CAMDEN — Despite local rumors that J. Paul Jones Hospital in Camden will close, hospital officials are assuring their employees and members of the community that it will indeed stay open.

Hospital board chairmen George Alford said he has taken dozens of calls about the hospital-closing rumor.

“I’ve had people come to me concerned for their jobs,” Alford said. “ I met with the hospital staff this morning and assured them that [the closing] is just a rumor.”

The rumor could have come from the idea that J. Paul Jones is inquiring about other facilities, because they are looking at what changes could be made in order to keep the hospital.

“People are just not getting the full story,” Alford said. “We’re doing everything we can to keep the hospital open, it may not be in the exact same form, but it will stay open.”

The hospital is looking into making J. Paul Jones a critical access facility, meaning they would still care for emergency patients but longer-term care services would be provided elsewhere in the county. However Alford said they have only looked into this, and no decisions have been made.

“Its tough to keep any rural hospital open,” Alford said. “But we are making sure long-term care will still be available.”

Three years ago Wilcox County residents passed a $3 million tax increase in order to keep the facility fully functioning. Alford hopes such a measure is not needed again.

“That is not our intention. We certainly hope there is not another tax increase,” Alford said.

J. Paul Jones Hospital is the only hospital in Wilcox County. If it were to close the closest facility would be in Thomasville — some 30 miles away.