SPRINGDALE — A new entrance and more patient space should be ready for use at Northwest Medical Center-Springdale in early 2013, officials said last week.
Construction at the hospital, located in downtown Springdale, is on schedule to open a new entrance off Thompson Street in early January, said Michael Stewart, chief operating officer. The work will also add space and beds to the emergency room at a total cost of almost $12 million.
By The Numbers
Arkansas Hospitals
Hospitals 105
Counties with one hospital 40
Counties without a hospital 21
Hospitals closing since 2004 4
Hospital Employees 44,300
Source: Arkansas Hospital Association
“The heart of the community is its downtown,” Stewart said. “We believe we can be an anchor for this area.”
Other hospitals in Northwest Arkansas relocated to be closer to Interstate 540, said Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse. The construction at Northwest shows a commitment to remaining in the same location it has been for decades, he said.
“Construction like this can bring additional development,” Sprouse said. “The hospital has been a tremendous asset to our city.”
The construction demolished several buildings west of the hospital, including the old Charlesworth automobile dealership. A new drive, across Thompson from Rebecca Lane, will lead to new hospital entrance.
Inside the hospital, the project will add 30,000 square feet of space, Stewart said. A new corridor will be cut through existing walls to create a direct path to the cafeteria, said Phil Davis, hospital director of engineering.
That arrangement could create better access to all of the hospital, Sprouse said.
Buildings and rooms were added to the hospital many times over the years, almost creating a maze, Sprouse said.
“The new construction should help folks find their way easier to wherever they are going in the hospital,” Sprouse said.
The new emergency room space comes at a time when hospital representatives are seeking designation as a trauma center, Stewart said. Arkansas officials are establishing a trauma system since Act 393 of 2009 authorized its creation.
When the act was passed, Arkansas was the only state in the country without a designated trauma center and one of the last without a system, according to Ed Barham, public information officer for the Arkansas Department of Health.
Northwest is seeking a Level III Trauma Center designation, Stewart said. There are five Level I centers in Arkansas’ system, two in Little Rock, two in Memphis and one in Springfield, Mo. The out-of-state hospitals treat many Arkansas residents and are part of the system.
Washington Regional Medical Center is the only Level II center in Northwest Arkansas. Mercy Hospital in Rogers and Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville are Level III centers, according to the state Health Department website.
The additional emergency room space will give Springdale’s hospital 28 treatment bays, Stewart said.
“It will add to our operational flow and streamline our procedures,” Stewart said.
The new emergency room space should also open in early January, Stewart said. The old section will then be renovated, with the entire space ready by the middle of the month, he said.
The new 175-space parking lot, which will add about 80 spots, will also be open in January, Stewart said. The hospital plans to use all of the land between Maple and Quandt avenues for landscaped parking, he said.
The hospital has a parking garage, in addition to its parking lots, but the garage connects to the Jones Clinic by an enclosed walkway above Maple Avenue. The clinic connects to the hospital, but on an upper floor.
Being able to park closer to the hospital will be an improvement, said Al Newton, a Springdale resident. Several existing hospital parking lots are one or two streets away.
“I am worried the new entrance could cause some accidents with so many people turning in off Thompson,” Newton said. “There is a lot less traffic when you come in off Maple.”
The city would like to connect the hospital with another downtown development, the Razorback Greenway. A spur trail could run to the hospital, Sprouse said.
Stewart, who has been working at the hospital for 10 months, said he welcomes connections that can lead to further development.
“A rising tide will raise all boats,” Stewart said, paraphrasing President John F. Kennedy. “We’re ready to rise with the downtown.”
At A Glance
Trauma Center Classifications
Levels are based on national standards from the American College of Surgeons
Level I — Highest level of care. Requires general and specialized surgeons at the hospital 24 hours a day. These centers also have to do research, outreach and safety education.
Level II — Also requires general and specialized surgeons but doesn’t require research.
Level III — Doesn’t have as many specialists on hand, but must be able to provide emergency resuscitation, surgery and intensive care to most trauma patients.
Level IV — Must have trauma-trained nurse on hand 24 hours a day and an emergency physician on call.
Source: Arkansas Department Of Health