HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS STEPPING UP TO PLATE

By Caleb Talley

The last two years saw a number of major investments in the Northwest Arkansas health care ecosystem leading to an expansion in access to care.

In July 2022, Mercy showed its commitment to the concerted effort with the announcement of a $500 million investment in the next phase of its health care expansion in Northwest Arkansas. The investment will allow the hospital system to add a state-of-the-art cancer center, emergency department and expanded isolation rooms, additional clinic locations and more outpatient care facilities.

The move also nearly doubles the current number of primary care physicians and specialists.

With this commitment, Mercy will have invested almost $1 billion in less than a decade in Northwest Arkansas. The additions and expansions follow a $300 million project launched in 2016 to build a 275,000-square-foot patient tower, creating 1,000 new health care jobs and primary care and specialty clinics in Benton and Washington counties.

“Phase two of Mercy’s expansion in Northwest Arkansas represents our commitment to elevating the region as a preferred health care destination,” said Ryan Gehrig, president of Mercy Hospitals Arkansas. “By adding 100 new primary care and specialty physicians and advanced practice providers, we’re continuing to increase access to high-quality, low-cost health care. Mercy has already recruited more than a third of our goal for new providers in just six months.”

Mercy’s $500 million plan for expansion addresses the region’s increasing need for primary care and the further development of sub-specialty care as the community continues to grow and prosper. Shortages in critical areas have forced some patients to seek treatment outside the region.

Heart disease and cancer remain the top two leading causes of death in Arkansas, and the need for more cardiology and oncology care providers are just two of the gaps in specialty care Mercy has identified. Others include neurosurgery, rheumatology, urology, psychiatry, orthopedics, gastroenterology and pulmonology. Mercy’s strategic plan for growth encompasses increased access to each of these specialties and primary care.

“The impact of our investment is focused on producing more positive health outcomes for the future, but there are other benefits,” Gehrig added. “Findings from the Northwest Arkansas Council’s Northwest Arkansas Healthcare: Assessment, Economic Impact and Vision for the Future report show the removal of barriers to much-needed health care within the region will further bolster the local economy.

“While the economic benefit of Mercy’s investment into the health of our community is certainly appreciated, it is our commitment to providing compassionate care close to home for our patients that drives our progress forward.”