Jackson Free Press

When folks talk about tourism in Mississippi, most of the conversation centers on casinos, golf, the blues, civil-rights freedom trails or family reunions.

But the emerging trend of medical tourism may soon join that list.

Stories of Americans going overseas seeking hip replacements and other major surgeries aren't uncommon, but that's not the kind of tourism that Jackson hospitals are focused on. Instead, the hospitals and local business owners are hoping to attract patients from rural Mississippi and surrounding states to one of Jackson's major hospitals. Right now, those people frequently go out of state, to Memphis, Tenn., or New Orleans, for medical care.

The city's business leaders, including Duane O'Neill, president of the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, are working to bring the hospitals together and make Jackson a complete health-care destination. It's part of the platform O'Neill is pushing as chairman of the Vision 2022 Healthcare Committee.

It's not a novel idea. The city of Miami launched a similar campaign in 2009. The collaborative featured a website (MiamiHealthCare.org), and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce touted the city as offering "renowned medical services in a tropical, cosmopolitan paradise." The site linked to the participating providers' websites, giving them a chance to show off their amenities, such as concierge services, in an attempt to attract patients to their facilities.

"We're going to be the world's number-one international getaway for health care," Rolando D. Rodriguez of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce told The Miami Herald when announcing the initiative.

Jackson hospitals are keeping up with the trend, which pairs major health-care facilities with restaurants, shopping opportunities and even some entertainment venues.

Baptist Hospital just opened a commercial complex across State Street from its main hospital called The Belhaven. A new 17-foot-high, enclosed skyway leads patients and visitors from Baptist Hospital into the new brick building.

Landmark Healthcare Facilities manages the 180,000-square-foot, five-story facility, which houses several restaurants on the first floor including Millie D's Frozen Yogurt, Einstein Bros. Bagels and Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches. A white-tablecloth restaurant, The Manship, is also getting ready to open. In all, 15 different businesses or medical offices started operating out of the $75 million building in July.

Just a mile north of The Belhaven, a newly renovated building across the street from UMMC houses a Backyard Burger, a Smoothie King and a Hazel's Gourmet Coffee. It also has a packed parking lot for lunch and dinner every day.

City business leaders have already gotten some help in trying to push a more health-care-centered economy. In April 2012, Gov. Phil Bryant signed House Bill 1537 into law, which he said would "help foster a positive environment for development in the health-care industry while making sure Mississippians have the proper access to cutting edge medical care." The bill provides incentives for health-care-related businesses to create full-time jobs in areas where hospitals exist.

"Passage of the health-care-zones legislation is a major achievement for all Mississippians," O'Neill said at the time. "By embracing health care as a leading industry sector, we will be in a position to realize the benefits of improving our quality of life, as well as continuing to grow our economy."

The Jackson Convention and Visitor's Bureau reports that Jackson alone received 3.13 million visitors last year who spent roughly $300 million inside the city limits.

Across the state, tourism supported 20,378 jobs in 2012, data from the Mississippi Employment Security Commission show. The payroll on those jobs is more than $4.2 million. An expansion of health-care tourism could boost that number even higher.

Malcolm White, the Mississippi Development Authority's Tourism Division director, said Aug. 9 that health-care tourism should be a natural for Jackson.

"The fact is that if you have a family member or friend that has to come to UMMC or Baptist for health care, the family is going to come, too," White said. "These people have to sleep somewhere, and they have to eat somewhere. Sometimes, if it's an extended period of time, they'll likely end up seeking some kind of entertainment, they might even end up (visiting) a museum."

Health care isn't a part of White's specific focus, but he added: "It makes sense that people like (O'Neill) are talking about it. It could be huge for Jackson."