HJAR Jul/Aug 2022

62 JUL / AUG 2022  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS Hospital Rounds Alice L. Walton Foundation, Washington Regional Partner The Alice L. Walton Foundation and Washington Regional Medical System announced their inten- tion to create a regional health system to improve health outcomes across Northwest Arkansas and beyond. The announcement follows the news last year of a joint initiative through the Alice L. Walton Foun- dation and Cleveland Clinic to identify ways to provide access to Cleveland Clinic’s renowned specialty care services in Northwest Arkansas. The initiative was formed after a study highlighted that area residents frequently leave the region in order to receive specialty care. Through these two initiatives, the Alice L. Wal- ton Foundation and Washington Regional Med- ical System intend to work with Cleveland Clinic to support the growth of healthcare services in the region. “This partnership is all about access, ensuring that residents of our thriving region have ready access to world-class healthcare services, includ- ing specialty care,” said philanthropist Alice Wal- ton. “We’re bringing together three organizations with unique strengths — including Washington Regional’s excellence in serving this community, Cleveland Clinic’s innovative care, and my foun- dation’s focus on enhancing access — to offer a broader scope and scale of services to our region and beyond.” “The creation of the regional health system will advance our mission and vision, including expand- ing our clinical, academic, and operational capa- bilities, and continuing to invest in our facilities,” said Larry Shackelford, president and CEO for Washington Regional Medical System. “Our mis- sion is to improve the health of area residents through compassionate, high-quality care and wellness education, and to act as the central hub for clinical, educational, and research activities in Northwest Arkansas. This partnership provides the resources to take our healthcare services to the next level to best serve our growing community.” The Alice L. Walton Foundation and Washing- ton Regional Medical System will now begin to develop operational plans for this new partner- ship, with an intent to finalize next steps during the remainder of this year. “Cleveland Clinic is pleased to collaborate with the Alice L. Walton Foundation to touch more patients’ lives,” says Tom Mihaljevic, MD, CEO and president, Cleveland Clinic. “We are commit- ted to delivering the best possible care, by shar- ing our expertise in clinical care, research and edu- cation with the Northwest Arkansas community.” Arkansas Children’s Hospital Achieves Repeat Magnet Recognition for Clinical Care, Nursing Excellence Arkansas Children’s Hospital has again received the highest international recognition for excel- lence in nursing, achieving redesignation as a “Magnet” hospital. Just 8% of U.S. healthcare organizations earn Magnet designation, widely considered the high- est international credential for professional nurs- ing practice and signifying excellence in clinical care. Magnet status is awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the largest nursing credentialing organization in the world, as a four-year designation highlighting exemplary professional nursing practices, interprofessional teamwork, and superior patient care. The desig- nation is widely viewed as a hallmark of outstand- ing healthcare cultures built on empowerment of teams and dedication to patient safety. “A commitment to excellence drives the entire Arkansas Children’s team, demonstrated by meet- ing the rigorous standards of Magnet for a sec- ond time,” said Arkansas Children’s President and CEO Marcy Doderer, FACHE. “By recogniz- ing our world-class nursing care, this achievement further underscores terrific collaboration across our entire system as we advance children’s best interests together.” Magnet recognition has been shown to provide specific benefits to healthcare organizations and their communities, including higher patient satis- faction, lower mortality rates, and increased job satisfaction among nurses. “Repeated Magnet recognition is a credit to our steadfast team members who strive daily to ensure children thrive,” said Executive Vice Presi- dent and Chief Operating Officer Jamie Wiggins, MBA, RN, FACHE. “We are beyond proud of how the Arkansas Children’s team sets a standard for excellence as they champion children by making them better today and healthier tomorrow.” To nurses, Magnet recognition means educa- tion and professional development through every career stage, which leads to greater autonomy at the bedside. To patients, it means the highest quality of care, delivered by teams empowered to reach their true potential. U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals” includes Mag- net recognition in its ranking criteria for quality of inpatient care. The Magnet model provides a framework for nursing practice, research, and measurement of outcomes. The comprehensive designation process includes an electronic application, written patient care documentation, an on-site visit, and a review by the Commission on Magnet Recognition, all demanding widespread participation from leader- ship and staff. Organizations reapplying for Mag- net must provide evidence of how staff members sustained and improved Magnet concepts and quality since their original designation. Arkan- sas Children’s Hospital’s redesignation process included more than 500 staff interviews over the course of three days. Arkansas Children’s Hospital previously received Magnet designation in 2017. EZ SpanishMedia Raises $167,888 for Arkansas Children’s EZ Spanish Media, parent company of KOLL – La Zeta 106.3 FM radio station in Little Rock and KSEC – La Zeta 95.7 in Springdale, recently raised $167,888 for Arkansas Children’s. KSEC – La Zeta 95.7 hosted the 12th annual Cre- adores de Milagros (Miracle Makers) Radiotón April 29-May 1 in Springdale. KOLL – La Zeta 106.3, their sister station in Little Rock, hosted the ninth annual radiothon the same weekend. Both radiothons are designed for bilingual His- panic listeners. Throughout the last 12 years, EZ Spanish Media radiothons in Northwest and Central Arkansas have raised more than $2.8 million. “We are grateful to our incredibly supportive listeners who continue to show their strong com- mitment to Arkansas Children’s every year through our radiothons,” said Eddie Vega, owner of EZ Spanish Media. “Thanks to the support of our communities, we are proud to champion children