Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower Tours Regional One Health with Memphis Mayor Lee Harris, Spotlights Hospital’s Urgent Needs

In what's marked as a significant visit for Regional One Health, Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower, accompanied by Mayor Lee Harris, walked the floors of the only level one trauma center in the region, earlier this week. The tour, which took place on Monday, spotlighted the cramped conditions of the shock trauma rooms, an outdated neonatal intensive care unit, and the daily hurdles faced by the hospital's staff, including frequent elevator outages detrimental to patient care and transport.

Mayor Harris expressed his gratitude for the visit, “Comptroller Mumpower is a man of his word. He previously expressed interest in seeing the conditions at Regional One Health and, sure enough, this week he and his staff visited the facility to see the conditions first-hand. Despite the current condition of the aging facility, Regional One Health continues to be a training ground for a large percentage of doctors serving Tennessee residents. It is the hospital of choice for our area’s first responders injured in the line of duty, and Regional One Health cares for our region’s sickest babies and their families. I’m grateful to Comptroller Mumpower and his staff for visiting West Tennessee’s most important public hospital,” according to a statement obtained by Shelby County.

Mumpower, touched by the experience, acknowledged the hospital's dedication and the work of its medical staff, “I know, first hand, that people within Tennessee's hospitals work miracles every day. Thank you to the doctors and nurses at Regional One Health for allowing us into their space to see the hospital's needs and the important work being done. I am very appreciative for Mayor Harris’ invite,” he said, as noted by the Shelby County.

Reginald Coopwood, MD, President and CEO of Regional One Health, highlighted the facility's significant role, emphasizing that Regional One Health is a valuable asset to the city, state, and region. As the only level one trauma center in the area, it serves residents in need of critical care and also trains doctors who will go on to practice across Tennessee, including in many of the state's rural communities, Dr. Coopwood shared with Shelby County.