1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,319 Welcome to the Becker's Healthcare podcast. I'm Chris 2 00:00:02,319 --> 00:00:03,919 Sosa, your host, and I'm thrilled to be 3 00:00:03,919 --> 00:00:06,240 joined today by Jamie Wiggins. He's executive vice 4 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,460 president and chief operations officer of Arkansas Children's. 5 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,240 Jamie, thank you for joining us today. Thank 6 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:14,304 you, Chris. Happy to be here. Yeah. It's 7 00:00:14,304 --> 00:00:16,064 such a pleasure. So, Jamie, for those in 8 00:00:16,064 --> 00:00:18,464 our audience who maybe are not too familiar 9 00:00:18,464 --> 00:00:20,464 with yourself and your organization, could you please 10 00:00:20,464 --> 00:00:22,324 let us know a little bit about both? 11 00:00:22,785 --> 00:00:25,504 Absolutely. I am a pediatric nurse by background. 12 00:00:25,504 --> 00:00:27,425 I've been in pediatric health care for thirty 13 00:00:27,425 --> 00:00:27,925 years. 14 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,359 Held some various levels of executive leadership before 15 00:00:31,359 --> 00:00:33,359 joining Arkansas Children's four and a half years 16 00:00:33,359 --> 00:00:35,840 ago. We're the only pediatric health care system 17 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,100 in the state completely dedicated to kids. 18 00:00:38,399 --> 00:00:41,119 We have two hospitals, five clinics, a research 19 00:00:41,119 --> 00:00:42,500 institute, and a foundation, 20 00:00:43,145 --> 00:00:46,585 and serve nearly 1,000,000 kids, 21 and younger 21 00:00:46,585 --> 00:00:47,564 across our state. 22 00:00:48,344 --> 00:00:50,905 Fantastic. Thanks for letting us know what Arkansas 23 00:00:50,905 --> 00:00:52,744 Children is about and the breadth and and 24 00:00:52,744 --> 00:00:54,504 scope that you guys cover, which is quite 25 00:00:54,504 --> 00:00:55,085 a bit, 26 00:00:55,464 --> 00:00:56,364 down in Arkansas. 27 00:00:56,899 --> 00:00:58,740 First question I have for you, Jamie, is 28 00:00:58,740 --> 00:01:00,420 this. So let's look a little bit back 29 00:01:00,420 --> 00:01:01,700 at 2025. 30 00:01:01,700 --> 00:01:02,980 So what would you say is the most 31 00:01:02,980 --> 00:01:05,540 important initiative that you and the organization led 32 00:01:05,540 --> 00:01:06,900 last year, and can you tell us the 33 00:01:06,900 --> 00:01:07,400 results 34 00:01:07,700 --> 00:01:08,680 and how it evolved? 35 00:01:09,034 --> 00:01:09,534 Sure. 36 00:01:09,995 --> 00:01:11,275 I think we've been in the middle of 37 00:01:11,275 --> 00:01:14,555 a multiyear campus expansion project or really system 38 00:01:14,555 --> 00:01:17,055 expansion project across our different sites of care. 39 00:01:17,275 --> 00:01:19,594 But from an operational standpoint, what we really 40 00:01:19,594 --> 00:01:21,755 focused on last year was creating a very 41 00:01:21,755 --> 00:01:23,775 seamless front door for patients and families. 42 00:01:24,250 --> 00:01:26,590 We know that we have the tertiary, quaternary, 43 00:01:26,810 --> 00:01:29,049 full complement of services that kids in our 44 00:01:29,049 --> 00:01:31,369 region need, but it wasn't always as easy 45 00:01:31,369 --> 00:01:32,670 to get a scheduled appointment. 46 00:01:33,049 --> 00:01:35,390 And so we really focused on template 47 00:01:35,689 --> 00:01:38,030 optimization with our provider colleagues. 48 00:01:38,534 --> 00:01:40,935 We focused on our technology access points to 49 00:01:40,935 --> 00:01:42,534 make sure that it was streamlined so that 50 00:01:42,534 --> 00:01:43,915 we could schedule appointments. 51 00:01:44,534 --> 00:01:45,974 And what that really allowed us to do 52 00:01:45,974 --> 00:01:48,534 is last year, we saw nearly 200,000 unique 53 00:01:48,534 --> 00:01:50,935 patients, which was our most patients seen in 54 00:01:50,935 --> 00:01:53,359 a given year in our history. So some 55 00:01:53,359 --> 00:01:54,980 really great work that's happened there. 56 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,560 Jamie, in looking at that project, what would 57 00:01:58,560 --> 00:01:59,939 you say you learned about 58 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:01,060 either yourself, 59 00:02:01,439 --> 00:02:03,540 or learn about yourself, or learn about, 60 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,400 just what it takes to drive such an 61 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:06,900 initiative? 62 00:02:07,765 --> 00:02:09,444 Yeah. You know, it always takes a big, 63 00:02:09,925 --> 00:02:11,925 aspirational goal to figure out how you wanna 64 00:02:11,925 --> 00:02:14,485 achieve culture change, but the reality is I 65 00:02:14,485 --> 00:02:16,245 think I've learned it what I've always known 66 00:02:16,245 --> 00:02:18,425 and reinforced. It happens at the front line. 67 00:02:18,485 --> 00:02:20,805 It happens on those interactions with our leaders 68 00:02:20,805 --> 00:02:22,564 and our front line team members and our 69 00:02:22,564 --> 00:02:23,064 physicians, 70 00:02:23,550 --> 00:02:25,569 and really making sure that we understand 71 00:02:26,030 --> 00:02:27,009 what are the barriers 72 00:02:27,550 --> 00:02:28,610 that have been created, 73 00:02:29,550 --> 00:02:32,669 not on purpose, well meaning intended people, but 74 00:02:32,669 --> 00:02:35,090 yet as our systems continue to get complex, 75 00:02:35,685 --> 00:02:37,844 as we continue to respond and make sure 76 00:02:37,844 --> 00:02:39,765 that we meet all of the regulatory requirements 77 00:02:39,765 --> 00:02:41,064 for the care that we provide, 78 00:02:41,525 --> 00:02:43,844 we sometimes make our system very hard to 79 00:02:43,844 --> 00:02:44,344 navigate. 80 00:02:44,645 --> 00:02:47,064 And so really making sure that we're engaging 81 00:02:47,444 --> 00:02:50,349 all levels of the organization and really listening 82 00:02:50,349 --> 00:02:52,590 for the frontline to understand what we can 83 00:02:52,590 --> 00:02:54,189 do to make their job easier so that 84 00:02:54,189 --> 00:02:55,490 we can align our goals. 85 00:02:56,510 --> 00:02:58,750 Makes total sense. Thanks, Jamie. So as we 86 00:02:58,750 --> 00:03:00,750 take that knowledge and we look ahead into 87 00:03:00,750 --> 00:03:02,590 2026, we're a little bit into the year, 88 00:03:02,590 --> 00:03:04,215 but still a lot to go. So what 89 00:03:04,215 --> 00:03:06,694 would you say are the biggest priorities that 90 00:03:06,694 --> 00:03:09,895 Arkansas Children's has? Any headwinds that you foresee 91 00:03:09,895 --> 00:03:12,294 and even tailwinds that you're hoping can boost 92 00:03:12,294 --> 00:03:12,955 you guys? 93 00:03:13,735 --> 00:03:15,574 Well, I'm certainly hoping the access work that 94 00:03:15,574 --> 00:03:17,094 we did last year will continue to be 95 00:03:17,094 --> 00:03:18,800 a tailwind to help us move us forward 96 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:20,000 as we look to make sure that we 97 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:21,699 can take care of more kids this year. 98 00:03:22,319 --> 00:03:24,259 I think what we have in common with 99 00:03:24,319 --> 00:03:27,519 other organizations across the country is the talent 100 00:03:27,519 --> 00:03:28,019 pipeline, 101 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:31,060 specifically around our physicians and our providers. 102 00:03:31,745 --> 00:03:33,444 We know that across the country, 103 00:03:33,905 --> 00:03:36,405 less people are going into pediatric subspecialties, 104 00:03:37,264 --> 00:03:39,745 and so always making sure that we are 105 00:03:39,745 --> 00:03:42,625 creating the kind of academic environment and clinical 106 00:03:42,625 --> 00:03:44,805 environment that physicians would wanna choose, 107 00:03:45,379 --> 00:03:47,159 as well as growing our pipeline 108 00:03:47,460 --> 00:03:49,560 for our technical roles as well. 109 00:03:50,260 --> 00:03:52,500 From a culture piece, as we look forward, 110 00:03:52,500 --> 00:03:55,060 we're really calling ourself to excellence to really 111 00:03:55,060 --> 00:03:55,960 focus on 112 00:03:56,340 --> 00:03:58,280 a friendliest hospital mindset. 113 00:03:59,164 --> 00:04:01,164 So, really, how do we make sure that 114 00:04:01,164 --> 00:04:02,305 we are creating exceptional 115 00:04:03,644 --> 00:04:06,844 customer service and patient care along the entire 116 00:04:06,844 --> 00:04:07,344 trajectory 117 00:04:07,965 --> 00:04:10,205 regardless if you interact with us in our 118 00:04:10,205 --> 00:04:11,824 acute care tertiary service 119 00:04:12,189 --> 00:04:14,289 or you interact with us on a telemedicine 120 00:04:14,430 --> 00:04:16,769 visit. We wanna make sure that we are, 121 00:04:17,230 --> 00:04:19,730 exceeding expectations and always we give care, 122 00:04:20,189 --> 00:04:21,169 which has really, 123 00:04:21,550 --> 00:04:23,550 been a motivating force for us to really 124 00:04:23,550 --> 00:04:25,824 look at what we're doing and figure out 125 00:04:25,824 --> 00:04:27,764 how we can equip our team members, 126 00:04:28,625 --> 00:04:30,705 with the ability and the skill set and 127 00:04:30,705 --> 00:04:32,545 the flexibility to make sure they deliver on 128 00:04:32,545 --> 00:04:33,285 those expectations. 129 00:04:33,824 --> 00:04:35,985 And so, we're excited about what the future 130 00:04:35,985 --> 00:04:36,485 holds. 131 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:38,419 It's fantastic. 132 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:39,220 Let's 133 00:04:39,759 --> 00:04:40,419 look at 134 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,779 a a little bit more about 2026. 135 00:04:44,079 --> 00:04:46,000 So you have funding that you wanna get 136 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:47,139 done. No doubt. 137 00:04:47,439 --> 00:04:49,060 So when you think about that, 138 00:04:49,384 --> 00:04:50,985 what do you think is the hardest thing 139 00:04:50,985 --> 00:04:52,345 you'll have to do in the coming year? 140 00:04:52,345 --> 00:04:53,865 It doesn't mean you're not looking forward to 141 00:04:53,865 --> 00:04:56,104 doing it, but you understand it's gonna take 142 00:04:56,104 --> 00:04:56,845 a specific 143 00:04:57,305 --> 00:04:59,944 and intense level of focus to accomplish that 144 00:04:59,944 --> 00:05:00,444 goal. 145 00:05:01,144 --> 00:05:02,664 Yeah. The one thing I would say that 146 00:05:02,664 --> 00:05:05,699 kinda highlight is our focus on rural health 147 00:05:05,699 --> 00:05:06,199 care. 148 00:05:06,980 --> 00:05:09,000 It's really hard to do that work. 149 00:05:09,540 --> 00:05:11,779 Over 50% of the children that live in 150 00:05:11,779 --> 00:05:13,560 Arkansas live in rural communities. 151 00:05:14,100 --> 00:05:16,439 Nationally, that percentage is around 12. 152 00:05:16,944 --> 00:05:18,884 And so we have a huge calling 153 00:05:19,264 --> 00:05:20,944 to figure out how we can get in 154 00:05:20,944 --> 00:05:21,685 those communities, 155 00:05:22,145 --> 00:05:24,645 which will require infrastructure and resources 156 00:05:25,025 --> 00:05:27,845 that doesn't always align with current payer methodologies. 157 00:05:28,785 --> 00:05:30,884 So we really are leaning into 158 00:05:31,410 --> 00:05:33,730 our commitment to improve child health across the 159 00:05:33,730 --> 00:05:36,370 state, and that obviously isn't gonna happen in, 160 00:05:36,370 --> 00:05:38,290 you know, one year. That's gonna be a 161 00:05:38,290 --> 00:05:40,850 multiyear focus that we continue to invest in, 162 00:05:40,850 --> 00:05:42,709 but we're really excited about that work. 163 00:05:43,089 --> 00:05:45,009 And for me, what I really am always 164 00:05:45,009 --> 00:05:47,145 focused on is how do we deliver the 165 00:05:47,145 --> 00:05:48,845 best care and the best environment 166 00:05:49,225 --> 00:05:50,685 and make sure that we have 167 00:05:51,225 --> 00:05:53,384 optimized the efficiency in the running of our 168 00:05:53,384 --> 00:05:53,884 organization. 169 00:05:54,504 --> 00:05:56,504 If any dollar that I can help, say, 170 00:05:56,504 --> 00:05:58,665 from the delivery of care provides a dollar 171 00:05:58,665 --> 00:06:00,264 that we can invest in the future for 172 00:06:00,264 --> 00:06:01,245 rural health care. 173 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:02,740 That's 174 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:05,139 a perfect equation, I would say. 175 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:06,980 Let's look at 176 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:09,300 looking forward, you mentioned 177 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:10,580 infrastructure, 178 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:12,959 but I do wanna ask you not only 179 00:06:12,959 --> 00:06:15,115 about that, but other opportunities you see for 180 00:06:15,115 --> 00:06:16,175 growth. I mean, certainly, 181 00:06:16,634 --> 00:06:18,735 as you mentioned, caring for kids 182 00:06:19,275 --> 00:06:21,055 in Arkansas where 50% 183 00:06:21,435 --> 00:06:23,775 of them live in rural areas, that that's 184 00:06:23,835 --> 00:06:26,439 gonna take investment. Right? So where do you 185 00:06:26,439 --> 00:06:29,159 see Arkansas children going with that next? Whether 186 00:06:29,159 --> 00:06:30,300 it's the next year, 187 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,319 eighteen months, five years, what whatever timeline you 188 00:06:33,319 --> 00:06:34,939 think is appropriate in this time. 189 00:06:35,319 --> 00:06:37,720 Sure. Well, we just kicked off this past 190 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,285 July our new five year strategic plan. And 191 00:06:40,285 --> 00:06:42,444 so we've kinda given ourselves a five year 192 00:06:42,444 --> 00:06:44,764 runway to figure out how we will continue 193 00:06:44,764 --> 00:06:47,165 to make a deep dent in improving rural 194 00:06:47,165 --> 00:06:47,824 health care. 195 00:06:48,365 --> 00:06:51,085 Our chief strategy officer and our strategy leadership 196 00:06:51,085 --> 00:06:52,064 team has really, 197 00:06:52,605 --> 00:06:54,384 will probably focus on chronic illness. 198 00:06:54,750 --> 00:06:56,829 How do we create hubs that will allow 199 00:06:56,829 --> 00:06:58,990 us to focus on the chronically ill in 200 00:06:58,990 --> 00:07:00,689 our state to help with health care management? 201 00:07:01,709 --> 00:07:03,649 So for one example would be diabetes. 202 00:07:04,430 --> 00:07:05,790 Is there a way that we can make 203 00:07:05,790 --> 00:07:08,370 sure we stay in constant contact in monitoring 204 00:07:08,430 --> 00:07:09,730 of our diabetic patients 205 00:07:10,064 --> 00:07:12,725 to really achieve some population health management 206 00:07:13,105 --> 00:07:15,345 at a statewide level. So I think that's 207 00:07:15,345 --> 00:07:17,264 one of the areas that you'll see us 208 00:07:17,264 --> 00:07:19,444 kinda focus over the next couple years. 209 00:07:20,144 --> 00:07:21,904 I think we have a lot of interest 210 00:07:21,904 --> 00:07:23,504 as a lot of health care systems do 211 00:07:23,504 --> 00:07:26,279 across the country to understand what the investment 212 00:07:26,279 --> 00:07:27,959 in rural health care across the country will 213 00:07:27,959 --> 00:07:28,459 be. 214 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:30,939 I think we've got a couple of projects, 215 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:33,560 for consideration. So hopefully, we'll be able to 216 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:35,259 start accelerating some of that work. 217 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,279 Terrific, Jamie. Thanks, Drew, for highlighting all those 218 00:07:38,279 --> 00:07:39,879 efforts that you guys are working on. I 219 00:07:39,879 --> 00:07:41,855 did wanna give a chance to highlight yet 220 00:07:41,855 --> 00:07:43,935 another, and that is your National Center for 221 00:07:43,935 --> 00:07:45,955 Opioid Research and Clinical Effectiveness. 222 00:07:46,415 --> 00:07:48,574 I understand that the construction began in August, 223 00:07:48,574 --> 00:07:50,835 and you plan to open in 2027. 224 00:07:51,055 --> 00:07:52,654 What would you say is the progress on 225 00:07:52,654 --> 00:07:54,335 that project right now? What are you most 226 00:07:54,335 --> 00:07:54,995 proud of? 227 00:07:55,759 --> 00:07:57,680 Yeah. So the National Center for Opioid Research 228 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,319 and Clinical Effectiveness is actually one component of 229 00:08:00,319 --> 00:08:03,139 our overall expansion project across our system, 230 00:08:03,519 --> 00:08:05,519 where we're adding 330,000 231 00:08:05,519 --> 00:08:08,240 square feet. We're gonna renovate another 170,000 232 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:11,925 square feet and really invest over $370,000,000 233 00:08:11,925 --> 00:08:12,904 across our system. 234 00:08:13,205 --> 00:08:16,004 The National Center for Opioid Research actually got 235 00:08:16,004 --> 00:08:16,745 its funding, 236 00:08:17,285 --> 00:08:19,285 the partnership with the attorney general for the 237 00:08:19,285 --> 00:08:20,105 state of Arkansas. 238 00:08:21,045 --> 00:08:22,084 $50,000,000 239 00:08:22,084 --> 00:08:23,944 of opioid settlement money 240 00:08:24,250 --> 00:08:26,730 was put towards this effort followed by another 241 00:08:26,730 --> 00:08:27,930 $5,000,000 242 00:08:27,930 --> 00:08:29,389 of JUUL settlement money. 243 00:08:30,009 --> 00:08:32,169 So we did do a topping out ceremony 244 00:08:32,169 --> 00:08:33,929 just a few weeks ago. We'll be looking 245 00:08:33,929 --> 00:08:36,830 to open that up in the 2027, 246 00:08:37,049 --> 00:08:40,394 and it really is setting a national infrastructure 247 00:08:40,455 --> 00:08:42,554 for us to actually study and understand 248 00:08:43,335 --> 00:08:47,095 not only opioid impact on child health, but 249 00:08:47,095 --> 00:08:47,595 also, 250 00:08:48,134 --> 00:08:51,174 mothers and babies. And so we're really excited 251 00:08:51,174 --> 00:08:53,095 to have one building that will actually bring 252 00:08:53,095 --> 00:08:55,269 in our research, our clinical enterprise, 253 00:08:55,809 --> 00:08:58,850 and a research institute center under one building 254 00:08:58,850 --> 00:09:01,170 so we can really start to understand, address, 255 00:09:01,170 --> 00:09:02,389 and hopefully prevent, 256 00:09:02,850 --> 00:09:04,550 substance use disorder and opioids. 257 00:09:05,170 --> 00:09:07,410 Yeah. It's very impressive and certainly important that 258 00:09:07,410 --> 00:09:08,870 there's a facility to 259 00:09:09,475 --> 00:09:10,615 research all 260 00:09:11,475 --> 00:09:13,794 the disparate and different elements that, you know, 261 00:09:13,794 --> 00:09:15,735 go into treating and understanding, 262 00:09:16,835 --> 00:09:17,894 opioid disorders. 263 00:09:18,595 --> 00:09:20,274 Jamie, you've been such a pleasure to have 264 00:09:20,274 --> 00:09:21,120 on as a guest. 265 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:23,279 We're gonna see you, I hope, very soon 266 00:09:23,279 --> 00:09:25,679 here at the Becker's Conferences or or in 267 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:27,839 just in the podcast space, wherever that may 268 00:09:27,839 --> 00:09:30,080 be. Thank you again for joining us. I'm 269 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:31,919 looking forward to it. I appreciate the opportunity 270 00:09:31,919 --> 00:09:33,519 to connect with you. Anytime I talk about 271 00:09:33,519 --> 00:09:35,609 Arkansas Children's, I'm happy to do so.