Rep. Johnson: Hospital notice idea will need input from ‘all parties involved’

Fort Smith Director Christina Catsavis’ idea that would have the Arkansas Legislature consider legislation requiring hospitals to provide notice before ending a critical care service is not unreasonable, but will require input from all parties, according to Rep. Lee Johnson, R-Greenwood.

The Fort Smith Board of Directors on March 31 decided to further study a letter proposed by Catsavis that would ask the Arkansas Legislature to require hospitals to provide a 180-day notice before ending critical care offerings.

Little Rock-based Baptist Health announced March 30 it will close the labor and delivery operation and ending obstetric services at its Fort Smith hospital on April 28. However, it’s somewhat unclear when services will end. A notice the hospital provided to Fort Smith Mayor George on March 27 referred to a May 29 close.

“We have provided notice to Arkansas Workforce Connections regarding the permanent closing of the Women’s & Children’s unit at Baptist Health Fort Smith and the Baptist Health Women’s Clinic as of May 29, 2026,” Baptist Health noted in the letter to McGill.

When the closure happens, it will result in the loss of around 40 jobs, with the hospital saying it now has about 20 births a month. The move follows recent comments from Baptist Health officials about possible reduced services in Fort Smith. Concerns with the known and unknown loss of services at Baptist Health-Fort Smith pushed Catsavis to submit the letter to the board for consideration.

‘MERITS CONSIDERATION’
An active physician and considered a leader on health care legislation in the Arkansas General Assembly, Johnson said Catsavis’ proposal is an “interesting policy question” that “merits consideration.” But, he said, it will require a lot of dialogue.

“I can certainly see the perspective of the community wanting to have some lead time around the closure of services with the hospital,” Johnson told Talk Business & Politics. “The devil is in the details with that policy. What’s the right timeline? Is 120 days right? Is it 90? Is it 30? Is it 60?”

He said details will be important, and “the key to good policy is good due diligence.” For example, neurosurgery is a field in which some hospitals may have only one or two practicing physicians. A hospital system may not get notice from a doctor who decides to leave or retire.

“It can be unpredictable when those particular service lines are going to end in a way that is completely out of control of the hospital,” Johnson said.

He said there is time between now and the regular General Assembly in 2027 to bring together all appropriate groups. Without adequate collaboration, Johnson said, he has seen popular ideas fail to get through committee, and he’s seen difficult policy clear committee because there was a lot of behind-the-scenes collaboration. No matter the issue, Johnson said good legislation happens when the “needs and practicalities of all parties involved” are considered.

“If we’re going to have a policy, let’s get people together and let’s really work on discussing what makes sense and sit at the table together and decide if this is something that makes sense for the whole state of Arkansas,” Johnson said. “Good policy comes from good work in the background.”

Johnson is in his fourth term in the Arkansas House of Representatives, and is vice chair of the Joint Budget Committee. He also serves on the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee, the House Insurance and Commerce Committee, and the Joint Energy Committee.

Catsavis said she appreciated Johnson’s advice.

“Coming from someone with his medical background and the respect he carries, his perspective is very meaningful as we continue the conversation,” Catsavis said. “My hope is that this can be an area where we work together to move from consideration to action. We have an opportunity to put in place a common sense safeguard that better supports patients and providers during times of transition. As a new patient, it can take months to establish care with a new doctor. Additionally, doctors, nurses, lab techs, pharmacists, and janitorial staff who are losing their jobs deserve time to plan their futures.”