited to be working with her again. She is married to Scoot Taylor and they have two children and three granddaughters.

Akins worked at Baptist Memorial Hospital – North Mississippi in Oxford before coming to YHS. She lives in neighboring Calhoun County and grew up in Bruce. She is married to Mitchell Akins. “A lot of the nurses at YHS knew her and were excited when she came to work for us,” Varner added.

Robison grew up in Batesville and has worked as a nurse for 10 years. She comes to YHS from Panola Medical Center and is married to Chris Robison. Together they have four children and seven grandchildren.

Embry has worked at YHS for 11 years in various roles before being promoted to COO. She is moving into the new role after most recently serving as assistant hospital administrator. She is married to Brad Embry and they have two children.

“She is a very valuable employee and we are excited about her new role as COO,” Varner added. 

In addition to the new faces, Varner reported new projects will expand and enhance services offered in the county. The most notable, a multi-million dollar project at the hospital that includes interior and exterior renovations and a second floor addition that will house a Geri-Psych unit, is back on track after almost a year delay. 

Last September supervisors awarded a $5 million bid for the work, but rejected it two months later to work out environmental concerns. The project was rebid earlier this month and Varner reported construction on the 18-month contract should start late this year.

“We have all of the environmental issues worked out,” Varner explained about rebidding the project, issues that were resolved with an environmental covenant executed by the county, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and other parties on 12 acres of property that encompass the hospital and nursing home and allows construction to proceed. The environmental issues stem from a decades old chemical spill on neighboring property that is currently in litigation after Attorney General Jim Hood filed a lawsuit on behalf of the State of Mississippi against the former owners of the industrial site. 

Varner reported that almost $3.6 million in funding from the project will come from tax credits and grants including a $640,000 Community Block Development Grant awarded from Mississippi Development Authority.  

“We were actually able to get more funding during the delay and we are hoping to close the financing in October,” Varner added. 

In addition to the hospital renovation and addition, Varner said plans also continue as part of the overall project to build an assisted living center and a wellness center.

“We are working with the city on some property on Wagner Street for a potential location for the assisted living center,” Varner said. 

He is also searching for a location for the wellness center that will include a full gym, outpatient physical therapy, aquatic therapy and other services.

“The current design for the wellness center is something you would see in larger cities,” he added. 

Varner also reported construction for another project is already underway – an expansion at the hospital-owned daycare on Frostland Drive in Water Valley. Plans are to double the operation to boost capacity to 150 children by early 2019. 

“We currently have 75 on the waiting list,” Varner added as he reported the daycare has been a successful addition to the hospital’s service since it opened in 2016. 

Varner also reported the search for top-notch health care professional is an ongoing process. He is currently recruiting a Coffeeville High School student, Renee Taylor, who graduated at the top of her class at Coffeeville and will complete medical school next June.  Taylor will work in September with the hospital’s clinic as part of her clinical rotation.

“Our motto is neighbors caring for neighbors and she would be a perfect fit to continue this tradition,” Varner added. 

The YGH footprint includes Yalobusha General Hospital with 26 bed acute care unit and 13 swing bed unit, a 122 bed nursing home, three rural health clinics located in Water Valley, Coffeeville and Oakland; along with a walk-in clinic and medical supply on Main Street in Water Valley and an adjacent Main Street Clinic that houses chiropractic services, dietitian and nutritional services; the  children’s daycare center on Frostland Drive; an adult daycare/ Senior Health Center behind Odom Rural Health Clinic; and a pharmacy in Coffeeville.