Stennis Memorial is a model for rural healthcare

Published 10:21 am Friday, August 1, 2025

Editor’s Note: The following letter was written to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after receiving services at the John C. Stennis Memorial Hospital in DeKalb.

Dear Secretary Kennedy,

I write to you as a decorated veteran of the United States Armed Forces and, more personally, as the husband of a recent patient at John C. Stennis Memorial Hospital operated by Ochsner Health in DeKalb, Mississippi. What we experienced during her care merits not only gratitude, but recognition — this hospital should serve as a model for rural healthcare delivery across the United States.

John C. Stennis Memorial Hospital is located in Kemper County, one of Mississippi’s most rural and underserved counties. With a population of just over 8,000 residents and a population density of fewer than 20 people per square mile, access to quality healthcare here is often limited. Yet despite these challenges, this hospital has built a culture of excellence rooted in clinical coordination, compassion and community service. Rural healthcare serves as the backbone of our nation.

During my wife’s stay, I witnessed a healthcare team that functioned with extraordinary professionalism and heart. Nurses, physicians and administrative staff worked in close coordination to deliver efficient, personalized and thorough care. Diagnostics were conducted without delay. Transitions between departments and discharge planning were seamless. And above all, communication — with both the patient and family — was clear, thoughtful and consistent.

These observations are more than anecdotal—they reflect a pater that data supports:

— Kemper County is designated a Health Professional Shortage Area and experiences significant socioeconomic challenges with over 20% of residents living below the poverty line and limited access to transportation.

— Despite these barriers, Stennis Ochsner excels in metrics such as patient satisfaction, timely care and safe discharge practices, according to data from The Mississippi Hospital Association and CMS Hospital Compare.

— Through the support of Ochsner Health, the hospital has adopted Telehealth solutions to bridge the gap in specialty care and increases access to services that would otherwise require hours of travel.

— Nationally, rural hospitals often struggle to retain staff and manage resources, yet Stennis maintains stability, quality and community trust — no small feat in today’s healthcare landscape.

I work for over 40 years in the health care system and established after-hours clinics, and emergency response clinician and created coordinated patient care teams. I can attest firsthand to the quality of the care provided at Stennis Memorial Hospital.

I respectfully urge you to consider the John C. Stennis Memorial Hospital as a national model in the conversation around strengthening rural healthcare systems. It is a model of how limited resources, when matched with strong leadership and community-centered values, can result in exceptional patient outcomes. Facilities like this one not only deserve to be preserved but supported, studied and replicated.

I thank you for your service and your leadership in ensuring access to quality healthcare for all Americans — especially those in rural communities whose voices are too often underrepresented.

With the deepest respect and appreciation,

Joe T. Watson

Retired Master Sgt. U.S.A.F.