UAMS opens new Pine Bluff regional campus

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) South Central Regional Campus in Pine Bluff celebrated its grand opening on the Jefferson Regional Medical Center campus on Tuesday (April 30).

The 33,000-square-foot space on the bottom two floors in the Jefferson Professional Building II provides room for the merger of UAMS’ three Pine Bluff clinics along with its physician residency program, a medical library, classrooms and administrative offices.

“Our investment in this facility is a reaffirmation of our commitment to provide excellent health care to communities across the state and strengthen our medical education programs that train tomorrow’s health professionals,” said UAMS Chancellor Dr. Cam Patterson.

The three-story building at the corner of West 40th Avenue and Mulberry Street is 10 years old and has been unoccupied except for a Jefferson Regional clinic on the third floor. UAMS will lease the bottom two floors from Jefferson Regional.

“We had three separate facilities which comprised our program, and that presented many logistical issues,” said Mark Deal, regional executive director for the South Division of UAMS Regional Campuses, which includes campuses in Pine Bluff, Magnolia, Texarkana and Helena-West Helena. “Having everything we need in one building will eliminate a great deal of duplication, which will save money and be more efficient for staff and our patients.”

In addition to providing patient care, the campus trains family medicine residents and educates nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals.

The Pine Bluff campus was first established by UAMS in partnership with Jefferson Regional in 1973. In 2006, a 8,000 square foot expansion including two annexes was built. The new renovations are the first major facilities changes since that expansion.

It serves 11 Arkansas counties: Arkansas, Cleveland, Drew, Garland, Grant, Hot Spring, Jefferson, Lincoln, Lonoke, Prairie and Saline.

The architects are Witsell, Evans, Rasco of Little Rock. The general contractor is Clark Contractors of Little Rock.