News
Magnolia Regional Health Center is proud to welcome Dana S. Murphy, MSN, RN, CENP, as our new Chief Nursing Officer. Dana joined the MRHC leadership team in July and brings with her a wealth of experience, a passion for patient care, and strong ties to our local community.
A native of the nearby Kossuth community, Dana is returning home after years of professional service across state lines. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama, Capstone College of Nursing, and went on to complete her Master of Science in Nursing at the University of South Alabama. Prior to joining MRHC, Dana served as Director of Patient Care Services for a hospital in Alabama, where she was known for her leadership and commitment to excellence in nursing.
Dana is married to Kossuth native Scott Murphy. Together, they have two children and are proud grandparents to one grandson—with twin grandchildren on the way in the new year. Outside of work, Dana enjoys reading, trying out new restaurants, and traveling to tropical destinations.
Please join us in giving Dana a warm welcome back to Corinth. We are excited for the future of nursing at MRHC under her leadership.
CORINTH, Miss. – Magnolia Regional Health Center (MRHC) is pleased to announce two key leadership appointments within its graduate medical education programs: Dr. Steven T. Haywood, MD, RRT, FACEP, has been named Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine and Program Director of the Emergency Medicine Residency, and Dr. Paul Volansky, DO, has been appointed Program Director of the Cardiology Fellowship Program.
Dr. Steven Haywood, Emergency Medicine
Dr. Haywood has served as a core faculty member and Simulation Director at MRHC since February 2022. He brings a diverse clinical and educational background to his new role, including prior experience as Assistant Program Director for the emergency medicine residency at Summa Health in Akron, Ohio.
A graduate of East Tennessee State University College of Medicine, Dr. Haywood completed his emergency medicine residency at the University of Tennessee, Erlanger in Chattanooga. He is a U.S. Army veteran and former respiratory therapist, with a strong commitment to rural healthcare, medical education, and physician advocacy.
Dr. Haywood is actively involved with the American College of Emergency Physicians, serving as Chair-Elect of the Rural Section and Vice Chair of the Communications Committee. He is also a nationally recognized educator, having delivered over 50 presentations at conferences across the country and contributing to various online education platforms, podcasts, and social media-based initiatives.
Dr. Paul Volansky, Cardiology
Dr. Volansky, who has been a part of Magnolia’s medical community for several years, now steps into the role of Program Director for the Cardiology Fellowship Program. He completed both his internal medicine residency and cardiology fellowship at MRHC before returning full-time as a staff cardiologist in 2020.
Dr. Volansky earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. He also received additional training at MercyOne North Iowa.
With a strong background in clinical cardiology and graduate medical education, Dr. Volansky is well-positioned to lead and grow the cardiology fellowship program, mentoring fellows and advancing cardiovascular care in the region.
Leadership Committed to Education and Community
“These appointments reflect Magnolia’s deep commitment to clinical excellence, academic leadership, and expanding access to care in rural communities,” said Dr. James Gilmore, MD Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Chief Medical Officer at Magnolia Regional Health Center. “Dr. Haywood and Dr. Volansky are exceptional physicians and educators whose leadership will directly impact the quality of training and care we deliver.”
MRHC continues to expand its role as a hub for advanced medical education in Northeast Mississippi, supporting residents and fellows with experienced faculty, innovative training, and a community-focused mission.
For more information about Magnolia’s medical education programs, visit www.mrhc.org.
CORINTH, Miss. — Magnolia Regional Health Center (MRHC) has announced a new partnership with Lifeline Blood Services, marking a significant step forward in ensuring a reliable, local blood supply for patients in Corinth and surrounding communities.
Lifeline Blood Services, which has served West Tennessee for more than 75 years, is now expanding its mission to include MRHC as part of its growing service area. The organization will host regular mobile blood drives throughout the Corinth area and plans to launch expanded donor outreach efforts, local partnerships, and educational programs to promote the importance of blood donation.
“We are honored to welcome Magnolia Regional Health Center into the Lifeline service area,” said John Miller, CEO of Lifeline Blood Services. “This partnership allows us to further our mission of ensuring that every hospital and every patient has access to the blood products they need. Corinth and the surrounding communities can be proud that their donations will directly support their neighbors and loved ones.”
The new collaboration means a more responsive and streamlined blood supply system for MRHC — a development hospital officials say will positively impact patient care.
“We’re excited about this new chapter,” said Heather Mansel, BS, MLS (ASCP), MBA-HCA, Director of Laboratory Services at Magnolia Regional Health Center. “Partnering with Lifeline means a more streamlined, responsive blood supply for our hospital and ultimately better care for our patients. It also gives our local community a more personal connection to the donation process.”
Lifeline encourages all eligible individuals to participate in this life-saving effort. Blood donations collected through the new partnership will stay within the region, supporting patients locally and making every contribution more personal and impactful.
For more information or to schedule a donation, visit www.lifelinebloodserv.org or call 731-427-4431.
Magnolia Regional Health Center Among Nation’s Top Performing Hospitals for Treatment of Heart Attack Patients
American College of Cardiology NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award recognizes sustained, high level performance in quality of care
Corinth, June 20, 2025 – Magnolia Regional Health Center has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2025. Magnolia Regional Health Center is one of only 323 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.
The award recognizes Magnolia Regional Health Center’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that Magnolia Regional Health Center has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.
To receive the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, Magnolia Regional Health Center has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry for two consecutive years (2023 and 2024) and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.
“It is an honor to award Magnolia Regional Health Center with the Platinum Performance Award for their valuable national leadership and dedication to meeting comprehensive performance measures in patient care,” said Michael C. Kontos, MD, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Steering Subcommittee, and cardiologist at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. “The receipt of this award indicates that Magnolia Regional Health Center remains committed to providing top quality, guideline-driven care for heart attack patients. Their success ensures patients are receiving the highest quality cardiovascular care.”
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that over 800,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot in a coronary artery partially or completely blocks blood flow to the heart muscle. Treatment guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling and cardiac rehabilitation, among others.
“This award is a reflection of the unwavering dedication of our entire care team,” said Jim Hobson, CEO of Magnolia Regional Health Center. “It highlights our ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional, evidence-based cardiovascular care to the people of our community. We are proud to be recognized on a national level for the life-saving work happening every day at MRHC.”
“Our team has worked tirelessly to ensure every heart attack patient receives timely, precise, and effective treatment,” said Dr. Paul Volansky, Cardiologist at Magnolia Regional Health Center. “This recognition validates our commitment to not only meet but exceed national care standards. It’s about improving lives and outcomes—one patient at a time.”
Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry empowers health care provider teams to consistently treat heart attack patients according to the most current, science-based guidelines and establishes a national standard for understanding and improving the quality, safety and outcomes of care provided for patients with coronary artery disease, specifically high-risk heart attack patients.
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is the global leader in transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health for all. As the preeminent source of professional medical education for the entire cardiovascular care team since 1949, ACC credentials cardiovascular professionals in over 140 countries who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. Through its world-renowned family of JACC Journals, NCDR registries, ACC Accreditation Services, global network of Member Sections, CardioSmart patient resources and more, the College is committed to ensuring a world where science, knowledge and innovation optimize patient care and outcomes. Learn more at www.ACC.org .
Effective November 11, 2024, patients will no longer need to visit the Medical Records department to request their records. We encourage you to utilize electronic methods for accessing records. However, if a paper copy is required, requests can be made at the main admissions desk located at Entrance A. This update is designed to enhance convenience and efficiency for all patients.
Visit our Medical Records page for more information.
The advent of more urgent care centers has been a boon for busy hospital emergency rooms and patients. It relieves the emergency room from seeing less-than-serious conditions and provides patients with more timely diagnosis and treatment. The question remains: When to go to your primary care physician, an urgent care center, or the emergency room?
What Are The Real Differences?
The main differences between Primary Care, Urgent Care, and an ER involve the services provided, the wait time, and the cost.
If you are ill, consider these three before you decide where to go. Of course, the most important one is the services. Are you critical? Are you in severe pain? Are your symptoms life-threatening? The answers to those questions should determine your decision. Let’s get more specific.
Main Purposes of Primary Care
Your primary care physician (PCP) is the person who oversees your general health. You come to rely on and trust them. Unless you move away or your insurance changes, most adults remain with their primary care provider.
Your PCP gets to know you and monitors your general health. They diagnose and treat your illnesses, provide vaccines, and coordinate specialist referrals.
They care for anything, including sprains, pulled muscles, sore throats, flu, chronic diseases like diabetes, and sinus infections.
Your primary care physician can handle all concerns that are not emergencies or need immediate care. Visiting the same doctor for all your medical needs gives them a better picture of your health, which equates to a consistent and stable level of care.
What Is A True Emergency?
The purpose of a hospital emergency room is to save lives. With the increase in urgent care facilities, only the severe cases should go to an ER unless you have no choice. Many Americans visit the emergency room, and many of those visits are unnecessary. The CDC tells us that 30% of ER visits are non-urgent.
You will be triaged at a hospital ER, meaning a nurse will determine the urgency. That will dictate how long you will wait.
If you are having a heart attack or a stroke, you must get immediate care, so call 911 or go directly to an ER.
Some other situations that necessitate an ER visit include seizures, a high fever that won’t break, injury to the neck or spine, poisoning, head injury, a deep wound, drug overdose, burns, electric shock, bleeding that won’t stop, broken bone with punctured skin, vomiting blood, unconsciousness, severe allergic reaction, breathing problems.
The following include some instances where a visit to the ER is critical:
1. Chest pain
2. Trouble breathing or speaking.
3. Paralysis
4. New onset confusion
5. Head or back injuries
6. Consistent bleeding or vomiting
7. Loss of consciousness
8. Sudden, severe pain, such as a headache or stomach ache
9. Choking
10. Poisoning
11. Major burns and cuts
12. Broken bones
13. Any injury that is limb or life-threatening
Express Care Visits
A visit to an express care location in Corinth is recommended when you cannot get an appointment with your family doctor and your symptoms are non-life-threatening. Express care centers offer extended hours and provide more immediate care.
Occasions and symptoms include fever and colds, cough and sore throat, cuts that require stitches, earaches, UTI, diarrhea and stomach pain, flu symptoms, minor burns, dehydration, sprains and strains, small cuts, a mild asthma attack, animal bites, plus others.
If the urgent care provider thinks your symptoms are more serious, they will direct you to the ER.
If you, or someone you love, is ill or has a minor injury, don’t wait in an emergency room for hours.
Deciding Where to Go
If you are experiencing symptoms and need care, contact your primary care provider first. If you need more immediate care and cannot visit your primary care provider, a visit to urgent care may be a great option. If you are experiencing a life-threatening situation or are experiencing any of the more severe symptoms listed above, visit the ER.