For more than 90 years, Baptist Health has been a cornerstone for comprehensive medical care in the state and today the institution is still leading the way in the depth and breadth of treatment options and medical expertise.
“Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock truly serves Arkansans from birth to life’s end,” said Troy Wells, president and CEO. “The medical center delivered more babies than any other hospital in the state in 2014 and is the first choice hospital for women’s services in the state. Through life’s end, Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock offers palliative care, which focuses on helping people cope with the discomfort, symptoms and stress of a long-standing, terminal illness.
“In between, we provide a wide range of comprehensive services to Arkansans including the Baptist Health Bariatric Center, Baptist Health Heart Institute, Baptist Health Orthopedic Center, Baptist Health Transplant Institute, Baptist Health Women’s Center, MedFlight Air Ambulance, emergency services, imaging centers, family clinics, therapy and wellness centers.”
It’s hard to narrow down a defining specialty, but the health system’s groundbreaking work in the area of cardiac care and transplants makes a strong argument
“In 1968, Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock was the site of the city’s first Coronary Care Unit,” Wells said. “Since then, we have been the first in the state to perform coronary angioplasty, implantation of a cardio-defibrillator, intravascular stents, implantation of the HeartMate left ventricular assist device, vascular brachytherapy and adult therapeutic hypothermia, plus many others.”
In 1989, Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock became the first hospital in Arkansas to perform adult heart transplants and since then has transplanted more than 230 adult hearts. The hospital’s expertise goes beyond heart procedures, having transplanted more than 900 kidneys since 1989.
Baptist Health also boasts the only hospital-based MedFlight Air Ambulance to do scene flights. Whether responding to the scene of an accident or transporting live organs for transplant, MedFlight has provided transport of thousands to the health care facilities they need quickly.
In addition, Baptist Health has a reputation for responding to the health needs of high risk populations, the elderly and low income families.
“The medical center is rated by Arkansans as doing more than any other hospital organization in serving health needs outside the hospital walls,” Wells said. “From providing free immunizations in a church setting to partnering with schools to provide hot lunches during the summer, Baptist Health continues to meet the needs that arise in our communities.”
Highlights:
» Opened Little Rock’s first Coronary Care Unit
» Performed state’s first adult heart transplant, 1989
» In 2014, 707 physicians served and treated 162,308 patients including delivering 3,499 babies, performing 22,726 surgeries, 513 medical flights via Baptist Health MedFlight, and 35 transplants
» Health system will open its ninth medical center in 2016, in Conway
» Baptist Health College-Little Rock was founded as a nursing school in 1921; last year, the college graduated 383 health care professionals representing a spectrum of medical specialties
» Community Outreach annually provides wellness and health services for more than 10,600 patient visits at 23 sites across central Arkansas. An additional 6,500 are served through outreach projects, partners in education, community health fairs and immunizations
Selected Awards:
» The Consumer Choice Award from National Research Corporation for Best Overall Quality Care
» Society of Thoracic Surgeons Three Star Award for quality of coronary artery bypass surgery
» Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission as a primary Stroke Center of Excellence
» Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Distinction Center Award for adult heart transplants and Blue Distinction Centers + for Specialty Care recognition for cardiac care, bariatric surgery, gastric stapling, gastric banding, knee and hip replacement and spine surgery
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