Blue & You Foundation gives $150,000 to Mercy for NWA residency program

Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas gave a $150,000 grant to Mercy Health Foundation to support the internal medicine residency program in 2018. On Thursday (Dec. 21), Mercy announced receiving the grant.

The program is a partnership between Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas in Rogers, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest Arkansas campus in Fayetteville and the Veterans Health Care System in Fayetteville. In June 2016, eight resident physicians started in the program, and they were joined in June 2017 by another eight resident physicians. The 16 resident physicians do clinical rotations at the three hospitals and clinics of the partners. In summer 2018, another eight residents will join the program, bringing the total to 24 residents.

Warren McDonald, provider network manager for Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield presented the gift at a holiday social to Eric Pianalto, president of Mercy Hospital and Dr. Steve Goss, president of Mercy Clinic.

“We’re grateful for the continuing support of the Blue & You Foundation, which has been with us since the beginning of the residency program,” said Clark Ellison, regional vice president of Mercy Health Foundation. “This program is essential to attracting the best physicians to Northwest Arkansas so that our excellent healthcare system can grow along with our community.”