Best of Jackson: Healthcare 2021

Best of Jackson: Healthcare 2021

When it comes to maintaining our health, knowing that we are in capable hands assures us. Finding medical professionals we trust gives us the piece of mind to pull through whatever comes our way. The Jackson Free Press eases the process by giving Jacksonians the chance to vote for their favorite physicians and health facilities. Here are this year’s results.

Best Chiropractor: Stanley Sims

(Sims Chiropractic Clinic, 500 E. Woodrow Wilson Ave., 601-982-0988)

When Stanley Sims first enrolled at the Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, he says that he “didn’t have an idea” of what the holistic field was all about but learned quickly. “It opened up my mind and showed me that an adjustment or alignment of the human vertebrae could reset the core of your life,” Sims reflects.

Sims applies that belief daily at his practice on Woodrow Wilson Avenue in downtown Jackson, which he opened in 2003. “My home was in Vicksburg,” he says of his choice to open a clinic in the capital city. “I also felt that me going to school at Jackson State University in the early ’90s helped me realize Stanley Sims that there’s more of a need for chiropractors in this area.”

He maintains that Jacksonians who choose to visit his clinic to receive chiropractic care receive quality treatment. “I’m a very dedicated chiropractor, and I’m true to the core of what chiropractic was founded upon in 1885,” he says.

—Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Chris Fowler (Fowler ProChiropractic and Wellness Center, 5230 Highway 80 E., Suite A, Pearl; 601-932-1070; drchrisfowler.com) / Clayton Pitts (Norville Chiropractic Clinic; 1000 Lakeland Square, Suite 400, Flowood; 601-398-9412; flowoodchiropracticcare.com) / Daniel Garvey (Garvey Wellness Clinic, 766 Lakeland Drive, 601982-8916, betterdisc.com) / Dominique Chagnon (Action Chiropractic, 6935 Old Canton Road, Suite A, Ridgeland; 601-956-6050; actionchiroinc.com) / Jeremy Coleman (Adjusted Life Chiropractic, 5295 Galaxie Drive, Suite C, 769-524-4735, adjustedlifejxn. com) / Laura Stubbs Wright (Body In Balance Healthcare, 5472 Watkins Drive, Suite C, 601-376-5636, bodyinbalancehealth.com)

Best Cosmetic Dentist: Deidra J. Snell

(Ridgewood Smiles Dentistry, 5800 Ridgewood Road, Suite 105, 601-398-2934, ridgewoodsmilesdentistry.com)

After getting two degrees from Alcorn State University, Deidra J. Snell knew that she wanted to be in the medical field, but she also knew that she didn’t want to be a physician. “I’m hands-on,” she says of her eventual decision to go into dentistry. “And I believe a smile makes a person confident overall.”

Snell imbues that confidence into her patients, many of whom drive from her hometown of Port Gibson to visit her at her Jackson clinic, and she tries to make their visits worth the hour-long drive. “I try to make them Deidra J. Snell feel as comfortable as possible,” she remarks. “I have blankets and TVs and snacks and water.”

The UMMC graduate also works to keep her patients informed. “I love for my patients to be well-educated about what’s going on with them,” she says. “I give them all their options, whether it’s profitable for me or not. I try to put myself in their shoes.”

—Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Danny O’Keefe (Family Dental Care, 996 Top St., Flowood, 601-202-8529, drdannyokeefe.com) / Doug Rummells (Integrity Dental Clinic, 201 E. Layfair Drive, Flowood, 601-487-2312, integritydentalclinic.com) / Mike Tramel (2525 Lakeward Drive, Suite 102, 601-982-7212, tramelandbrowndentistry.com) / Sarah Langston (The Dental Wellness Group, 14 Woodgate Drive, Brandon, 601-533-4788, drsarahlangston. com) / Seth Mosal (Mosal Dental Care, 5856 Ridgewood Road, 601-203-3608, mosaldentalcare.com) / Wendy Lewis (The Winning Smile Dental Group, multiple locations, thewinningsmile.com)

Best Cosmetic Surgeon: R. Scott Runnels

(Runnels & North Outpatient Plastic Surgery Center, 1055 River Oaks Drive, Flowood, 601-348-7984, runnelscenter.com)

R. Scott Runnels credits his undergraduate alma mater, Mississippi College, for setting him on the path that would later lead him to open Runnels and North Plastic Surgery, an outpatient surgery center in Flowood. “Going to medical school requires a lot of dedication and help,” Runnels reflects. “And there’s a lot of teachers there who are dedicated to getting you to the next level. All of the professors in the biology and chemistry departments took up extra time with me.”

Runnels now strives to give that same careful, individualized attention to each patient who visits his clinic, and he hopes that the services he offers as a surgeon enables his fellow Jacksonians to”live their best lives,” he says.

“I’m originally from Jackson, so knowing that there are historically limited opportunities in Jackson, I thought it was important to be here and give people the opportunity to do and be whatever it is they want to do and be,” Runnels concludes.

—Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Adair Blackledge (Blackledge Face Center, 1659 Lelia Drive, 601-981-3033, blackledgefacecenter.com) / Emile Picarella (Mississippi Premier Plastic Surgery; 971 Lakeland Drive, Suite 315; 160 Fountains Blvd., Madison; 601981-2525, mspremierplasticsurgery.com) / Jeptha Cole (Cole Facial Clinic, 204 E. Layfair Drive, Flowood, 601-933-2004, colefacialclinic.com) / Michael Nichols (Oral & Facial Surgery of Mississippi, 266 Katherine Drive, Flowood, 601-420-3223, maxsurg.com) / William North (Runnels & North Outpatient Plastic Surgery Center, 1055 River Oaks Drive, Flowood, 601348-7984, runnelscenter.com)

Best Cosmetic Dentist: LaMonica Davis Taylor

(Smiles on Broadway Dental Care for Kids, 5442 Watkins Drive, 601-665-4996, smilesonbroadwaydental.com)

After graduating from Spelman College and the University of Mississippi Medical Center, LaMonica Taylor traveled to New York City to accept a residency in the Bronx. “It was a very different experience,” Taylor says of her time in the borough north of Manhattan, where she completed a one-year residency in general practice—which largely focused on oral surgery—followed by a two-year specialty in pediatrics at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital.

Eventually, though, the Mound Bayou, Miss., native longed to return home. “(My hometown) is very small,” Taylor says. “The population is less than 2,500, but they’ve had some of the most successful people come through there.” Taylor joined the line of success stories hailing from the “Jewel of the Delta” when she began practicing at Smiles on Broadway in Jackson, Miss. “Mississippi patients appreciate the fact that they have someone from home treating them,” Taylor reflects. “They’re grateful for my contributions to the field.”

—Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: April Watson (Watson Family Dentistry, 2181 Henry Hill Drive, 601-922-1171, watsonfamilydental.com) / Carla Rushing (Rushing Family Dentistry, 3738 Flowood Drive, Flowood, 601-936-3430, facebook.com/ rushingfamilydentistry) / Chandler Pleasant (Pleasant Smiles Dentistry, 365 Crossgates Blvd., Brandon, 601-825-2411, pleasantsmilesdentistry.com) / Deidra J. Snell (Ridgewood Smiles Dentistry, 5800 Ridgewood Road, Suite 105, 601398-2934, ridgewoodsmilesdentistry.com) / Matthew Harris (Mississippi Smiles; 310 W. Woodrow Wilson Drive, Suite 400; 769-230-1940; 1189 E. County Line Road, Suite 1010; 601-308-2022; mississippismilesdentistry.com) / Peter Boswell (Boswell Family Dental Care, 1513 Lakeland Drive, 601-366-1242) / Terrance Ware (Terrance Ware Family Dental, 5800 Ridgewood Road, Suite 104, 769-251-5909, twaredds.com)

Best Doctor: Justin Turner

(TurnerCare, 2135 Henry Hill Drive, 601-398-2335, turnercarems.com)

Before Justin Turner opened TurnerCare, his clinic in west Jackson, he says that he “prayed and fasted” about his vision for the health center: treating the whole person. “At TurnerCare, treating the whole person is about more than just refilling medications,” Turner reflects. “It’s really about addressing education. In Mississippi—especially as it relates to health—there’s a huge disconnect between what people need to know and what they actually do know.”

This desire to treat each patient holistically while informing them about their bodies and the best ways to care for them is what drove Turner into the Justin Turner healthcare profession in the first place; he notes that he wanted to be “part of the solution and not part of the problem.” Turner equipped himself to do that, completing his studies at Jackson State University—becoming part of the community he would later care for, as his clinic is less than five miles away from his alma mater—before attending Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn.

—Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Fred E. Kency (University Hospital, 2500 N. State St., 888-815-2005, umc.edu) / John Vanderloo (Vanderloo Family Medicine, 3000 Old Canton Road, Suite 240, 601228-5491, vanderloofamilymedicine.com) / Kimberly Smash (Prolific Health & Wellness, 2675 River Ridge Drive, 601-718-0308, prolifichwpa.com) / Meredith Travelsted (The Woman’s Clinic; 501 Marshall St., Suite 400; 401 Baptist Drive, Suite 402, Madison; 601-354-0869; twc-ms.com) / Rhonda Sullivan-Ford (Lakeland Premier Women’s Clinic; 2506 Lakeland Drive, Ste 600, Flowood; 601-939-2600; lakelandpremierwc. com) / Tim Chen (Baptist Medical Group - Madison Primary Care, 401 Baptist Drive, Suite 104, Madison, 601-605-2383, baptistmedicalclinic.org) / Timothy Quinn (Quinn Healthcare, 768 Avery Blvd. N., Ridgeland, 601-487-6482, quinntotalhealth.com)

Best Hospital: University of Mississippi Medical Center

(UMMC, 2500 N. State St., 601-984-1000, umc.edu)

The state’s only teaching hospital, University of Mississippi Medical Center provides healthcare to families across the state while training the next generation of doctors, dentists, nurses, researchers, and health administrators in its bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level programs. The 256-bed facility also plays home to the state’s only children’s hospital, formerly known as Blair E. Batson and recently rechristened as Children’s of Mississippi, which has a level-four neonatal intensive-care unit and a pediatric emergency room located within its two towers, named for Batson and Kathy and Joe Sanderson.

UMMC provides necessary care for adults in the Magnolia State, too, hosting a level-one trauma center— the only one of its kind throughout the state’s 128 hospitals—and the Winifred L. Wiser Hospital for Wom- University of Mississippi Medical Center en, which serves female Mississippians through preventive screenings, routine medical treatment and maternal medicine.

The hospital is also the second-largest employer in the city of Jackson, with over 10,000 healthcare professionals working at the N. State Street edifice.

—Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Baptist Medical Center (1225 N. State St., 601-968-1000, baptistonline.org) / Merit Health (Multiple Locations, mymerithealth.com) / St. Dominic (969 Lakeland Drive, 601-200-2000, stdom.com)

Best Nurse Practitioner/Physician’s Assistant: Stacia Dunson

(Harmony House Calls & Medical Services, 7 Lakeland Circle W., Suite 500, 601-300-3935, harmonyhousecallsllc.com)

Licensed Family Nurse Practitioner Stacia Dunson, owner and CEO of Harmony House Calls and Medical Services, began her medical practice as a house call-based practice, providing medical services to homebound patients. It quickly grew, however, to include a walk-in medical clinic that sees patients of all ages, as well.

Dunson views her work as a ministry, and she is passionate about providing it, especially in light of the additional stress that the current pandemic has placed on many of her patients.

“We see so many people right now dealing with stress and anxiety and depression due to COVID19,” she says. “Just being able to vaccinate in my clinic, that has been a blessing for me, as well—to Stacia Dunson educate people about COVID-19, to care for people with COVID-19, and give the vaccines. … It’s just been awesome watching the numbers (of vaccines given) in our African American community go up, just by having someone that looks like them to give the vaccine.”

“It’s just an overall rewarding career,” Dunson says. “I wake up every morning ready to work. I don’t look at it as a job. I look at it as what I’m called to do.”

—Shaye Smith

Finalists: Josie Bidwell (University Hospital, 2500 N. State St., 888-8152005, umc.edu) / Keila Brown-Jones (Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center; 3502 W. Northside Drive; 514 E. Woodrow Wilson Avenue, Suite A-B; 601-362-5321; jackson-hinds.com) / Marrion Harper (University Hospital, 2500 N. State St., 888-815-2005, umc.edu) / Melissa Minor (Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health, 3502 Northside Drive, 601-364-2600, jackson-hinds. com) / Melissa White (Mallory Community Health Center, 276 Nissan Parkway, May 5 - June 1, 2021 • boomjackson.com Canton, 662-834-1857, mallorychc.org) 21

Best Optometrist: Tonyatta Hairston

(Envision Eye Care & Optical Boutique, 1316 N. State St., 601-987-3937, 987eyes.com)

When Tonyatta Hairston was a little girl, she had a self-proclaimed “fascination with eyeballs” that culminated in her first eye exam at the age of 6. “From that experience, I decided that it was a profession I wanted to consider,” Hairston recalls.

She doggedly followed those dreams of optometry throughout her educational career, finishing high school at JPS’ Callaway High School before attending Tougaloo College en route to Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tenn.

After graduation, Hairston moved back to the Tonyatta Hairston city that raised her. “It was a simple decision to return and serve the people in the city who had molded me into the person that I’ve become,” Hairston reflects. “It was inviting to come back home.”

Hairston makes it her personal mission to give back to the metro area through her profession. “Being able to provide a service that ultimately enhances the lives of my patients is one of my favorite parts of my job,” Hairston says. “Our eyes literally allow us to enjoy life’s gifts—we can see the sunrise, we can see color. Vision is such an integral part of what makes life even more enjoyable.”

—Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Arthur Dampier (Ridgeland Eyecare Center, 8 Professional Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-957-8444, ridgelandeyecare.com) / Elizabeth Mitchell (Eye Group, 501 Baptist Drive, Suite 220, Madison; 601-339-6370; eyegroupms.com) / Marjorie Lenoir (Reflections Vision Center, 101-C Lexington Drive, Madison, 601-605-4423, reflectionsvisioncenter.com) / Mark Kosko (Jackson Eye Associates; 1200 N. State St., Suite 330; 601343-2020; 102 Clinton Parkway; 601-924-9750; 401 Baptist Drive, Suite 201, Madison; 601-853-2020; jacksoneye.com) / Monique Carr (Eyeology Eyecare, 131 Handley Blvd., Byram, 601-346-7549, eyeologyeyecare.net)

Best Orthodontist: Chandra Minor

(Smile Design Orthodontics, 201 Riverwind Drive, Pearl, 601-965-9561, smiledesignorthoms.com)

After a childhood spent in Hazlehurst, Miss., just south of Jackson, Chandra Minor attended Alcorn State University before going on to dental school at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, later specializing in orthodontics during her postdoctoral residency at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Minor later opened her own practice, Smile Design Orthodontics, in Pearl, Miss., whose all women staff offers dental care to metro area residents, including traditional braces, invisalign, headgear, Chandra Minor palatal expanders, retainers and separators/spacers. The clinic also assists its patients in caring for their oral health—offering water flossers, whitening devices and sonic toothbrushes.

The staff also strives to keep its services accessible to its clients, accepting several local insurance providers and offering online scheduling options. Smile Design Orthodontics also hosts a Saturday clinic from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. once a month for on-the-go patients who might struggle to keep a weekday appointment.

—Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Eugene Brown (Smiles by Design; 5800 Ridgewood Road, Suite 103; 125 Jones St., Madison; 601-957-1711; dreugenebrown.com) / Jared Moffett (Moffett & Walley Orthodontics; 2174 Henry Hill Drive; 601-922-3888; 208 Key Drive, Madison; 601-898-1788; mwortho.com) / Jeff Gamblin (Gamblin Orthodontics; 325 W. Jackson St., Ridgeland; 601-707-5960; 240 N. Caldwell Drive, Hazlehurst; 601-894-4732; gamblinortho.net) / Priscilla Jolly (Jolly Orthodontics; 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 7201, Ridgeland; 601605-2400, jollyortho.com) / Richard Simpson (Simpson Orthodontics; 100 Luckney Station, Suite A, Flowood; 601-919-0310; simpsonortho.com)

Best Pediatric Dentist: Jerrick Rose

(The Pediatric Dental Studio, 201 Riverwind Drive, Pearl, 601-965-9549, thepediatricdentalstudio.com)

Lifelong Brandon resident Jerrick Rose opened his private dental practice, The Pediatric Dental Studio in Pearl, in November 2014. Rose practices all forms of office, general and surgical dentistry for children as well as special-needs adults of any age. “It was my dream to open a private dental office for a long time, and I had a strong idea of how I wanted to practice,” Rose says. “I was born and raised in Brandon and wanted to work in a community close to where I grew up so that I could give something back to the place I’m from. I wanted to be able to specialize in growth and development for my patients from childhood to adulthood.”

In addition to his work at his practice, Rose volunteers with the Bridge Builders Leadership Institute in Pearl, which is a program at Bridge Church that offers after-school programs, job-prep courses, study aids, and mentoring for teenagers and preteens.

Rose’s wife, Erica Rose, also practices dentistry in the Jackson metro area. The Roses have a daughter named Riley-Paige Rose.

—Dustin Cardon, Shaye Smith

Finalists: Emily Heitzmann (Magnolia Family Dental Care, 112 South Maple St., Ridgeland, 601-707-5585, magnoliafdc.com) / Erica Rose (Sunnybrook Dentistry, 4463 N. State St., 601-882-0566, mykoolsmiles.com) / Gayle Watters (Madison Pediatric Dental Group, 7728 Old Canton Road, Madison, 601-856-1511, madisonpediatricdentalgroup. com) / Henry Cook (Pediatric Dentistry of Brandon, 142 Gateway Drive, Brandon, 601824-1950, pediatricdentistryofbrandon.com) / Nathan Beavers (312 Fountains Drive, Madison, 601-856-5313, beaverspediatricdentistry.com) / Stephanie Dungey (Clinton Pediatric Dentistry, 739 Clinton Parkway, Clinton, 601-460-9140)

Best Pediatrician: Yolanda Wilson

(Jackson Pediatric Associates, 1824 Hospital Drive, 601-346-4586; 297 Highway 51, Suite B, Ridgeland; 601-707-5381; jacksonpediatricassociates.com)

Yolanda Williamson Wilson well remembers moving into her new space at Jackson Pediatric Association in 2001, as she gave birth to her daughter shortly after moving the last box inside. “It makes it easy to remember,” Wilson laughs.

Two decades later, Wilson is still practicing pediatric medicine at the Hospital Drive structure, though she has recently transitioned to part-time. “When kids are sick, they’re down for the count,” Wilson says of her work. “When you make them feel better, they’re up and bouncing and running and playing, so there’s so much satisfaction in the result—to see that they’re doing better. Kids are trying to be kids.”

Wilson says the clinic’s commitment to serving metro area children is owed in large part to her long-time staff. “Many of my employees have been with me from the beginning,” she reflects. “They’re the backbone of this clinic, and we couldn’t do what we do without them.”

—Taylor Hathorn

Finalists: Adam Adcock (The Children’s Clinic, 2946 Layfair Drive, Flowood; 601-420-8233; thechildrensclinicms.com) / Amanda Cook (The Children’s Clinic, 2946 Layfair Drive, Flowood; 601-420-8233; thechildrensclinicms.com) / Anza Stanley (University Hospital, 2500 N. State St., 888-815-2005, umc. edu) / Audrey Robertson (Trinity Pediatric Clinic, 1860 Chadwick Drive, Suite 205, 601-376-2857, facebook.com/TrinityPediatricClinic) / Geraldine Chaney (Capital City Children & Adolescent Clinic, 2679 Crane Ridge Drive, Suite F, 601-362-7476, cccac.com) / Michelle Gibson (The Kidz Care Klinic, 5440 Watkins Drive, Suite B, 601-364-2726, thekidzcareklinic.com)

Best Physical Therapist: Jasmine Smith

(Healing Hands Rehabilitation Services; 105 Lexington Drive, Suite H, Madison; 601-910-7300, hhrehab.com)

When Jasmine Smith was 10 years old, her grandfather suffered a stroke. “I saw how physical therapists and occupational therapists gave him his life back—they taught him how to compensate for a deficit and how to regain some skills,” Smith recalls. The experience set her on her current career path, as the then-elementary schooler told her parents that she wanted to be a physical therapist.

“They gave me the necessary mentors who guided me along my course, and here I am, all these years later,” Smith says of her journey toward the profession. Her original vision has since expanded, though, Jasmine Smith as she, her husband Robert J. Smith III and Brittany Flaggs own Healing Hands Rehabilitation Services.

“One of the things I love about owning this practice and seeing my patients is that I can be instrumental in the things I’m passionate about, one being early intervention,” Smith says.

The UMMC graduate’s commitment to treating children from birth to 3 years old has allowed the Madison clinic to expand its reach, as Mississippians in rural areas— most notably the Delta—benefit from such services. “I want to do my part to eradicate health disparities in my home state,” Smith says. “I want to have an impact on my city and my state.”

—Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Brittany Flaggs (Healing Hands Rehabilitation Services; 105 Lexington Drive, Suite H, Madison; 601-910-7300, hhrehab.com) / Dorothy Wofford (Results Physiotherapy; 1645 W. Government St., Suite D, Brandon; 769-233-5003; 300 Ridge Way, Flowood; 769-230-0605; 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 2002, Ridgeland; 769-300-1101; resultspt.com) / Jonathan Thomas (Capital Ortho; 104 Burney Drive, Flowood; 119 Highway 80 E., Clinton; 601-987-8200; capitalortho.com) / Marcus Harris (Visions Physical Therapy; 2475 Lakeland Drive, Suite A, Flowood; 601-664-1022, visionspt.com) / Wayne Jiminez (Performance Therapy; 464 Church Road, Suite 400, Madison; 601-707-5947; performancetherapy.info)

Best Women’s Health Clinic: Lakeland Premier Women’s Clinic

(2506 Lakeland Drive, Suite 600, Flowood; 601939-1600; lakelandpremierwc.com)

Lakeland Premier Women’s Clinic in Flowood opened just two years ago, but its three physicians—Drs. Rhonda Sullivan-Ford, Natasha N. Hardeman and Temeka Johnson— have a combined total of 50 years of experience in the healthcare profession, a fact which office manager Catoscha McGee claims sets the clinic apart, saying, h orner m “We have three providers who have a great reputa- edia tion, and their reputation has followed them here.”

The three physicians work together to ensure that their patients’ needs are met, offering standard gynecological care in addition to services geared toward expectant mothers and women struggling with infertility, but the doctors also seek to help women take control of their own healthcare. “It’s important that women be proactive about their health,” McGee says of the clinic’s commitment to patient education. “Our doctors take time with them. We push the importance of regular mammograms and Pap smears, but it’s also that they take care of their bodies.”

—Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: East Lakeland OBGYN (The Suites at River Oaks, 1020 River Oaks Drive, Suite 320, 601-936-1400, eastlakelandobgyn.com) / Jackson Healthcare for Women PA (291 E. Layfair Drive, Flowood, 601-936-9190, jhcfw.com) / Southern Women’s Health (1020 River Oaks Drive, Suite 310, 601-9325006, swhealth.net) / The Woman’s Clinic (501 Marshall St., Suite 400; 401 Baptist Drive, Suite 402, Madison; 601-354-0869; twc-ms.com) / Women’s Health Associates (1050 River Oaks Drive, Suite 200, Flowood, 601-4200134, whaobgyn.net) / Women’s Specialty Clinic UMMC (2925 Layfair Drive, Flowood, 601-984-6740, umc.edu)

Best Specialty Clinic: Mississippi Sports Medicine

(1325 E. Fortification St.; 4506 Lakeland Drive, Flowood; 501 Baptist Drive, Suite120, Madison; 601-768-1167; mississippisportsmedicine.com)

With an eye toward rising emergency-room costs, Mississippi Sports Medicine provides urgent orthopaedic care for metro area residents with musculoskeletal injuries, with both x-ray and MRI imaging capabilities at its clinic on E Fortification Street. Patients with less emergent issues can visit Mississippi Sports Medicine’s clinics in Jackson, Mississippi Sports Medicine staff Flowood and Madison, with 20 specialized physicians on call to treat a host of injuries and dysfunctions. “They’re pioneers on the cutting edge,” Meredith Warf, administrator of MSM’s surgery center, says of MSM’s team of doctors. “They’ve really led the way in moving the standard of care.”

Mississippi Sports Medicine also pays particular attention to the treatment of area athletes, which Warf believes pays homage to the company’s beginnings in the early 1980’s. “It started by standing on the sideline at athletic events,” she recalls. “They formed a band of athletic trainers across the state to provide medical care (for athletes) on game nights. All these decades later, they’re still out there.”

—Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) UMMC (Lakeland Medical - University Physicians; 764 Lakeland Drive; 601-984-6800; Cancer Center and Research Institute, 350 W. Woodrow Wilson Drive; 601-815-6700; Grants Ferry - University Physicians, 1010 Lakeland Place, Flowood; 601-815-0600; 601-984-5160; umc.edu) / Lifestyle Medicine Clinic UMMC (Lakeland Medical - University Physicians, 764 Lakeland Drive, 601-9842233, umc.edu) / Mississippi Asthma and Allergy Clinic (1513 Lakeland Drive, Suite 101; 601-354-4836; 680 Highway 51 N., Suite B, Ridgeland; 601-898-1877; msaac. com) / Positive Steps Fertility (149 Fountains Blvd., Madison, 1-833-POS-STEP, positivestepsfertility.com) / Right Weigh Clinic (309B Airport Road, Pearl; 105 Span Drive, Brandon; 888-6-LOSE-IT; rightweighclinic.com)

Best Urgent Care Clinic: TrustCare

(1645 W. Government St., Suite F, Brandon; 601-829-6600; 601 Highway 80, Clinton; 601-708-1480; 5352 Lakeland Drive, Suite 1650, Flowood; 601-487-4340; trustcarehealth.com)

TrustCare’s nine Jackson-Metro area locations provided necessary care to Jacksonians during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, offering testing for the infectious disease and managing an online portal for patients to receive their results and to acquire guidance for further care, if the patient tested positive. Now, over a year into the global epidemic, each site provides vaccinations for Mississippians, using its already-established online platform to allow patients to register digitally to receive the vaccine.

Although TrustCare has specialized in COVID care, each of its partner clinics offer pediatric urgent care, direct primary care for adults, physicals and other general wellness exams, digital x-rays, and allergy testing and treatment. All of these treatment plans are provided under the direct supervision of physicians Dr. Sanjib D. Shrestha and Dr. Catherine R. Phillippi and their team of nurse practitioners. The full staff of each location works to guarantee that patients can be treated and released within a single hour.

—Taylor McKay Hathorn

Finalists: Baptist Northtown (6250 Old Canton Road, Suite 100, 601-9571015, baptistmedicalclinic.org/clinics) / Fast Pace (1621 W. Peace St., Canton; 601-391-2716; 907 US Highway 49, Richland; 601-374-5263; 533 Lake St., Hazlehurst; 601-552-5253; fastpacehealth.com) / MEA (Multiple locations, meamedicalclinics.com)