WLBT-TV Jackson
UMMC opens adult psychiatric emergency services unit
By Emma Nisbet
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - The University of Mississippi Medical Center has opened a psychiatric emergency services unit within its adult Emergency Department to better serve patients.
“This new unit is specifically designed similar to other behavioral health units, to enhance safety for both patients and staff,” Sherry Riser, nursing director of the adult Emergency Department, said in a statement. “It supports a more intentional and clinically appropriate approach to the care of our psychiatric population.”
The new psychiatric emergency services unit includes a total of seven treatment spaces. Five of these are beds designated for patient care and the other two are seclusion rooms for providing a secure setting when needed.
These seven spaces are located in a separate, controlled area of the Emergency Department, which allows care teams to better treat psychiatric patients, improving both workflow and the patient experience.
“The original setup wasn’t built to accommodate psychiatric patients with unique requirements or to maximize safety,” said Dr. Kendall McKenzie, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine. “The new unit expands our ability to care for these patients in a dedicated, isolated area within the emergency department.”
The new unit is the result of collaborative efforts between the Department of Emergency Medicine and the Department of Psychiatric and Human Behavior.
“We are able to deliver care that is similar to, but distinct from, the general emergency population,” Dr. Mark Ladner, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, said. “Features like seclusion rooms give us the ability to create a safer setting for both patients and staff in certain situations.”
This service expansion was brought into reality due to a federal appropriation supported by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.
“We hear so often of people in psychiatric crisis who end up in more trouble because they can’t access the care they need,” Hyde-Smith explained. “UMMC recognized a need and presented me with a solid proposal to proactively address the lack of care in Mississippi. I’m pleased to have played a role in making these emergency services available.”
The unit’s staffing will include a full-time provider presence and medical director, Dr. Jennie Katherine Lofton, who has experience from the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
“This was a true team effort,” added Ladner. “Many people across emergency medicine, psychiatry, nursing and others work for years to make this a reality. It is a state-of-the-art space that reflects UMMC’s commitment to advancing behavioral health care in Mississippi.”