A prescription for NWA

Washington Regional, Walton partner for health

Avisit to the doctor’s office isn’t something everyone wants. Some people actually dread it. And more than a few of us have sat listening to a doctor explain his or her findings with one thought: What in the world is the doc talking about?

When we heard the announcement last week that Washington Regional Medical System and the Alice L.

Walton Foundation are partnering to improve medical care in Northwest Arkansas, our response wasn’t much different.

Then again, back in 2009 when the Walton Family Foundation announced $15 million for a trail connecting Northwest Arkansas’ larger cities, we were guilty of not quite realizing how the Razorback Regional Greenway would set the tone for a more physically active region. The gift inspired development of a lot more trails, changing the culture by promoting more walking, running and cycling.

Without a doubt, the Washington Regional/Walton announcement sounds big.

“This partnership is all about access, ensuring that residents of our thriving region have ready access to worldclass health care services, including specialty care,” said Alice Walton, one of the offspring of Walmart founder Sam Walton and his wife, Helen. She said the partnership will help “offer a broader scope and scale of services to our region and beyond.” What’s not to like about that? Alice Walton is perhaps best known for creating the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville and for her financing role in helping the region’s airport get off the ground. The larger Walton family continues to make incredible investments in Northwest Arkansas, reshaping downtowns, fostering entertainment and arts venues and leading in the development of regional amenities.

The health care announcement is thrilling, just like some of the remedies doctors come up with even if the patients don’t always fully grasp what’s involved. The partnership promises big things ahead, but it’s hard to fully appreciate what those will be and how it will affect everyone who lives in Northwest Arkansas.

“The creation of the regional health system will advance our mission and vision, including expanding our clinical, academic and operational capabilities, and continuing to invest in our facilities,” said Larry Shackelford, president and chief executive officer of Washington Regional Medical System. “This partnership provides the resources to take our health care services to the next level to best serve our growing community.”

As we said, it sounds like a big deal. Realizing that is a bit easier in the context of a Northwest Arkansas Council report published in 2019 that showed the region loses out on nearly $1 billion a year because people travel elsewhere for specialty care, identified as physicians and others who specialize in certain conditions, from cardiac care, oncology, digestive issues, orthopedics, behavioral health and neurosciences.

Beyond people going elsewhere, such shortcomings in the local health care scene also stand in the way of Northwest Arkansas continuing to develop as strongly as it might otherwise. Health care is, after all, a vital aspect of people’s lives.

“Partnerships like this ensure we’re positioned to become a destination for world-class, accessible, affordable health care and give us a competitive advantage for both talent and business attraction,” said Ashley Wardlow, interim president and chief executive officer of the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Alice Walton’s philanthropy related to health care also includes the 2020 announcement of the creation of the Whole Health Institute in Bentonville, an institution designed to change the American health care system from disease response to a “whole health” approach; and a 2021 announcement of plans to build an independent, nonprofit medical school in Bentonville.

Last year, the Alice L. Walton Foundation also announced a joint initiative with the Cleveland Clinic to identify ways of providing access to specialty care services in Northwest Arkansas. That initiative will be involved in the partnership with Washington Regional.

We appreciate the fact that the Waltons continue their investments in Northwest Arkansas. It will likely take a few years for everyone to fully grasp the significance of all these recent health care-related plans. What will come of it all? The prognosis for better health care options in Northwest Arkansas certainly looks good, even if it’s challenging for people outside the health care industry to fully realize what’s ahead.

It’s a little like being unable to read a doctor’s handwriting. We can’t quite make out everything, but the impact of the prescription is usually pretty good.