UAMS to begin operating Bryant hospital
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes said the research hospital will lease the existing Encore Medical Center in Bryant from The Landes Group, a Dallas-based real estate investment firm that is expected to acquire the hospital property from Arkansas Heart Hospital by late summer.
“This is a long-term credit tenant lease,” Barnes said Wednesday (June 24) during a meeting of the University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees. “We would acquire the land, 7.5 acres, for $5 million, and then we would have a ground lease to the landlord. And we would be leasing the building from the landlord for a period of 10 years.”
In 10 years, UAMS can extend the lease for another 20 years or has the option to buy the building. The annual rent is expected to be about $8.1 million, with a 2.5% annual increase. UAMS would pay no rent through December 2026.
“It’s important to realize this is not taking over the current businesses there,” Barnes said. “This is a real estate deal where we’re taking over the land and the building, and we’ll start new operations.”
As part of the deal, UAMS will acquire about $11 million in medical equipment. The hospital will become the newest hospital in the UAMS Health system, increasing UAMS’s overall bed capacity and extending its clinical footprint into Saline County.
“The addition of the Encore facility represents an important step in UAMS’ commitment to expanding access to high-quality, specialized healthcare for Arkansans,” Barnes said. “This facility will allow us to better meet the healthcare needs of patients closer to where they live, strengthen our statewide presence, and advance our mission of improving the health and well-being of all Arkansans.”
Encore Medical Center is an acute care facility at 1901 Encore Way in Bryant. It was built by Arkansas Heart Hospital and opened in 2021, with a focus on bariatric weight-loss surgery and peripheral vascular disease. The center includes emergency services, inpatient medical-surgical beds, intensive care, surgical suites, diagnostic imaging and laboratory services.
“We are incredibly proud of the physicians, nurses, staff, and leaders who have cared for patients at Encore Medical Center and helped establish it as a trusted resource for Saline County and central Arkansas,” said Jacob Robinson, president of Arkansas Heart Hospital. “As we looked ahead, we recognized an opportunity for UAMS to build on that foundation and continue serving the community in a meaningful way. Arkansas Heart Hospital remains committed to our mission and will continue to provide care in Saline County through a local clinical presence.”
UAMS operates regional campuses and clinical sites across Arkansas, including facilities in Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Fort Smith, Pine Bluff, Jonesboro, Texarkana, Batesville, Helena-West Helena and El Dorado.
“The addition of 53 beds will also allow UAMS to accept more transfers of critically ill patients from other hospitals throughout the state,” Barnes said. “UAMS cannot currently meet patient demand at our main campus. These additional beds are critical to our mission of caring for the sickest patients in Arkansas.”