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Millions of Americans struggle with seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), each year. Commonly brought on during the fall and winter, the condition can occur during any seasonal change and last as long as four or five months. People with SAD may feel lethargic or moody and tend to sleep more. Symptoms also can include social withdrawal, trouble concentrating, weight gain, and feelings of depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, women and those living farther ... ... Read More

Employees of Merit Health hospitals are eligible for enhanced benefits designed as pathways to help them eliminate existing student debt faster, pursue additional professional education, and advance their careers. The goal in offering Merit Health Pathways benefits is to support and retain employees and attract a strong workforce, especially frontline nurses, technicians, therapists and other clinicians and caregivers, along with support personnel. Benefits include a student loan repayment program that ... ... Read More

With less than three months left in the year, now is the time to check the status of health plan deductibles and schedule necessary appointments, recommended testing and surgeries before December 31. Most health insurance plans have a deductible requirement—a predetermined amount of health care expenses that must be covered before the plan begins paying the majority (if not all) of expenses related to necessary medical care. “If you have been putting off scheduling prescribed care, it would be wise to c... ... Read More

The new school year is here, which means the lazy, relaxed days of summer have been replaced with hectic school mornings, homework and after school activities. Most likely, your kids have been staying up late and sleeping in during the summer break, so getting them back to a healthy sleep routine may be a challenge. “Lack of sleep is not just an issue of motivating cranky children in the mornings,” said Jennifer Russum, MSN, NP-C. “Studies have shown that lack of quality sleep increases the likelihood o... ... Read More

Employees of Merit Health hospitals are now eligible for new and enhanced benefits designed as pathways to help them eliminate existing student debt faster, pursue additional professional education, and advance their careers. The goal in offering Merit Health Pathways benefits is to support and retain employees and attract a strong workforce, especially frontline nurses, technicians, therapists and other clinicians and caregivers, along with support personnel. Benefits include a new student loan repayme... ... Read More

Merit Health is honoring five nurses who have been selected to receive a Nursing Excellence Award. This peer-nominated award, given in recognition of the critical role nurses play in treating patients, was open to qualifying RNs and LPNs working in a direct patient care position and who consistently demonstrate characteristics synonymous with nursing excellence. “Merit Health is fortunate to have many outstanding nurses like these among our ranks - nurses who deliver exemplary care, compassion and servi... ... Read More

Merit Health Heart is the new umbrella name for the network’s multidisciplinary specialists in cardiology, imaging, nutrition and cardiovascular surgery, who are working together to prevent and treat heart disease through advanced care and services to heart patients in the Jackson metropolitan, Vicksburg and Hattiesburg areas. Merit Health has continually invested in resources to advance cardiac services and recruit providers to enhance local access to care. “When you put your heart in our hands, you ge... ... Read More

As another year comes to an end, I would like to say thank you to the people who keep healthcare moving forward in Mississippi. Top of mind for me is a thank you to the outstanding staff at our Merit Health hospitals and clinics across the region. These team members deliver safe, quality healthcare, and have continued going above and beyond in this second year of the pandemic. They attend to the ebb and flow of patient surges and adjust to ever-changing guidelines. Delivering care with compassion, they ... ... Read More

Merit Health Woman’s Hospital offers minimal-contact mammography and one-dose radiation treatment for early-stage breast cancer During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Merit Health Woman’s Hospital reminds women not to delay their regular mammography appointments. According to a recent study in Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI), even the six-month delay in mammography services during COVID-19 shut-downs in early 2020 is expected to result in an increased number of breast cancer deaths within... ... Read More

Merit Health Woman’s Hospital has reached a pinnacle benchmark according to Press Ganey, the leading health care company known for developing and distributing patient satisfaction surveys in the United States. The survey, known as HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems), is a national, standardized, publicly reported survey of patients’ perspectives of hospital care. Merit Health Woman’s Hospital scored in the top 10% among all Press Ganey clients for patient satisfacti... ... Read More