In Step With Sally Toler

In Step With:

Sally Toler

By Ernest Herndon

Sally Toler got the best of jobs in the worst of times.

In April 2020 she was named executive director of Amite County Medical Services Inc. — a month after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.

She and some family members even came down with the virus, but got through it OK.

ACMS has three clinics — Amite, Pike and Liberty Dental — plus two mobile units for schools. Now Toler and ACMS are full steam, to the point of constructing a new building for the Pike clinic behind the Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center walking track.

Toler knew from the beginning she wanted to go into healthcare. After graduating from Southwest Mississippi Community College, she worked for Southeast Mississippi Rural Health in Hattiesburg — a community health center like Amite Medical Services but larger — while a student at University of Southern Mississippi.

She went to work as administrative assistant for Amite County Medical Services before getting her B.S. in health promotion, going on to become finance director there until 2011.

Toler detoured into real estate until 2017, when she returned to ACMS as finance director. She was named assistant executive director in 2019 and executive director last year.

She replaced Pam Poole, whom she has known all her life.

“I knew that I wanted to help people in some capacity, but not necessarily handson,” Toler said.

Amite County Medical Services gets a grant through the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, enabling it to serve patients regardless of their ability to pay. ACMS uses a sliding fee discount program based on federal poverty guidelines.

“Everyone is expected to pay based on the guidelines in which they qualify. It’s not a free program,” Toler said.

In 2016, ACMS opened a clinic in the Medical Arts Building in McComb — which it has since outgrown, hence the new building.

Sally Toler stands outside the Amite County Medical Services administrative offices in Liberty, MS

The clinics provide comprehensive primary health care, which includes mental health and dental care, plus two mobile units to Amite County public schools.

The clinics have one full-time doctor, a part-time pediatrician, three full-time nurse practitioners, one full-time and one part-time dentist, a full-time dental assistant, part-time dental hygienist, licensed professional counselor and dietician, plus nurses, billing staff, front office workers and administration staff — a total of 45 employees.

“We have a great staff here,” Toler said, noting employees helped out with various tasks during the pandemic and kept the clinics operating.

“Everybody came together,” she said. “It’s really been a team effort.”

She also praised the clinics’ 11-member community-based board, of which 51% must be clinic patients. “Some of them are retired and they give of their time willingly,” Toler said.

ACMS received the HRSA National Quality Leader Award for the top 1 to 2% of all 1,200 health centers nationwide, as well as the HRSA Health Center Quality Leader Award.

In 2020, the two clinics saw 3,879 patients for a total of 12,596 visits. The mobile units didn’t get to visit schools in 2020 due to COVID, but in a typical year handle 700 student wellness visits and dental screenings.

Much of Toler’s job involves keeping up with all the paperwork and accountability the clinics require, such as HRSA site visits, Uniform Data Systems reports, annual audits,

grant management requirements and much more.

The clinics collaborate with partners like SMRMC, McComb eye doctors and oral surgeon Dr. Eric Lewis, referring uninsured patients for various specialized services.

When COVID struck, “it was pretty much a whirlwind,” Toler said. “It was almost like we were trouble-shooting and brainstorming every day.” ACMS officials had to get into telemedicine immediately, allowing patients to see doctors online or over the phone — immensely complicated by the shortage of broadband service in rural areas and the lack of technology by many patients, especially the elderly.

Nevertheless, in three days ACMS had its telehealth program up and running with a special app for patients to consult with providers via phone, computer or iPad.

Special hours, 3 to 5 p.m., were designated for patients with potential COVID symptoms, and they were instructed to pull up to the back of the clinic, call a special

“If you come here, number, then come in you’re going to get the the back door. “We’re looking tobest comprehensive care kind of transition out of that can be offered. We that in the next few also provide great months,” Toler said. Meanwhile, peoplecustomer service from looking for a family the front to the back.” doctor, dentist or theraSally Toler pist would do well to consider medical services, Toler said.

“If you come here, you’re going to get the best comprehensive care that can be offered,” she said. “We also provide great customer service from the front to the back.”

When she’s not on the job, Toler and her husband Chris, who works for Denbury Resources, are heavily involved in family activities with their daughters, Logan, 17, Laura, 12, and Lizzy, 9.

“I like to go to the gym to work out,” Toler added. “That’s sort of my stress reliever.” n