HJAR Nov/Dec 2019

58 NOV / DEC 2019  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS Hospital Rounds patient advocacy.” The Pulaski County Regional Crisis Stabilization Unit is one of four such units in Arkansas autho- rized in 2017 by the state Legislature to serve those in the midst of a mental health crisis. The Sebastian County Five West Crisis Stabilization Unit opened in February 2018 while the Northwest Arkansas Crisis Stabilization Unit opened in June in Fayetteville. The fourth unit is expected to open later this year in Craighead County. “Pulaski County couldn’t have better a part- ner operating the CSU than UAMS,” said Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde. “It continues to grow and I’m very optimistic about its future.” Mercy Hospitals Recognized for Earning Patient Loyalty Mercy hospitals in three states were recog- nized by NRC Health as 2019 Top 100 Con- sumer Loyalty Award winners. Hospitals receiving the designation are Mercy Hospital Fort Smith, Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas, Mercy Hos- pital Oklahoma City, and Mercy Hospital St. Louis. The Consumer Loyalty awards are the only loy- alty-based hospital rankings in the country. Mercy was selected based on results from NRC Health’s Market Insights survey, the largest database of health care consumer responses in the country. The study surveyed more than 310,000 peo- ple in the U.S. and asked consumers about their engagement with health care providers in their community. Hospitals were rated based on seven metrics including access to care, patient loyalty, and experience. “This award is a testament to the care we pro- vide,” said Jennifer McLean, vice president of strategic initiatives and patient experience at Mercy. “Patient loyalty is the result of the trust earned through valued relationships, exceptional experiences and high-quality medical care. This recognizes the dedicated Mercy co-workers who provide exceptional care every day.” For nearly four decades, NRC Health has helped health care organizations improve what matters most to patients, physicians, nurses, and staff. “Mercy and the other outstanding health care facilities included in the Consumer Loyalty Awards list are leading the way toward a new elevated standard for the patient and consumer expe- rience,” said Brian Wynne, vice president and general manager at NRC Health. “This award is a reflection of the trust Mercy has built with its patient communities, and speaks to the excep- tional work being done by Mercy to provide com- passionate care and inspire consumer loyalty.” CHI St. Vincent, PennMedicine Team up to Accelerate Heart Surgery Research Efforts The CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute announced The CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute announced a collaboration with Penn Medicine to accelerate high- priority clinical research efforts related to heart surgery Pictured here, front row, left to right, are team members of CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute team leading the collaboration with Penn Medicine Marcia Atkinson, president, CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute; Susan Stock, research coordinator; Muhammad Waqas, MD, advanced heart failure and transplant specialist; Rhonda Mayo, research coordinator; back row, Gerry Carter, office manager, CHI St. Vincent Heart Clinic Arkansas; Roger Swayze, director of cardiovascular services; and Thurston M. Bauer, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon, surgical director, advanced heart failure & mechanical circulatory support.