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Jefferson Regional
UAMS and Jefferson Regional Announce Affiliation to Expand Access to Southeast Arkansas
| LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas System, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and Jefferson Hospital Association (Jefferson Regional) in Pine Bluff are pleased to announce they have successfully finalized a membership substitution agreement. Under this new affiliation, the University of Arkansas’ Board of Trustees officially becomes the corporate member of Jefferson Regional’s parent corporation, Jefferson Hospital Association, Inc.
This strategic partnership is designed to strengthen healthcare delivery throughout the southeast region of the state by expanding access to specialized clinical resources, advanced technologies, and shared operational efficiencies.
“This innovative and collaborative effort reflects upon several pillars of the overall mission of the University of Arkansas System and falls directly in line with the expansion of access to the high-quality services we’re driven to provide all Arkansans in all areas of the state,” said UA System President Jay B. Silveria. “I commend the leadership of both entities for working together to figure out beneficial ways a collaborative effort can be most impactful in this underserved region.”
Jefferson Regional and UAMS have a long and trusted relationship. UAMS established its first residency program on the Jefferson Regional campus in 1972 — a collaboration that has resulted in the education of more than 330 resident physicians. A formal affiliation between these two cornerstones in Arkansas healthcare is a natural next step.
“As someone who grew up in Pine Bluff, I understand how important strong local health care is to the people of southeast Arkansas,” said UAMS Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, M.D.
“This affiliation is an exciting opportunity for UAMS and Jefferson Regional to work together to expand access to high-quality care, strengthen our healthcare workforce, and improve the health of the communities we serve throughout the region,” he added.
“In recent years, we have seen hospitals across the country experience unprecedented challenges, and many of our fellow standalone hospitals are finding exciting opportunities in forging collaborations with other health systems,” said Brian Thomas, president and CEO of Jefferson Regional.
“An affiliation between Jefferson Regional and UAMS will enhance the efficiencies of caring for patients, provide more healthcare services to underserved populations, and allow us to pursue new opportunities to strengthen our campus, he added. “We are committed to providing the best care possible for southeast Arkansas, and an enhanced relationship with UAMS will allow us to do so for decades to come.”
Jefferson Regional is a community-owned, not-for-profit health system located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Licensed for 300 acute-care beds, the hospital employs roughly 1,500 staff members and 140 on-staff physicians, maintaining an average daily census of 120 patients. As one of the largest employers in Jefferson County, Jefferson Regional serves a primary and secondary market of approximately 225,000 residents across 11 counties in southeast Arkansas.
Beyond its main hospital campus, Jefferson Regional delivers care through a comprehensive range of subspecialty services, two Wellness Centers, an urgent care clinic, 19 physician practice locations, and Jefferson Regional School of Nursing. As a Level 3 Trauma Center, the hospital features an acute care surgery program with 24/7 trauma coverage, ensuring patients have access to critical care when it matters most. Jefferson Regional is also home to the Jefferson Regional Jones-Dunklin Cancer Center, a comprehensive cancer center providing advanced, compassionate cancer care on the main campus in Pine Bluff. Visit www.jrmc.org. Find us on Facebook, and Instagram.
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.###