Central Ms Med Ctr history

1969: Rankin General Hospital opened as a two-story structure financed by Hill-Burton funds and general obligation bonds.

1972: The third floor was added with 32 additional beds and an unfinished area for future expansion.

1973: An adolescent psychiatric unit was opened on third floor.

1975: The obstetrical unit closed.

Thomas M. Wiman was hired as the business office manager and would later step into the role of administrator in 1976.

1980: The adolescent psychiatric unit closed and the third floor was opened for general medical and surgical patients.

The Hinds-Rankin Urban Health Innovations Project (now the Rankin County Health Care Center) was initially housed at the medical center before relocating in 1981.

1983: The intensive care/coronary care Unit was expanded to six beds.

1985: The first Affair of the Heart ball was held to raise funds for projects at the medical center.

The hospital was partially owned by outside investors until October 1986 when Merit Health River Oaks purchased all stock for total individual (non-corporate) ownership.

In 1987, CMMC began providing radiation oncology and diagnostic services through its Cancer Care Center.

1988: Gastroenterology was added to a growing list of specialties available at the medical center.

1989: Fitness Plus, a public/private joint venture, opened its doors to provide a wide range of fitness and wellness facilities.

1990: Rankin General Hospital became Rankin Medical Center to signify the growth that had occurred at the facility in both size and scope of specialties and services, and physicians began performing joint replacement and laparoscopic gall bladder surgical procedures in our surgical suite.

1991: Rankin Medical Center obtained advanced nuclear medicine capabilities.

1992: Rankin Medical Center became a smoke-free facility.

1993: Construction for the building program began on March 17, 1993.

In August 1994, Merit Health River Oaks acquired Merit Health Woman's Hospital.

In 1995, CMMC unveiled the Wound Management Center as an outpatient department with a nationally recognized Diabetes Management Program.

1997: The hospital received accreditation with commendation for both Rankin Medical Center and Home Health Care of Mississippi from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations in May/June.

1998: The hospital received the Super Achievers Award from the Metro Jackson Chamber of Commerce.

1999: Added advanced medical equipment in the areas of vascular surgery and urology.

CMMC organized a hospitalist program in 2000 in response to physician requests.

CMMC became the first hospital in the state to introduce a pediatric hospitalist program in 2002.

In 2003, with a major investment in the fiscal plant and new leadership, many improvements were implemented at Madison County Medical Center.

Also in 2004, a Balance and Hearing Center was created and the Telemetry Unit was expanded to a 22-bed Transitional Care Unit.

2005: Rankin Medical Center experienced significant development for future growth by adding a fourth anesthesiologist, a general surgeon, a new family physician, and two new inpatient hospitalists.

CMMC continued to provide community members with the latest, state-of-the-art healthcare in 2006.

2008: Rankin Medical Center changed its name to Crossgates River Oaks Hospital.

Construction of Madison River Oaks Medical Center began in 2009.

After much anticipation, the doors opened on May 23, 2011 to receive the first patient.

On December 17, 2012, Merit Health Central opened the area's first ACE (acute care for the elderly) inpatient nursing unit.

In 2015, the facility joined six sister hospitals in Jackson-Vicksburg to rebrand as Merit Health.