Legislators hold ‘listening session’ with Baptist Health about Fort Smith hospital concerns

A group of legislators met this week with Little Rock-based Baptist Health leadership to discuss concerns about hospital operations in Fort Smith. Rep. Ryan Rose, R-Van Buren, said the hospital is likely to “slim down” but not leave entirely.

Rose said a “significant showing” of Fort Smith metro legislators attended the “listening session” at the Capitol so they could better understand and address constituent concerns about Baptist Health’s future in Fort Smith and Van Buren.

Concerns about the future of Baptist Health in Fort Smith began in late March. Doug Weeks, Baptist Health executive vice president, chief strategy and innovation officer, spoke March 20 to members of a Fort Smith civic club and several physicians about the hospital’s future. According to those who attended the meeting and meeting minutes, Weeks said the hospital could halt hospital operations in its two large towers and use only the newer “Renaissance” building for emergency room and limited surgery center operations.

Baptist officials denied that the Fort Smith hospital would close, but declined to specifically address what Baptist Health officials have said privately and publicly. They said the hospital plans to spend $20 million at the Fort Smith location “over the next few years,” and the investment is part of a “transition of its Fort Smith campus.”

“We expect that some of the changes we make will be difficult,” Baptist Health President and CEO Troy Wells said at the time. “These changes often will overshadow the positive investments we are making at the same time.”

The hospital followed that with an announcement March 30 that it will close the labor and delivery operation and end obstetric services at its Fort Smith hospital on April 28.

Rose told Talk Business & Politics that the legislators asked for the meeting to cut through the rumors and hear directly from Baptist Health leaders.

“Because everybody is hearing from their constituents, and the media, and from other leaders and hospitals, etcetera, etcetera,” Rose said. “We want from the horses mouth what you are saying is happening.”

Rose said the legislators were told that Baptist Health, which also operates a hospital in Van Buren, will continue with emergency room, intensive care, surgical, and dialysis services in Fort Smith. He said there is a possibility one of the main hospital towers would be mothballed or demolished. He said Baptist Health officials expressed frustration with continued rumors that the entire hospital would close.

“The long and short that they gave us was, that they are having to slim down, trim fat, whatever you want to call it, to make it functional with the intent of then building it out, improving, growing … to whatever it should be, or could be for that matter,” Rose said, adding that he “pressed pretty hard” to get detailed answers and commitments from Baptist.

Rose also said the discussion included talk about reduced federal health care reimbursements and the “significant” problem that is causing for the medical sector. Rose said it is uncertain what Arkansas officials can do directly or immediately to financially help hospitals.

“I don’t know that I have a real thorough answer for you right now on what the Legislature can do in terms of money for rural hospitals and in their operations,” he said.

During the Talk Business & Politics interview, Rose praised Mercy Fort Smith “for doing so many right things” to be prepared for any reduction of services at Baptist Health. The St. Louis-based hospital system, which has a hospital and several clinics in the Fort Smith metro, recently announced $60 million in investments over the next three years. Mercy said the first phase of work will “expand services, upgrade facilities, and enhance technology designed to improve patient care and support Mercy caregivers while increasing access for patients. It will also include the integration of new physicians and caregivers to Mercy.”

“Mercy is, I think responsibly, but also strategically, making plans to be there for the River Valley,” Rose said. “This isn’t a PR thing. I’m not picking favorites, winners or losers. These are just facts as I’m getting them.”

Comment for this story has been requested from Baptist Health. This story will be updated if a response is received.