Two court hearings this week regarding Hope hospital

HOPE – Two hearings are scheduled this week that could determine the next step regarding Wadley Regional Medical Center in Hope. A hearing is set today (Tuesday) regarding the real estate and Steward Health Care has a hearing Thursday with Hope-based Pafford Health Systems, Inc. in bankruptcy court.

Anna Powell, Hempstead County Economic Development Director and representing the non-profit “Southwest Arkansas Healthcare Authority” and the EDC, recently told the Hempstead County Quorum Court it was an unusual situation in that the real estate is owned by a company not in bankruptcy while the company owning the license, Steward, is. The Hope hospital is the smallest one run by Steward, which also operates the larger Wadley facility in Texarkana.

Last week, Steward Health Care entered into a definitive agreement to divest Wadley Regional Medical Center in Texarkana, Texas, to the international Catholic health system CHRISTUS Health.

The bid from CHRISTUS Health has been designated as the stalking horse bid, setting a baseline for any other offers, the health system noted. That agreement is separate from any action regarding Wadley in Hope.

Hempstead County and the City of Hope with help from the Hempstead County Economic Development Authority recently created a city/county partnership named Southwest Arkansas Healthcare Authority, a collaborative effort to help ensure health care services can continue to be provided to the citizens of Hope, Hempstead County, and all other surrounding counties. If the various courts involved approve, The Healthcare Authority will own the building and property, and Pafford Health Systems will control the daily operations of the hospital.