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Baxter Health is awaiting official word on whether it will keep its Magnet designation for nursing excellence, with hospital leaders saying they expect notification in August or September.
President and CEO Ron Peterson said survey work wrapped a few weeks ago. A team of evaluators from the American Nurses Credentialing Center conducted the on-site review at the hospital. Peterson thanked community members who participated in the process during Wednesday’s city leadership roundtable at the Mountain Home Community and Aquatic Center.
Peterson said the hospital felt good about how the survey went.
“I thought we did very well in survey,” Peterson said. “We’ll find out the official notification, probably being in August or September. I’m not sure how we did, but I thought we did well.”
Magnet status is the highest credential a hospital can earn for nursing care. The American Nurses Credentialing Center awards it to organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing leadership, professional practice, quality of care and continuous improvement. Hospitals are evaluated against the program’s Magnet Model framework, which covers everything from how nurses are trained and supported to how outcomes are measured at the bedside.
Baxter Health first achieved Magnet status in June 2021 after a nine-year journey, becoming one of only five Magnet-designated hospitals in Arkansas and the only one in northern Arkansas or southern Missouri. The credential is held by fewer than nine percent of U.S. hospitals.
The designation has to be renewed every four years. The recertification process requires hospitals to demonstrate sustained excellence and continued improvement in nursing practice across the full review period.
U.S. News & World Report includes Magnet recognition in its criteria for the annual “America’s Best Hospitals” rankings. The credential has also been a factor in Baxter Health’s other recent recognitions, including its appearance on Newsweek and Statista’s list of top hospitals in Arkansas in 2025.
Peterson framed the survey work as part of a broader stretch of milestones for the hospital. May is National Hospital Week, and last week was National Nurses Week. The Baxter Health Foundation held its annual donor banquet May 7, which marked $3.8 million raised in 2025, a record in the foundation’s 37-year history.
“If you see a nurse or hospital employee, let them know you appreciate them,” Peterson said.
Peterson encouraged the community to recognize hospital staff during the May observances. He also thanked donors who contributed to the foundation in 2025.
Beyond the Magnet review, Peterson said the hospital is continuing work tied to the recently completed Heartbeat of Hope capital campaign, which raised $2.5 million to fund a new cardiac catheterization laboratory.
Baxter Health serves a 12-county region across north central Arkansas and south central Missouri, an area where the nearest large hospital is nearly 90 miles away.
The hospital’s volunteer corps of about 400 people contributed 56,000 hours in 2024, making it the largest hospital volunteer group in Arkansas.
The Magnet survey results are expected by early fall.
