I generally don’t “like” being in a hospital.

Unless someone is having a baby, generally it means I’m there because I’m sick or someone I care about is sick — or worse.

However, when recently touring the new Baptist Memorial-North Mississippi hospital that’s in its final months of construction, I started to think of and procedures or tests I may have been putting off or if I could fake an ailment just to “book” a room for a week.

The hospital is gorgeous.

Of course, I’m kidding and having to stay in a hospital is never something someone should aim for — but the folks at Baptist have created a place that if one has to be there, they will be in a state-of-the-art facility that is not only designed beautifully but with the comfort of its patients and staff in mind.

Just about all the patient rooms are private and bigger than my own bedroom.

Even the showers were well thought out with the floor remaining flat with a large drain to catch the water from leaving the shower area. Who wants to step over something when sick or after surgery?

The windows in each room are over-sized and the view is wonderful.

From electronic medical record charting computers to medication to towels, everything is close to the patient rooms so nurses can be close by at all times.

The color scheme is teal and brown, which happens to be one my favorites (I’m sure they knew that when picking out colors).

After leaving the hospital, patients are now discharged under a covered exit toward the side of the hospital instead of leaving through the front door in all of their “just stayed in the hospital” glory.

The new labor and delivery floor made me secretly wish for another grandchild. I’ve had five born at the current Baptist Hospital here in Oxford. The only complaint I ever had — and it’s really not a complaint, is that when older-but-still-little siblings came to visit, they couldn’t see inside the viewing room and had to be picked up.

A small thing, and yet just another example of how Baptist officials have thought of the tiniest details with this new hospital, which has a step under the viewing window for little ones to get their first glimpse of their new addition. Perfect.

And the lobby, y’all.

Those visiting the hospital haven’t been left out of Baptists’ planners. There’s a Starbucks on the bottom floor and the cafeteria is close to the entrance, instead of having to walk a half-mile through the hospital. The waiting area on the second floor Is huge and airy and looks down on the first floor that has a long, curving staircase, that reminds me of old Southern mansions.

When the doors officially open in November, don’t hesitate to go visit our new $300 million hospital and see it for yourself. It’s really something we can all be proud of.

Alyssa Schnugg is Senior Writer at the Oxford Eagle. Email her at alyssa.schnugg@oxfordeagle.com