Baptist Health CEO Troy Wells said Tuesday the changes will include consolidating where some services are provided at the Fort Smith campus.
FORT SMITH, Ark. — Baptist Health announced Tuesday that the provider’s Fort Smith campus is set to undergo some serious changes within the next two years.
CEO Troy Wells said in a statement that after “extensive review and analysis” the decision had been made to conduct “significant changes” to operations at the Fort Smith location.
Wells said the changes will take place over the next 12 to 18 months and will include reinvesting in services, transitioning out of services, and consolidating where some services are provided.
The extent of the changes were not shared in Wells’ statement, but he did say the company is committed to transparency with employees and the communities served by the hospital.
According to Wells’ statement, the changes will support future facilities investments at the Fort Smith campus.
“We anticipate more than $20 million will be invested in the downtown campus over the next few years,” Wells said.
The CEO said the changes are due in part to a dramatically shifting healthcare industry, with rising costs and workforce concerns.
“These challenges require health systems to continually evaluate how best to provide care in ways that are sustainable for the long term,” Wells said.
The hospital is the oldest in Arkansas, having been built in 1887. It was acquired by Baptist Health in 2018 and has nearly 500 licensed beds.