CommunityLink

Conway, AR

Health Care

Confidence and trust keep people coming back to Conway Regional Health System. As part of a health system that provides a compassionate, knowledgeable staff with the latest technology, Conway Regional is a 149-bed, not-for-profit acute medical center. The more than 93,000 patient visits in 2004 testify to the exceptional care and expertise given to those in need. Serving Faulkner County and surrounding north-central Arkansas communities, Conway Regional’s comprehensive care includes cardiovascular surgery, cancer diagnosis and treatment, women’s services, and rehabilitation therapy.

The prestigious Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey ranked Conway Regional in the 90th percentile during the past three years. In the first fiscal quarter of 2005, the medical center finished in the 99th percentile out of the 900 hospitals surveyed countrywide.

Patient-satisfaction statistics are impressive, but Conway Regional’s dedication becomes very personal for those who have experienced it firsthand. On April 7, 2005, Ralph Walter of Conway was the 500th open-heart surgery patient at Conway Regional. With sincere appreciation he said, “The Lord looks out for you while you are on earth, but it’s great to have this cardiology team here! The care was great. It’s been outstanding!”

These words were well earned by the lifesaving staff at Conway Regional Medical Center. For instance, Dr. E. J. Chauvin was the first cardiothoracic surgeon in Arkansas to perform a procedure in which the heart remains beating during surgery. One of the more than 120 physicians on the active medical staff, Dr. Chauvin is part of a team representing 29 specialties.

Conway Regional’s physician specialists offer peace of mind to those suffering from a range of ailments. Whether it is otolaryngology, the study of ear, nose and throat diseases, or nephrology, the study of kidney disorders, Conway Regional Health System continues to add new and innovative services for its patients.

Since the year 2000, physicians representing 18 specialties have joined Conway Regional. In addition to the two just mentioned, this list includes anesthesiology, dermatology, emergency medicine, family medicine, gastroenterology, hematology/oncology, internal medicine, neurology, obstetrics/gynecology, ophthalmology, pediatrics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, psychiatry, radiology, and spine surgery.

Over the past four years, the health system has added a number of facilities offering specialized care. These facilities include:
• Conway Regional Women’s Center, completed in August 2001, provides women with diagnostic services, gynecological surgery, the “Look Good … Feel Better” cancer program, and ADA-certified diabetes education training. Delivering more than 1,500 babies annually, this center offers education classes dealing with childbirth, breastfeeding, infant CPR, child-passenger safety and classes for fathers.
• Conway Regional Imaging Center, opened in May 2003, provides outpatient diagnostic imaging such as CT, open MRI, ultrasound and X-ray. The center provides the area’s only Cardiac Scoring System, which is an early-detection system for heart disease. In February 2005, state-of-the-art PET/CT Imaging was added to the center’s services.
• Conway Regional Rehabilitation Hospital, opened in December 2004, is an inpatient post-acute-care facility. This hospital is licensed for 26 beds and houses a gymnasium, private dining areas and an educational classroom, among many other attractions. Offering physical, recreational, occupational and speech therapy, its goal is to help patients gain confidence in the home setting and relearn everyday skills needed after discharge.
The Conway Regional Health and Fitness Center is located on 700 Salem Road. The 70,000-square-foot center is one of the largest hospital-based wellness facilities in the country. The center offers its more than 6,000 members a variety of aerobics, weight training, aquatics, personal training, nutrition and other activities for adults and children.

When life’s unexpected trials, such as cancer, befall a patient, Conway Regional’s cancer program is there to help. Cancer services are directed by the Conway Regional Cancer Committee, which consists of dedicated specialists, nurses, case managers and other highly trained medical personnel. Conway Regional Medical Center has the only community hospital cancer program in Faulkner or Pulaski County to be approved by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. Only one in four cancer programs in the country is approved by this commission. The medical center also works in harmony with CARTI/Conway Regional Cancer Center, which has been serving the community since 1996. This partnership of specialists implements the most comprehensive oncology treatment for cancer patients.

Conway Regional’s commitment to patient welfare goes beyond diagnosis and surgical procedures. A number of support groups are based at Conway Regional Medical Center. Whether attending Parkinson’s Disease meetings or the Share Our Strength group for cancer patients, their families and friends, the patient will experience social interactions and receive emotional support. The health system’s Web site, www.conwayregional.org, offers a complete description of services available at Conway Regional. Like all the choices at Conway Regional, these services address individual needs. Not just another case number, patients are confident they can entrust their very lives to those serving at Conway Regional Medical Center.

This commitment toward the patient’s overall welfare is also an identifying mark of other health care professionals in the area. They have successfully met the challenge of providing cost-effective treatment coupled with the latest advances in their specialized fields. Conway residents are blessed with a variety of services, from dentistry, gynecology/obstetrics and pediatrics to physical therapy.

Keeping in step with the community, the Arkansas Health Department recently merged with the Department of Human Services. Their clinics provide immunizations and tuberculosis services, WIC, family planning and maternity services, environmental health services, and home health services.

The compassionate professionals at Counseling Associates, Inc. (CAI) offer an array of behavioral-health services. CAI provides individual, marital and group outpatient therapy. Other services include abuse counseling, medication management, testing and school-based programs. They have also established an emergency/residential shelter for abused girls, aptly called HAVEN.

The area’s health care facilities for the elderly work hard to provide above-average services for seniors. The Conway Healthcare and Rehab Center provides rehabilitation as well as long-term care. With two secure units for Alzheimer’s patients, one male and one female, they offer peace of mind for the patient’s family. Heritage Living Center’s skilled care helps 85 percent of their Medicare patients return home after rehabilitation.

St. Andrews Place is privately owned and equipped with 104 beds. The owners have 37 years of experience in elderly care, with 11 of those spent at the present location. Long-term care in conjunction with speech, occupational and physical therapy enriches the lives of their residents. The caring staff at Salem Place Nursing Center offers specialized services such as rehab, an observation lock-down unit and long-term care. Trillium Park Retirement Residence is built within a residential area. With 80 private spacious apartments, 35 of which are reserved for assisted living, active seniors have all the comforts of home without the worries.

Reputable establishments such as these and other Conway medical practices work together for the good of the community. Conway Regional began as a community project back in the 1920s. Now, decades later, this not-for-profit health system reinvests its revenue into services to care for the poor and improve the health of those in Faulkner and surrounding counties. This fundamental commitment to put the people first will continue to win the confidence and trust of those they serve.