HJAR Nov/Dec 2024

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  NOV / DEC 2024 49 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalAR.com “This certification is further confirmation that we are able to provide the best possible stroke care for residents of North Little Rock and our neighbors,” said Cody Walker, president of Bap- tist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock. “Our physicians and staff work as an interdisciplinary team, partnering with patients and their fami- lies to deliver award-winning stroke services – all backed by the state’s most comprehensive health care organization.” CHI St. Vincent North Recognized for Heart Attack Treatment CHI St. Vincent North has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Silver Performance Achievement Award for 2024. CHI St. Vincent North is a first-time recip- ient of the award. It is also among only 80 hospi- tals nationwide to receive the honor. “This is an affirmation of the tremendous dedi- cation we give our patients daily,” CHI St. Vincent North President Megan Bonney said. “CHI St. Vin- cent North is incredibly proud to be recognized as we continue to offer the most premier level of cardiology care to our patients and their families.” To receive the Chest Pain – MI Registry Silver Performance Achievement Award, hospitals must have demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain – MI Registry for four consecutive quar- ters in 2023. They must also have performed with distinction under specific measurables. CHI St. Vincent Infirmary Recognized for Treatment of Heart Attack Patients CHI St. Vincent Infirmary of Little Rock has received the American College of Cardiology’s 2024 NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Silver Per- formance Achievement Award and its Chest Pain Center Accreditation with Primary PCI. CHI St. Vincent is one of only 80 hospitals nationwide to receive the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Silver Performance Achievement Award, which honors the hospital for its standard of treat- ing heart attack patients as outlined by clinical guidelines from the American College of Cardi- ology and the American Heart Association. “We are deeply honored to receive both of these awards,” said Chad Aduddell, CHI St. Vin- cent market president-Arkansas. “This award reflects our team’s dedication to providing top- tier care for heart attack patients and our commit- ment to excellence in cardiovascular care.” Baptist Health-Fort Smith Adds Da Vinci Surgical System Baptist Health-Fort Smith has acquired the da Vinci 5 surgical system. The system can be used for minimally invasive surgical procedures for urol- ogy, gynecology, thoracic, and general surgeries. Just some of the benefits of the system include a faster recovery, shorter hospital stay, lower risk of complications, and quicker return to normal activities. As with all da Vinci surgical systems, the surgeon is 100% in control of the robotic-assisted da Vinci system, which translates their hand movements into smaller, more precise movements of tiny instruments inside the patient’s body. “We are thrilled to be a leader in this field and look forward to continually bringing advanced minimally invasive surgical options to the River Valley,” said Jeff Carrier, region president for Bap- tist Health. The physicians at Baptist Health-Fort Smith have been utilizing the da Vinci system since 2007, per- forming more than 4,400 surgeries. In addition to the new da Vinci 5, physicians will continue to use the da Vinci Xi system at the hospital. CHI St. Vincent Treating Afib with FARAPULSE CHI St. Vincent is the first hospital in Central Arkansas to offer FARAPULSE Pulsed Field Abla- tion System for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (Afib). “We are pleased to have performed the first cardiac ablation procedure in Central Arkansas using the FARAPULSE Pulsed Field Ablation Sys- tem, a newly-approved device for the treatment of atrial fibrillation in the U.S. and a technology that has been used safely and effectively across the globe,” said Marcia Atkinson, president of CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute. “The incidence of atrial fibrillation is on the rise, and such safe, effective and efficient therapies allow physicians to treat more patients, reduce complications, and bene- fit overall public health.” The FARAPULSE PFA System is a unique new alternative to standard-of-care thermal ablation. A non-thermal approach for the treatment of drug- refractory, recurrent, symptomatic, paroxysmal (i.e., intermittent) atrial fibrillation, it is proven to be an effective treatment option for patients while minimizing risks associated with thermal ablation. "During a traditional ablation procedure, a catheter is guided to the interior of the heart, which uses extreme temperatures of hot or cold to destroy the targeted areas in the heart asso- ciated with abnormal heart rhythms,” said Tom Wallace, MD, cardiac electrophysiologist at CHI St Vincent Heart Institute. “The Farapulse sys- tem, however, relies on a high-frequency electrical pulse, allowing us to be more precise during the procedure. This unique new therapy has proven to be as effective as the traditional method while minimizing risks for patients and shortening the procedure time significantly." Washington Regional Names Danielle Larson Director of Value Based Programs Washington Regional has named Danielle Lar- son as director of value based programs. Larson has over 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry and has served as a consultant for mul- tiple large healthcare systems. Prior to joining Washington Regional, Larson was a professional cyclist for three years, training and competing in Europe and the United States. In her role at Washington Regional, Larson will be responsible for leading, directing and manag- ing value-based programs and other federally pre- scribed health information technology reform ini- tiatives in the outpatient setting. n Danielle Larson