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With just $200,000 left to raise, Baxter Health Foundation is racing against an Oct. 1 deadline to complete its Heartbeat of Hope campaign and unlock a half-million-dollar matching grant.
The foundation has collected $1.8 million of its $2 million goal for a new cardiac catheterization lab, part of a $4.5 million expansion at Baxter Health. Meeting the deadline would trigger an additional $500,000 from the J.E. & L.E. Mabee Foundation.
“We are very excited to be closing in on our $2M goal for our Heartbeat of Hope capital campaign to add a new cath lab,” said Sarah Edwards, the foundation’s executive director. “Our community is so generous and we cannot thank them enough for their support. They always step up to help our hospital so that we can continue to provide high quality and compassionate care at Baxter Health.”
Edwards emphasized the urgency of the final push in a recent message to supporters.
“We need help to complete our $2M fundraising efforts by October 1st so that we can be awarded the Mabee Family Foundations challenge grant of an additional $500,000 towards this campaign,” she wrote. “Please consider a tax deductible gift to Baxter Health Foundation to help us save lives in our community. Be the heartbeat!”
The campaign comes as Baxter Health gains statewide recognition. Newsweek and Statista just ranked the Mountain Home hospital among Arkansas’ top eight facilities for 2025, a notable achievement as more than 700 hospitals nationwide face closure risks.
Since launching the campaign in February, the foundation has raised $300,000. Hospital leaders unveiled the cardiac project while cutting the ribbon on their newly expanded emergency room — a strategic choice highlighting Baxter’s commitment to comprehensive care improvements.
That $2.6 million ER renovation transformed the department from 19 to 29 rooms, adding 2,000 square feet while somehow keeping the doors open round-the-clock throughout the year-long construction. The department now treats 95 to 96 patients daily — about 34,000 annually.
“The ER is the true window to the hospital,” CEO Ron Peterson told the Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce at their first State of Healthcare breakfast in February. He noted that 76% of ER patients return home the same day, forming their primary impression of Baxter Health. Meanwhile, 82% of all hospital admissions now arrive through the emergency department — nearly double the 48% rate from when Peterson started 17 years ago.
The remodeled ER features five rapid-evaluation beds, an interior waiting room for better patient flow, a bereavement room, and specialized accommodations for elderly patients, including high-contrast floors and walls to prevent falls. Additional security measures and rooms for psychiatric care round out the upgrades.
Dr. Caleb Pingel, the ER’s medical director, praised his team for enduring “destruction, construction, noise, dust, patient complaints, longer patient wait times” during the renovation. He credited Kelly Dicks, MSN, RN, for her leadership throughout the project.
The Cline family, who’ve given $1.7 million since 2002, helped fund the ER project alongside Brad and Langley Hasslewander. The foundation contributed about $1 million to the renovation, which features artwork by local artists Duane Hada and James Moore.
Now, attention turns to cardiac care. The proposed heart lab would be Baxter’s third, joining two existing cath labs and a hybrid operating room that Edwards describes as “a cath lab inside of a surgical suite.”
The expansion addresses a critical need. Arkansas ranks fourth nationally for adults with cardiovascular disease, and Baxter performed more than 6,000 cardiac catheterizations last year alone. The hospital added six new heart and vascular specialists in 2024 to meet growing demand.
“Last year alone, we performed over 6,000 cardiac caths. Think about all the lives that were saved just this last year,” Edwards said at the February announcement.
During these life-saving procedures, interventional cardiologists and vascular surgeons thread thin tubes called catheters through blood vessels, usually in the wrist or groin, guiding them to the heart to find blockages or place stents that keep arteries open. The new lab will reduce wait times for these emergency procedures and allow more patients to receive specialized care without traveling to larger cities.
“As heart disease continues to impact more lives, we are even more committed than ever to facing this challenge with innovation and a deep sense of responsibility,” a physician said in the campaign video. “This advanced facility will empower the team of doctors to save more lives, delivering faster diagnoses and fast treatment with precision and compassion.”
Baxter Health’s reach extends far beyond Mountain Home. The system now operates 45 locations across 12 counties, covering 8,170 square miles — an area larger than Connecticut. With 2,300 employees (up 65% since 2020) and an annual payroll exceeding $131 million, the hospital pumps $841,000 daily into operating costs.
Recent expansion includes taking over the management of struggling Fulton County Hospital in Salem. In just one year, Baxter turned around a $2.5 million deficit at the facility, which became Baxter Health Fulton County Hospital in August.
“I’m happy to say that over the last year, we have made about a two and a half million dollar turnaround in operations,” said Anthony Reed, Baxter’s vice president of ancillary services, at the August celebration. The partnership, supported by state COVID relief funds, kept the county’s only hospital from closing.
Peterson, addressing business leaders, stressed why independence matters for regional healthcare. While joining larger systems might ease financial pressures, it typically means losing specialized services.
“They say, ‘Oh well, you no longer need open hearts in this community’ or ‘You no longer need urology in this community,'” Peterson explained. “Within five years, it would be a significant difference.”
The hospital’s commitment to excellence shows in its credentials. Baxter holds prestigious Magnet status for nursing excellence — joining an elite 8.9% of U.S. hospitals. It’s one of only five Arkansas facilities with the designation and the sole recipient in northern Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Community support remains strong. Last year, 400 volunteers contributed 56,000 hours — the state’s largest hospital volunteer group. The foundation raised $2.9 million total for various improvements.
Peterson recalled last May’s tornado response as evidence of that community spirit. When storms threatened, 200 off-duty workers rushed to the hospital.
“We didn’t need those 200 people, thank goodness. Not too many injuries came out of those tornadoes, but if you could see how we wanted to help and serve in that crisis — I think it’s amazing,” he said.
Looking ahead, Baxter continues investing in technology and facilities. The hospital recently acquired surgical robots for early lung cancer detection, knee replacements, and neurosurgery. Plans include pursuing geriatric certification for the ER and opening an outpatient surgery center in Harrison around May or June.
But first comes the heart lab campaign’s final push. Edwards made the personal stakes clear in her appeal to donors.
“A gift towards the Heartbeat of Hope campaign could make an impact on someone that you love,” she said. “We truly believe that you will help us make an impact on the heart health in our region.”
Tax-deductible donations can be made at baxterhealth.org/heartbeatofhope or by calling (870) 508-1770.
If fundraising succeeds, construction should begin soon, with the new cath lab opening in early 2026.
