North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo is expanding intensive care for adults and children, adding four adult ICU rooms and two pediatric ICU rooms while bringing pediatric inpatient services together on one floor. 

NMMC is renovating its first-floor pediatric unit and relocating the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) there from the second floor. The move will expand the PICU from four rooms to six and place it alongside the hospital’s other pediatric inpatient rooms. The vacated second-floor space will accommodate four additional adult ICU rooms.

The first-floor renovation will also add a play area and toy room for patients and a waiting area for PICU visitors. The pediatric unit and PICU will both have controlled access to help protect children and staff. 

“When we opened our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in 2018, we made room for it within the adult Intensive Care Unit,” said Ellen Friloux, vice president of NMMC Women and Children’s Services. “Today it remains the only PICU in our region,”

Friloux said her team has been grateful for the opportunity to offer pediatric intensive care locally, but the PICU’s location separates it from the hospital’s other pediatric services.

“Bringing the PICU onto the same floor as our other pediatric inpatient rooms will help our care teams communicate and work together more efficiently,” Friloux said. “The additional PICU rooms will allow us to provide intensive care for more children in our region.”

“This project expands access to intensive care for both adults and children,” said NMMC President T.J. Adams. “Bringing our pediatric inpatient services together on one floor, along with the recent opening of Urgent Care Kids, strengthens our care for children. Four additional adult ICU rooms will also help us serve more adults who need critical care.”

Renovations began in October and are expected to be completed in mid-January 2027. The estimated project cost is $3.64 million.