Tupelo-Lee County, MS Health Overview
NMHS serves residents in 24 counties
On call 24/7 in Tupelo and Lee County is North Mississippi Medical Center, the flagship hospital under the North Mississippi Health Services umbrella and the largest private hospital in the state. NMMC is also the largest rural hospital in the United States.
In This Article
NMMC History
NMMC opened in Tupelo in 1937 with 50 beds. Today the 650-bed facility has approximately 450 doctors on staff, more than 3,000 employees, and offers about 50 medical specialties. North Mississippi Health Services hospitals and clinics serve 730,000 residents in a 24-county region that stretches throughout north Mississippi and into parts of Alabama and Tennessee. Besides NMMC in Tupelo, community hospitals are located in Eupora, Iuka, Pontotoc and West Point, Miss.; and Hamilton, Ala.
Recent Additions
NMMC-Tupelo’s new West Bed Tower on campus is adjacent to the newly renovated Central Bed Tower. The two towers include 224 spacious patient rooms, each outfitted with an Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible toilet and shower, non-slip flooring, bedside table, closet and recliner. Patients have bedside control of nearly everything, from the television and temperature to the lights and window blinds. Construction and renovation costs for the project were $55 million.
Well, Well, Wellness
With Americans taking a hard look at their health and wellness, the on-campus NMMC Tupelo Wellness Center is regarded as one of the most comprehensive health and fitness centers in north Mississippi. It is the state’s first Certified Medical Fitness Facility, a designation awarded by the Medical Fitness Association to recognize those institutions with the highest standards for programs, staff, safety and community service.
The 50,000-square-foot Wellness Center is open to the public with degreed and certified fitness staff. Hours are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. To learn about membership options, call 662-377-4141.
And the Winner Is …
North Mississippi Medical Center has earned its share of prestigious awards over the years. NMMC was named one of “America’s Top Health Systems” by Modern Healthcare, a global leader in healthcare business news, research and data. Also, NMMC was a 2006 recipient and NMHS was a 2012 recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which recognizes U.S. organizations for performance excellence in the health-care, business, education and nonprofit sectors. NMMC and NMHS are the only Baldrige recipients based in Mississippi.