The University of Arkansas System, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), and Jefferson Hospital Association (Jefferson Regional) in Pine Bluff announced 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 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.
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.
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 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 in Pine Bluff.