Washington Regional Medical System has partnered with the Alice L. Walton Foundation to create a regional health system to improve health outcomes across northwest Arkansas, the organizations said Monday.
This move comes eight months after the foundation and the Cleveland Clinic launched a joint initiative to bring more access to specialty health care services, including cardiac care, digestive health, neurosciences, oncology, orthopedics/spine and behavioral health, to the region. In addition, Walmart heiress Alice Walton's nonprofit Whole Health Institute is building the Whole Health School of Medicine there.
All comprise a larger push to expand health care options in fast-growing Benton and Washington counties, where major public companies like Walmart Inc. of Bentonville, Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale and J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. of Lowell; their vendors; and the University of Arkansas’ flagship campus attract thousands of new residents per year.
This new partnership “is all about access, ensuring that residents of our thriving region have ready access to world-class health care services, including specialty care,” Alice Walton said in a news release. “We’re bringing together three organizations with unique strengths — including Washington Regional’s excellence in serving this community, Cleveland Clinic’s innovative care, and my foundation’s focus on enhancing access — to offer a broader scope and scale of services to our region and beyond.”
The organizations said the new partnership will:
- Increase access to specialty care services.
- Expand clinical services.
- Strengthen the transformation to value-based care.
- Develop a partnership with the Whole Health School of Medicine.
- Help train the next generation of clinicians, advanced practice providers, nurses and caregivers.
- Bolster Washington Regional’s research capabilities.
The foundation will develop operational plans for the new partnership and intends to finalize next steps later this year.
“This partnership provides the resources to take our health care services to the next level to best serve our growing community," Larry Shackelford, president and CEO of Washington Regional, said in the news release.
The region's health care industry generates $2.7 billion in activity annually, but that figure could be much higher, according to a study by the Northwest Arkansas Council in 2019. Arkansas Business reported in April 2021 that the region loses about $950 million annually in what is called outmigration, residents seeking medical care elsewhere.
