Arkansas Children's Hospital & Jefferson Regional Medical Center Announce New Collaboration Bringing Nursery Alliance to South Arkansas

PINE BLUFF, ARK. (March 27, 2018) – Jefferson Regional Medical Center (JRMC) announced today that it is joining the Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) Nursery Alliance in a move that will directly coordinate care between neonatologists at ACH’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and physicians at JRMC in Pine Bluff. The collaboration takes neonatal care to a new level for South Arkansas babies.

Through the alliance, neonatologists at ACH will provide immediate consults to physicians at JRMC, as well as educational support, quality data review and implementation of best practices. The alliance also provides training through telemedicine for the purpose of enhancing neonatal care and creates support as needed to help the babies at JRMC or at ACH get the best care possible. Opportunities to track and monitor outcomes and research options are another benefit.

The collaboration addresses one of the state’s most vexing health problems: infant mortality. For every 1,000 babies born in the state, 8 die before their first birthdays.

“However, there is hope,” said Marcy Doderer, President and CEO of Arkansas Children’s. “You see here today the shared commitment of Jefferson Regional and Arkansas Children’s, and how we plan to change the story for the tiniest of patients. Together, we will improve children’s health in this community, in Arkansas and beyond.”

JRMC is the second hospital member of the ACH Nursery Alliance, which was established in 2016 when Conway Regional Health System joined as the first hospital member.

Arkansas Children’s Hospital operates the state’s only designated Level IV NICU (100 beds), the highest level of acute care, and has access to pediatric specialists from all disciplines.

“We recognize and embrace collaboration between our health care organizations – all focused on providing exceptional care to our newborns, the future of our state,” said JRMC President & CEO Brian Thomas. “Through consultation, training, education with the neonatologists at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, and collaboration with other hospital members, JRMC will improve its already outstanding level of care to families.”

Pediatrician Joann Mays, MD, of Pine Bluff will serve as medical director for the alliance at JRMC. Dr. Mays is a long-time member of the medical staff and serves on JRMC’s Board of Directors. In 2017 there were 800 deliveries at JRMC.

Through the Arkansas Children’s Nursery Alliance agreement, ACH will support JRMC to help ensure the care families count on close to home will continue in the nursery. Formal processes for coordinated care prior to transport should JRMC newborns require a higher level of care will be instituted, plus, post discharge follow-up by monitoring and measuring late morbidities through an expanded High Risk Newborn Clinic network.  

The neonatal period is specific to the first four weeks after birth (neonate or newborn), a time when changes happen rapidly. Many critical changes can occur in this period: Feeding patterns are established; bonding between parents and infant begin; the risk of infections that may become more serious are higher; and many birth or congenital defects are first noted. This care is usually centered on newborn infants with a range of problems, varying between prematurity, birth defects, infection, cardiac malformations and surgical problems.

About Jefferson Regional Medical Center