Schmieding Foundation Commits $1.5 Million to UAMS Health Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Hospital
| LITTLE ROCK — The Schmieding Foundation, Inc., pledged $1.5 million to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to support construction and activities of the UAMS Health Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Hospital in Springdale, Arkansas.
UAMS hosted an April 24 topping out ceremony for the facility, which is scheduled to be completed in spring 2027.
“The Schmieding Foundation continues to be a leader in the development of Northwest Arkansas, and I am honored that the foundation has championed so many worthwhile causes for UAMS,” said UAMS Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, M.D. “Lawrence Schmieding was a great Arkansan, and his legacy of leadership and generosity has inspired so much growth in Arkansas.”
The 85,000-square-foot facility will be located on about 30 acres in the four-mile stretch of I-49 on the city’s west side, commonly known as the Springdale Care Corridor.
UAMS hosted a “topping out” ceremony for the facility on April 24 in Springdale, Arkansas.
The new facility will be the home in Northwest Arkansas for UAMS Health orthopaedic surgical care and will include exam rooms, operating rooms, and inpatient beds. The facility will also provide sports medicine care, sports performance training, physical therapy, and MRI, supplementing UAMS’ existing orthopaedic and sports performance clinics in the area. In recognition of the gift, the physical therapy gym and cardio suite will be named in honor of the Schmieding Foundation.
UAMS is the exclusive orthopaedic and sports medicine provider for Razorback Athletics, and the facility will provide specialized care for the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville’s student-athletes.
“The Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Hospital will not only be a state-of-the-art sports medicine facility but will also treat all elements of orthopedic surgery including spine, joint replacements, and general orthopedic and musculoskeletal care,” said Wes Cox, M.D., section chief of UAMS Health’s orthopaedic and sports medicine team in Northwest Arkansas. “A great deal of support was needed towards the realization of this project — this included support from donors such as the Schmieding Foundation, who we are grateful for in sharing our vision for this world-class facility.”
The Schmieding Foundation’s commitment to healthcare and education in Northwest Arkansas also includes the nonprofit’s support of the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus, the Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education, the UAMS Schmieding Foundation Pathways Academy, UAMS Schmieding Kids First, and the UAMS Schmieding Developmental Center.
The Schmieding Foundation, which was created by brothers Lawrence and Hubert “Bert” Schmieding, is a philanthropic nonprofit whose activities primarily support healthcare and education for children and seniors. The foundation has supported UAMS since 1998 with the creation of the Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education in Springdale, the first facility of its kind in the state. Now, it is a nationally recognized program for healthy aging. In 2019, the Schmieding Foundation generously gifted the building to the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees for the benefit of UAMS.
“We are honored to join UAMS to be part of this large collaborative effort to bolster orthopaedic care in Northwest Arkansas,” said Lance Taylor, president of Schmieding Foundation, Inc. “This facility will offer increased access to quality orthopedic care to our expanding population and help serve our senior residents.”
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,553 students and 1,030 medical residents and fellows, and two dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with about 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.###