Celebrating 75 Years
Northwest Arkansas has changed a lot in 75 years, and so has Washington Regional. From our beginnings as a small, county hospital to the region’s leading health system, we’ve grown with our community to bring you nationally recognized, world class care with five
Centers of Excellence offering the highest level of care in the region. And as our region continues to grow, we’ll keep innovating and growing to care for you when and where you need us with over 40
clinic locations throughout Northwest and North Central Arkansas.
Our mission has always been to improve the health of people in the communities we serve. In recent years, we’ve worked to fulfil that mission by:
Quality Achievements
Patients and their loved ones can have peace of mind knowing the care they receive at Washington Regional meets or exceeds the highest quality and safety standards. At Washington Regional, our commitment to delivering high-quality care is demonstrated by the numerous quality achievements we've received from the most reputable quality and patient safety advocacy organizations in the country. Click here to learn more about quality ratings, accreditation and certifications at Washington Regional.
Celebrating 75 Years
As we celebrate 75 years of caring for Northwest Arkansas, we invite you to look back at our major milestones, including transformational gifts of support from our generous donors.
1940s
1947
- Washington County Judge Witt Carter appoints a county hospital commission to study the possibility of building a second hospital in Fayetteville to relieve overcrowding at Fayetteville City Hospital.
1948
- Architect Paul Young Jr. completes designs for the new hospital.
1950s
1950
- On August 28, the 50-bed Washington County Hospital opens for business at 20 W. North St.
1953
- The polio ward is created, and the first polio patient is admitted on August 14.
- Washington County Hospital’s first auxiliary is formed to support the mission of the hospital through volunteer services and fundraising.
1959
- A new wing is added, doubling the hospital's capacity.
1960s
1961
- The board of directors votes to change the name of Washington County Hospital to Washington General Hospital.
1962
- Washington General Hospital increases its number of licensed beds from 50 to 115.
1966
- Fourth and fifth floors are added to the east wing, increasing the hospital’s bed capacity to 172.
1970s
1973
- Washington General Hospital changes its name to Washington Regional Medical Center to reflect growth of the hospital.
1975
- Washington Regional Medical Center expands to a 240-bed facility.
1978
- The East Tower opens on July 16, including a heart catheterization laboratory, new emergency department, dietary department, pediatrics unit, X-ray department, parking deck, and a bridge connecting the old and new buildings.
1980s
1982
- The sixth floor, East Tower expansion is complete, bringing total bed capacity to 284.
1983
- A new neurological floor and intensive care step-down unit open, expanding the facility to 306 beds.
1984
- Washington Regional establishes Arkansas' first hospice program.
1987
- The Washington Regional Center for Exercise opens.
- The Washington Regional Center for Sleep Disorders opens and is one of only 100 in the U.S. at the time.
1988
- Washington Regional is organized as a private non-profit corporation and enters into a long-term lease agreement with Washington County to assume operations of Washington Regional Medical Center. Washington Regional Medical System and Washington Regional Medical Foundation are also formed.
- Washington Regional and other community health care providers purchase land to build the future hospital campus.
1990s
1990
- Washington Regional and Fayetteville City Hospital announce an agreement to share operating room space at City Hospital to help ease the volume of surgeries being performed at Washington Regional's main facility.
1991
- Washington Regional assumes operations of Fayetteville City Hospital.
1993
- Washington Regional begins performing open-heart surgeries and interventional cardiology procedures.
1995
- The Washington Regional Cancer Support Home opens, offering health education, support groups, resources, overnight lodging and financial assistance at no cost to those on a cancer journey.
1996
- Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers is established to serve homebound seniors in Washington and Benton counties.
1997
- To expand cardiovascular services in the region, Washington Regional establishes an electrophysiology program.
1998
- North Hills Surgery Center, founded in partnership with Washington Regional, opens as one of the first free-standing outpatient surgery centers in the region.
1999
- To better serve the growing Northwest Arkansas population, Washington Regional breaks ground on a new hospital at 3215 N. Northhills Blvd.
2000s
2001
- The Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation gives $3 million to establish the first cardiovascular center of excellence in Northwest Arkansas. The donation provides significant funding for the new Walker Family Heart and Vascular Institute, a comprehensive cardiovascular program which will be located on Washington Regional’s new campus.
2002
- The new Washington Regional Medical Center opens on August 27, spanning 340,641 square feet.
- Washington Regional receives a $1 million donation from Johnelle Hunt to establish a comprehensive women’s health care center. The 50,000 square foot Johnelle Hunt Women’s Center includes 12 labor and delivery rooms and five triage rooms.
- Johnelle Hunt donates $1M to the campaign for North Hills, and in doing so, names North Hills women’s center The Johnelle Hunt Women’s Center.
2003
- An ambulatory care unit (ACU) and cardiac rehabilitation space open. The ACU features 15 new rooms for patients undergoing same-day heart procedures. The new cardiac rehabilitation area, located within Walker Family Heart and Vascular Institute, features a walking track and private interview and conference rooms.
2004
- Washington Regional opens the Center for Health Services. The new 30,200 square foot building is home to Washington Regional's laboratory and cardiovascular clinic space with additional space for future use. The opening celebration includes a dedication ceremony for the Words of Healing fountain honoring the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation's dedication to fighting heart and vascular disease.
2006
- Washington Regional announces a $4 million gift from the Walker Family Foundation to establish the Pat Walker Center for Seniors.
2007
- The medical center expands with a new chapel, emergency department, kitchen, pharmacy and fifth floor, adding a total of 81,793 square feet and bringing the hospital’s total footprint to 422,434 square feet.
- The 67,000 square foot Center for Support Services opens, housing many of Washington Regional’s support teams.
2008
- Made possible by a gift of $4 million from the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, the Pat Walker Center for Seniors opens. The 38,000 square foot facility includes the Washington Regional Senior Health Clinic, Washington Regional Memory Disorders Clinic, Washington Regional Movement Disorders Clinic, Jones Auditorium and the relocated and expanded Center for Exercise.
2009
- Walker Family Heart & Vascular Institute is renamed the Walker Heart Institute as part of an effort to make it easier for patients and their families to navigate the facility and make the name easier to remember.
- Washington Regional Medical Foundation invests in building the Springdale Center for Health which offers 31,934 square feet of medical office, imaging and laboratory spcae.
2010s
2010
- Washington Regional introduces a state-of-the-art imaging suite for interventional radiology procedures.
- Washington Regional becomes the first hospital in Arkansas to receive full accreditation from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care as a Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation. The accreditation recognized the hospital’s work to quickly treat patients during the critical early stages of a heart attack.
2011
- Washington Regional opens the Total Joint Center, a comprehensive institute for patients undergoing joint replacement surgery providing specialized education and a team of surgeons and staff focused exclusively on their recovery and rehabilitation.
- Made possible by a gift of $2.75 million from the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, the Willard Walker Hospice Home opens with 24,500 square feet of space including 12 family suites, each with access to a terrace or patio.
2012
- Washington Regional achieves designation as a Level II Trauma Center, the highest level of care in the region, from the Arkansas Department of Health.
2013
- Washington Regional achieves The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for hip and knee replacement.
2014
- Washington Regional expands its Northwest Arkansas Neuroscience Institute by establishing a Stroke Program offering advanced stroke treatments to improve outcomes for those in the community experiencing a stroke.
- Washington Regional becomes the first hospital in the region to offer endovascular neurosurgery to treat cerebrovascular conditions including stroke. Procedures are performed in a newly constructed neurosurgical hybrid operating suite.
- The Mobile Dental Clinic opens with grant support from the Walmart Foundation, Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas and Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation. The clinic operates through 2019.
2015
- Washington Regional becomes the first hospital in Northwest Arkansas to earn Primary Stroke Center designation by The Joint Commission.
- Walker Heart Institute physicians are the first in the region to implant a miniature wireless monitoring sensor and subcutaneous defibrillator.
2016
- The Washington Regional Women and Infants Center opens on November 14. The 133,355 square foot tower includes 28 private mother-baby rooms, 17 labor & delivery rooms, a 34-bed Level III-A NICU providing the highest level of care available in Northwest Arkansas, an infant nutrition lab, dedicated OR space, and two of the region’s leading women’s health clinics. The addition brings the hospital’s total footprint to 558,805 square feet.
- The first Ronald McDonald House in Northwest Arkansas opens in the Women and Infants Center, including 6 bedrooms with private bathrooms, a laundry room, a fully stocked kitchen and dining room with space for up to 40 people, a living room and playroom.
- A ribbon cutting ceremony is held for the opening of the medical services building at 3561 Johnson Mill Blvd., which houses clinics and a physical therapy center in more than 15,800 square feet of space.
- The Harvey and Bernice Jones Charitable Trust reaches $2.1M in total giving to Washington Regional Medical Foundation, supporting initiatives including the patient assistance fund, outreach services, scholarship and building expansion.
2017
- Washington Regional launches a four-year $73 million Core Renewal Project, designed to accommodate the current needs of the health system and facilitate growth. The project will add a total of 28,5000 square feet to the hospital and include renovations to another 39,400 square feet.
- The four-story William L. Bradley Medical Plaza, named after longtime President and CEO Bill Bradley, opens on April 18. The facility, located at 3 E. Appleby Road, includes 76,000 square feet of medical clinic space with a state-of-the-art imaging center.
2018
- Washington Regional expands the medical center as part of the Core Renewal Project, adding a 20-bed Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit, additional heart catheterization lab space, a new electrophysiology procedure room, additional echocardiogram and cardiology diagnostic space, and an 18-bed cardiology nursing unit.
- Washington Regional's Stroke Program begins offering state-of-the-art emergency interventional neuroradiology procedures and comprehensive care that greatly improve the chances of recovery for patients with stroke.
- Pace of the Ozarks opens, adding 17,185 square feet of space to the existing Springdale Center for Health building. PACE allows seniors to receive the care and support they need to safely and independently remain in their own homes. Construction of the PACE facility is made possible by the Washington Regional Medical Foundation.
- Washington Regional becomes the first hospital in Arkansas and one of only 38 hospitals in the country to be designated as an Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
- The 30,058 square foot Central Billing Office opens, housing Washington Regional’s revenue cycle and population health offices.
- Washington Regional receives the prestigious 2018 Governor’s Award for Performance Excellence, which recognizes Arkansas organizations that engage in continuous quality improvement and performance excellence.
2019
- Washington Regional Women and Infants Center partners with Oklahoma Mothers’ Milk Bank to become the first milk depot in Northwest Arkansas.
- Washington Regional Medical Center is the first hospital in Northwest Arkansas to achieve certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center from The Joint Commission, offering the highest level of stroke care in the region.
- Washington Regional Center for Sleep Disorders expands from six to ten beds, adding a control room and four new sleep rooms with private bathrooms to allow for more patient sleep studies.
2020s
2020
- Washington Reginal receives a $2.5 million gift from J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. to enhance and expand neurological care and cancer support services. As a result, the Washington Regional Northwest Arkansas Neuroscience Institute is renamed the Washington Regional J.B. Hunt Transport Services Neuroscience Institute, and Washington Regional's Cancer Support Home is named the Washington Regional J.B. Hunt Transport Services Cancer Support Home.
- As a final stage of the Core Renewal Project, Washington Regional opens a new 5,250 square foot state-of-the-art laboratory.
- Washington Regional leads the region's COVID-19 response with efforts including:
- Establishing Northwest Arkansas’ first COVID-19 hotline and screening clinic.
- Launching telehealth visits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Receiving and distributing the first shipment of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, 975 doses, on December 15.
2021
- Washington Regional continues to lead regional efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic with:
- U.S. News & World Report names Washington Regional the #1 Hospital in Arkansas. Washington Regional earns a High Performing designation in 7 areas of care.
- The new 9,980 square foot Washington Regional J.B. Hunt Transport Services Cancer Support Home opens at 488 E. Longview St. The new location offers overnight lodging, a wig and prosthesis boutique, breast health navigation, cancer help fund, support groups, early detection cancer screenings, and diagnostic testing at no cost to those on a cancer journey.
- Washington Regional purchases 15 acres in the Drake Farms development adjacent to the Washington Regional campus. The land will allow for future expansion of services, including facilities to expand inpatient hospital services, outpatient surgical services, ambulatory care services and a center for wellness.
- To address the shortage of physicians and expand access to health care, Washington Regional and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) announce a joint Graduate Medical Education Program made possible by nearly $12.5 million in funds from the Arkansas Legislative Council.
- Washington Regional, in partnership with UAMS, begins offering Maternal Fetal Medicine services to patients with high-risk pregnancies.
- Washington Regional becomes the first hospital in Arkansas to offer Zimmer Biomet’s ROSA® Knee System, state-of-the-art robotic technology that helps surgeons personalize surgical procedures for their patients.
- Washington Regional is the first hospital in Northwest Arkansas to invest in new technology, offering Aquablation therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and Artemis MRI/ultrasound fusion guided prostate biopsy system to aid in the detection and management of prostate cancer.
- Washington Regional is the first hospital in the region to earn The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for Spine Surgery.
2022
- Washington Regional is again named the #1 Hospital in Arkansas by U.S. News & World Report and is the only hospital in the state to achieve a High Performing designation for Maternity Care.
- Washington Regional and UAMS receive accreditation for the new UAMS/Washington Regional Internal Medicine Residency Program, bringing eight new residents to Northwest Arkansas annually beginning in July 2023.
- Washington Regional becomes the first hospital in the state to offer total knee replacement using the Persona IQ Smart Knee implant.
- Walker Heart Institute physicians become the first in Northwest Arkansas to treat patients with severe aortic stenosis using the Evolut FX TAVR System.
- Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers changes its name to Faith in Action to more closely align with the national program under the same name.
2023
- For the third year, Washington Regional is named the #1 Hospital in Arkansas by U.S. News & World Report, recognized as High Performing in 12 areas of care.
- Washington Regional is designated as the only High Performing hospital for Maternity Care in the state for a second year.
- Construction is completed on the 6,000 square foot Graduate Medical Education Suite, and the first class of eight internal medicine residents arrive.
- Washington Regional takes on full ownership of North Hills Surgery Center.
- Washington Regional’s Emergency Department is one of only 53 in the world and the first in Arkansas to earn the Emergency Nurses Association Lantern Award, which recognizes emergency departments that exemplify exceptional and innovative leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research.
- Faith in Action Changes its name to Senior Support in Action to more accurately reflect the program's mission of connecting socially isolated seniors to their community through volunteer support.
- Washington Regional is the first hospital in Northwest Arkansas to offer Zimmer Biomet’s ROSA® Hip System, a state-of-the-art robotic technology that helps surgeons customize the placement of hip implants for their patients.
- Washington Regional is the first hospital in Northwest Arkansas to offer left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP), a new technique used to improve heart function in some patients with heart failure.
- Washington Regional Medical Center Auxiliary reaches $3 million in support to Washington Regional Medical Foundation for projects and initiatives that support the system.
- Cancer Challenge reaches $3 million in support to Washington Regional Medical Foundation for programs and services at the Cancer Support Home.
2024
- U.S. News & World Report names Washington Regional the #1 Hospital in Arkansas for the fourth consecutive year with a High Performing designation in 14 areas of care.
- For the third consecutive year, Washington Regional is the only hospital in Arkansas to be designated as a High Performing hospital for Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report.
- Washington Regional becomes the only hospital in Northwest Arkansas to earn The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery.
- Through $3.1 million in support from generous donors, construction of the Washington Regional Simulation Center begins. The 6,650 square foot state-of-the-art space will provide a safe and controlled environment that fosters interdisciplinary learning for current and future health care professionals.
- Walmart Foundation reaches $5.9M in total financial support to Washington Regional Medical Foundation for a variety of programs, services and initiatives that support the system.
- Walker Heart Institute physicians are the first in Arkansas to treat patients using the EvolutTM FX+ transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) system offering a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery for patients with severe aortic stenosis. Physicians at Walker Heart Institute also becomes the first in the region to offer the minimally invasive Impella RP Flex, one of the world's smallest heart pumps.
2025
- For the fifth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report names Washington Regional the #1 Hospital in Arkansas with a High Performing designation in 12 areas of care.
- Washington Regional’s Emergency Department achieves the American College of Emergency Physicians Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation which recognizes emergency departments with policies and procedures in place to meet the needs of older patients and improve outcomes.
- Washington Regional purchases an additional 13 acres in the Drake Farms development for future expansion.
- The PEER Joint Budget Committee votes unanimously to approve $4.5 million for Washington Regional to expand the UAMS/Washington Regional Graduate Medical Education Program by creating an additional 26 medical residency slots.
- The UAMS/Washington Regional Graduate Medical Education Program receives initial accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to establish Neurology and Emergency Medicine Residency Programs which will begin in July 2026.
- Washington Regional is the first and only hospital in Northwest Arkansas to provide pulsed field ablation, a new approach to cardiac ablation, for patients with AFib.
- Washington Regional becomes the region's only hospital to earn Advanced Certification in Hip and Knee Replacement from The Joint Commission.
- Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, Inc. reaches $11.7 million in total support to Washington Regional Medical Foundation, including loyal support of building campaigns, events, programs and services, and naming gifts for:
- Walker Heart Institute
- Pat Walker Center for Seniors
- Willard Walker Hospice Home