22-05-2025
Progressive Health of Houston sees healthy buy-in since opening a year ago
TUPELO — One year after reestablishing emergency services in Chickasaw County, health care officials at Progressive Health of Houston say they hope to continue their growing momentum and ensure the rural hospital lasts generations.
In March of last year, Progressive Health of Houston opened its doors under its new name and new ownership after being closed for a decade. Director of Operations Jennifer Higginbotham said she was proud of the progress the hospital made over its first year and hopes to expand services into the next year.
'The year has been very challenging but also very rewarding,' she said, noting that services started slow but have grown over time. 'There is hope for the future. There is no going back.
'We want to make sure this is here for our grandchildren,' Higginbotham said.
The emergency room averages about 400 patients a month in a county of nearly 17,000, Higginbotham said, noting that of that 400, they average 25 transfers to larger systems, including transfers to Oxford, Tupelo, Columbus and out-of-state hospitals.
The system's new fiscal year begins in July, and Higginbotham and Progressive Health of Houston have multiple goals for the coming year, including increasing outpatient care and observation.
Observation comes in many forms but typically is a level of care that health care professionals use to monitor symptoms. The example Higginbotham used was an individual needing intravenous therapy. While the plan is to increase observation capacity over the next year, she said that goal has already been started.
Higginbotham, who worked in the hospital for 28 years, also noted the buy-in with other services in the region. She said airlift companies have been very cooperative throughout the year. She said being a 45 minute drive to a larger system is a challenge, but those nerves can be alleviated by knowing that air services are a phone call away.
Oxford-based health care company Progressive Health Group purchased the rural emergency hospital, formerly known as Trace Regional Medical Center, in November 2023.
An emergency room that went from closed to open within three months is a remarkable thing, Higginbotham said. She added the rural emergency hospital is also staffed with ancillary medical services around the clock, which speeds up the process and helps those in need.
'The buy-in is growing each month,' she said. 'Health care's changing every day. Meeting those (needs) here, it is amazing to be able to do that.'
