Doctors to break ground on surgical hospital

A group of doctors announced Tuesday night they will break ground Wednesday on Central Heart and Surgical Hospital at Exchange Avenue and United Drive.

Dr. Benjamin Dodge said the steering committee for the project includes himself, Dr. Michael Stanton, Dr. Timothy Freyaldenhoven, Dr. James Thomas, Dr. F. Martin Moix Jr., Dr. Brooks Lawrence, Dr. L. Parker Norris, Dr. Scott Smith, Dr. Brock King, Dr. David Naylor and Dr. Jeff Marotte.

The project has been a source of some discord between the Conway Regional Medical Center administration and the doctors, who work at Conway Regional and will continue to work there. The scope of the project has not been announced publicly until now.

Dodge said it has taken about a year and a half to complete plans for the hospital, however, he called it the culmination of a nine-to-10-year process.

"We tried to work with a lot of different partners," he said.

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Stanton said the new hospital will allow more physician involvement in the way care is delivered because doctors will have control over the hospital. He said several groups have considered building a hospital in Conway.

"We wanted to be on the front end," he said.

The doctors have partnered with Cirrus Health of Dallas, which develops hospitals and surgery centers.

The 130,000 square-foot facility will offer cardiology, CV surgery, general surgery, gastroenterology, gynecology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, ENT, pain management, podiatry, spine, urology, vascular, imaging and physical therapy.

The facility will have an emergency room with six beds.

Dodge said the hospital will take all indigent care. He said it will have a "fully-equipped ER staff, 24-7."

Stanton added the emergency room will have an emphasis toward chest pain.

He did not know how many doctors will be practicing there when the hospital opens, he said.

Dodge said the hospital does not have obstetrics because "we couldn't get the OB doctors to invest, except one. They are happy where they are."

Lawrence added, "Conway Regional has one of the best women's centers in the state."

Stanton added, "We think (the hospital) will be a good tool for new physicians. We think it will draw new physicians that wouldn't have come otherwise."

Regarding proposed legislation to ban physician-owned hospitals, Dodge said the owners would adapt and abide by the new laws. Cirrus Health "would enable us to work within whatever laws (and) make it equitable for investors," he said.

(Staff writer Rachel Parker Dickerson can be reached by e-mail at rachel.dickerson@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1277. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)