HJAR Mar/Apr 2023

64 MAR / APR 2023  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS Hospital Rounds the coming three years. “This document and the areas of need we iden- tified will serve as the foundation for our healing ministry’s strategic healthcare initiatives for the coming years,” said CHI St. Vincent CEO Chad Aduddell. “We have learned from experience that by prioritizing and planning evidence-based solutions to meet those needs, we can make the greatest possible impact on the communities we serve.” Previous Community Health Needs Assessment reports identified significant health challenges in the state like substance misuse and treatment, allowing CHI St. Vincent to focus resources into projects like establishing the Addiction Recov- ery Program at CHI St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock in 2021. The latest Community Health Needs Assessment identifies the following healthcare needs that the healing ministry will focus resources into addressing over the coming three years: • Access to primary care. • Access to mental healthcare. • Basic health knowledge and awareness. • Chronic condition education. • Domestic violence and human trafficking. • Food and nutrition education. • Substance use treatment and education. Some initiatives to help address these needs include the establishment of a Southwest Little Rock Mission Clinic to provide primary care and access to community care for a severely medically underserved area in Southwest Little Rock; a Con- nected Community Network of social, medical, and behavioral health services to provide easier access to post-acute care, especially for poor and homeless communities; and expanding partner- ships with local law enforcement to improve pub- lic awareness and response to the growing threat of violence and trafficking in local communities. “These are significant challenges faced by the communities we serve and while they are certainly not the only challenges, this effort allows us to focus not just our healthcare resources, but also focus on building strong partnerships to make a notable impact in these areas together over the next three years,” said Aduddell. “CHI St. Vin- cent is fortunate to have strong local relationships with government agencies and other groups that truly care about the people of Arkansas. Now with additional regional and national support, like the CommonSpirit Health-Human Trafficking Initia- tive, we can further amplify the good work already taking place.” To identify the healthcare needs in the assess- ment through 2024, CHI St. Vincent solicited pri- mary feedback from communities through person- alized community surveys, online surveys, public feedback forms, and publicly available research like the United Health Foundation’s 2021 Report, which ranked Arkansas 43rd in the nation for access to care. The complete Community Health Needs Assessment and correlating implementa- tion strategies are available on the CHI St. Vin- cent website: chistvincent.com/health-wellness/ community-needs-assessment Arkansas Children’s Hospital Auxiliary’s 2022 Miracle Ball Raises $870K The 2022 Miracle Ball, a shared project of Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) Auxiliary and Arkansas Children’s Foundation, raised more than $870,000 benefiting Arkansas Children’s Hospital. “We could not be more grateful to the donors who made this year’s event a night of impact,” said Fred Scarborough, president of Arkansas Children’s Foundation. “The donors’ support and the Auxiliary members' passion for Arkansas Chil- dren’s help ensure a better today and healthier tomorrow for children in Arkansas and beyond.” Members of the ACH Auxiliary support Arkan- sas Children’s programs by volunteering their time and generating statewide donations. For 2022, the funds raised by Miracle Ball will support the Heart Institute as well as the ACH Auxiliary’s legacy fund- ing priorities: Arkansas Children’s Research Insti- tute, Palliative Care, the Good Mourning Program, and the Social Work Family Fund. Because of the investment and generosity of the community, the cardiology program has offi- cially become the Arkansas Children’s Heart Insti- tute. The Arkansas Children’s Heart Institute is the state’s only pediatric cardiology program and is ranked among the Top 50 Children’s Hospitals in the Country for Pediatric Cardiology & Heart Sur- gery by U.S. News &World Report for 2022–2023. Founded in 1967, the ACH Auxiliary raises funds through annual initiatives, including the Holiday Card Project, Miracle Ball, á la Carte, ACHiever program, Playaway Gift Shop, and Race for a Healthier Tomorrow. The funds received by the ACH Auxiliary support programs and services at ACH, including the Arkansas Children’s Heart Insti- tute, Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, and the Palliative Care, Good Mourning, and Social Work Family Fund. Today, the ACH Auxiliary consistently raises $1 million annually to improve child health. Methodist Family Health Dedicates Spiritual Life Center Methodist Family Health dedicated its newest facility, the Mike Millar Spiritual Life Center, at 2002 S. Fillmore St. in Little Rock on Feb. 28. Methodist Family Health Foundation raised $4.2 million to construct the center, which is named in memory of Mike Millar, a lifelong United Meth- odist from Searcy, Arkansas. He served on both Methodist Family Health’s operations and foun- dation boards of directors. Millar was an attorney, philanthropist, and volunteer who died in 2020. The chapel of the center is named in memory of Elaine and Bishop Kenneth Hicks, also longtime supporters of Methodist Family Health. Construction of this facility began in October 2021 and completed in January 2023. In addition to the Elaine and Bishop Kenneth Hicks Chapel, this center includes a multipur- pose space, a welcome center for the campus, and administrative space for Methodist Chil- dren’s Home administrators. This center also includes an outdoor labyrinth, new landscaping, and enhanced parking to complement the build- ing, and the facility provides space for community partners to meet for neighborhood association meetings and community education. Kranz Joins Conway Regional as NewCNO April Kranz has accepted the position of chief nursing officer for Conway Regional Health Sys- tem. Kranz was selected after a nationwide search that CommonSpirit Health facilitated. Kranz will serve as the leader for nursing at Con- way Regional Health System, which also includes Dardanelle Regional Medical Center. "April has proven a track record of engaging and building a team to improve efficiency, quality, and engagement," said Matt Troup, president and CEO of Conway Regional Health System. "She