Arkansas news organization Talk Business & Politics (TB&P) reports that a group of state legislators, seeking to “better understand and address constituent concerns” about the future of Baptist Health’s Fort Smith hospital, met with Baptist Health leadership last week for a “listening session” to discuss the situation.
State Rep. Ryan Rose (R) told TB&P that legislators asked for the meeting to “cut through the rumors” and hear directly “from the horse’s mouth,” meaning Baptist Health leaders.
Rep. Rose said legislators were told that Baptist Health will “continue with emergency room, intensive care, surgical, and dialysis services” at the Fort Smith hospital, although the possibility remains that “one of the main hospital towers will be mothballed or demolished.” He added that “Baptist Health officials expressed frustration with continued rumors that the entire hospital would close.”
Rep. Rose added that Baptist Health officials pointed to “reduced federal health care reimbursements and the ‘significant’ problem that is causing for the medical sector.” He told TB&P that “it is uncertain what Arkansas officials can do directly or immediately to financially help hospitals.”
Rep. Rose added that Mercy Hospital Fort Smith, part of the Missouri-based Mercy system, is “doing so many right things” to absorb patient volume due to reduction of services at the Baptist Health hospital, including a recently announced $60 million investment in its hospital over the next three years.
Read TB&P’s full report here.
