The Chief Executive Officer for the Pearl River County Hospital and Nursing Home is back from deployment and ready to make his goals for the medical facility a reality.

James Williams became the CEO of Poplarville’s hospital back in June of 2017, but was deployed with the Mississippi National Guard’s 155th ABCT shortly thereafter. He was back on the job at the hospital in March.

His long history in the military and working at various medical facilities has prepared him to meet the challenges at Pearl River County’s northern most hospital.

His first job in the medical field was a general accountant for a hospital management company, before becoming licensed as a nursing home administrator in 1995.

He then went on to work at the Leake Memorial Hospital in Carthage, Miss., before running a nursing home for 17 years. After that, he became the CEO of Stone County Hospital and Nursing Home.

His goals for the local hospital focus on providing as many services as possible to local residents so they don’t feel the need to drive north to Hattiesburg.

Current services at the hospital include CT scans, emergency room services, behavioral health, a family practice clinic, labs, x-rays and out-patient therapy to name a few.

He would like to add MRI scans, some specialty services such as Telemed, physician visits and a cardiologist and orthopedist.

While the hospital will probably always transfer patients suffering a heart attack to another facility, it is his hope that Pearl River County residents will remember that their family member dealing with pneumonia can receive that care close to home, preventing them from having to drive long distances for visits.

Williams said his aim is to ensure the hospital remains financially stable, since even though it is owned by Pearl River County, the goal is for it to remain self sufficient as it has in the past.

He plans to use his more than 20 years serving in the armed forces to achieve that mission. Williams said his military training has provided him with leadership skills and ensures he remains level headed.