HJAR Sep/Oct 2019

56 SEP / OCT 2019  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS Hospital Rounds CHI St. Vincent Completes New Arkansas Neuroscience Institute Research and Education Center CHI St. Vincent announced the grand open- ing of the new Arkansas Neuroscience Institute Research and Education Center. The new facil- ity will work to improve treatment outcomes for patients, map the human brain, and provide train- ing for neurosurgeons to develop the skills nec- essary to tackle the most complex cases. The center is the culmination of a $30-million proj- ect to develop new neurosurgery, education, and research facilities in central Arkansas. “This is not just a new building, but a beacon of light for neurosurgeons around the world,” said ANI Director Dr. Ali Krisht. “Neurosurgery as a field is very unknown. This center will become an oasis for all the thinkers and people who deal with neurosurgical problems to come learn with us and at the same time contribute to our learning.” The center includes the M.G. Yasargil Neuro- surgical Research and Education Center and O. Al-Mefty Microneurosurgery Laboratory, named after two of Krisht’s mentors and fellow recipients of the prestigious international Herbert Olivecrona Award for contributions to the field of neurosur- gery. The laboratory features the only existing space where neurosurgeons can train using The Aboud Model: The Live Cadaver. Created by ANI’s Dr. Emad Aboud, The Aboud Model circulates blood-like perfusate through a cadaver using a cardiac pump to simulate life-like conditions in terms of bleeding, pulsation, and softness of tis- sue, providing surgeons the advanced training they need without the enhanced pressure of oper- ating on a live patient. The 150-seat Margaret Clark Auditorium is equipped with three large projectors using a combination of 3D and laser technologies to live stream neurosurgical procedures from the micro- scopic camera navigating areas of a patient’s brain in the operating room. The resource allows stu- dents and fellow neurosurgeons to fully witness a surgery and see how the world’s best neuro- surgeons conduct procedures or address unex- pected discoveries. “The new ANI Research and Education Cen- ter allows CHI St. Vincent to re-enforce our 130- year healing ministry for patients across Arkan- sas and also gives us the opportunity to reach patients around the world as Dr. Krisht and his team develop and share advanced techniques to improve patient outcomes,” said CHI St. Vin- cent CEO Chad Aduddell. “Patients with condi- tions thought inoperable elsewhere find hope and healing at ANI. We’re thankful for our donors and supporters who have helped make this center a reality.” Construction of the ANI Research and Educa- tion Center was made possible in part thanks to $4 million in donations to the CHI St. Vincent Foundation. The project also included major ren- ovations to CHI St. Vincent North, including four state of the art surgery rooms, advanced imaging resources, a helipad to reduce the transportation time for patients in need of immediate care, and an expanded intensive care unit to provide for the unique needs of neurosurgery patients. ANI cur- rently treats patients from all 75 Arkansas coun- ties, 38 states, and countries around the world. The ANI Research and Education Center was developed and designed by the NexCore Group and architects at Taggart Inc. in coordination with the CHI Real Estate and Planning Office. The cen- ter was built by Clark Contractors. Arkansas Children’s Hospital Surgery TeamAttains Elite Level 1 Verification from the American College of Surgeons Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) has been verified as a Level 1 Children’s Surgical Center by the American College of Surgeons through its Children’s Surgery Verification Quality Improve- ment Program (ACS CSV). ACH becomes one of only 17 children’s hospitals in the United States and the only hospital in Arkansas to receive this highest level of designation. Level 1 verification, valid for three years, recog- nizes surgery centers whose quality improvement programs have enhanced the quality of children’s surgeries, prevented complications, reduced costs and, most importantly, saved lives. The distinction shows Arkansas Children’s Hospital: • Has a comprehensive staff of medical and surgical specialists ready to care for chil- dren 24/7 • Offers wide-ranging resources to address the most complex conditions • Presents ongoing education for families, pediatricians, and others • Participates in a robust national data reg- istry yielding semiannual reports of quality • Engages in academic research that ensures evidence-based best practices are used at the bedside with patients The ACS CSV program was developed to improve the quality of children’s surgical care by ensuring every child’s individual needs can be met by resources available at verified centers. “This verification means families are turning to the highest quality surgical program when they entrust Arkansas Children’s Hospital to care for CHI St. Vincent ANI research and education center