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28 Residents Graduate; 29 New Residents Arrive in Hattiesburg HATTIESBURG - Merit Health Wesley’s Graduate Medical Education (GME) residency program, which has seen great success since its inception in July 2015, recently held graduation for 28 resident physicians. At the same time, the GME program welcomed a new class of 29 first-year residents. The program now includes 23 emergency medicine, 29 internal medicine and 12 transitional year residents. The program started with two areas of focus, Emergency... ... Read More

Hattiesburg, MS — Merit Health Wesley announced that it will be offering a new treatment, an endometrial ablation solution for women suffering from heavy periods. The cryotherapy device is an FDA-approved endometrial cryoablation technology that can safely and effectively reduce heavy periods and cramping. It uses cooling technology to naturally minimize pain.   “Cerene cryoablation, freezing of the uterine endometrial lining, is transforming how we treat heavy periods by allowing us to prioritize ... ... Read More

HATTIESBURG, MS – Temperatures across the United States are rising and so are incidents of heat exhaustion. In fact, between 2016 and 2021, the number of patients diagnosed with heat exhaustion between the months of May and September rose by 53%. Heat exhaustion is the body’s response to an excessive loss of water and salt. Symptoms include dizziness, headache, nausea and muscle cramps and the condition is more likely to affect the elderly, those with high blood pressure and people who work in a hot env... ... Read More

Hattiesburg, MS – Merit Health Wesley welcomes interventional cardiologist, Rami Heart, D.O., FACC, to the medical staff. Heart joins long-standing interventional cardiologist F. Alan Covin, M.D., electrophysiologist Abishek Jaiswal, M.D, and cardiovascular surgeon Gregory Groglio, M.D. “The technology we have available in the cath lab today to help patients who either have heart disease or a heart attack is really amazing,” says Heart. “But the most important thing we do is to help our patients prevent... ... Read More

Hattiesburg, MS - To celebrate National Doctors Day, Merit Health Wesley made a donation to the Edwards Street Fellowship Center. The $5,000 check was made through the United Way of Southeast Mississippi, and 100 percent will be designated for Edwards Street to continue providing free medical care to underserved communities. “What this represents is healthcare for people who, without our free clinic, (are) really underserved, their main place to receive medical care is just an emergency room, and they m... ... Read More

Hattiesburg, MS – Merit Health Wesley recently welcomed Corey Smelcer as director of human resources. Smelcer has a strong background in employee recruitment, development and engagement. Originally from Atwater, California, Smelcer attended Brigham Young University of Idaho, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science with an emphasis in human resource management. He earned his Professional in Human Resources certification and began his career in human resources with Cargill, an agricultur... ... Read More

Hattiesburg, MS – Daylight Saving Time (DST), the yearly practice of setting clocks forward one hour between March and November has been observed in much of the United States since 1966. The idea behind DST is to “save” natural light, since spring, summer, and early fall days typically get dark later in the evening compared to late fall and winter days. The non-DST period between November and March is known as Standard Time. When DST starts at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 10, 2023, we’ll set our clocks forwa... ... Read More

Hattiesburg, MS – Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of more than 650,000 people each year. Here are some other facts everyone should know about heart disease: In the U.S., one person dies every 34 seconds from cardiovascular disease. Every year, about 800,000 Americans suffer a heart attack. Nearly half of American adults (47%) suffer from high blood pressure, or hypertension, which increases the risk of a heart attack and stroke. However, only about 1 in... ... Read More

Merit Health Wesley has named Julie Spiers, RN, as the 2022 recipient of the Margaret LaFon Employee of the Year Award. This award is the highest honor bestowed on a hospital employee each year. Spiers was chosen from among more than 1,200 employees for the honor. “In healthcare, it takes each of our employees showing up every day and putting the needs of their patients before their own needs for our organizations to be successful,” said Chief Executive Officer, Todd Blanchard. “We take opportunities li... ... Read More

Hattiesburg, MS – Making new year’s resolutions is a common tradition, but 77% of people who make them, break them within just a few weeks. This year, focus on long-term lifestyle changes that can make a big impact on overall health and longevity. “The start of a new year symbolizes a time for change, but adopting new, healthy habits isn’t limited to just one time of year,” says Mallory Stockstill, N.P., with Merit Health Primary Care in Petal. “Even small, incremental changes in lifestyle can make a bi... ... Read More