Baptist Health - Fort Smith
An acute care hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901
1001 Towson Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901. (479) 441-4000.
- Medicare payments cut under the HAC Reduction Program (fiscal year 2026)
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The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 20, 2026.
- 2of 5 CMS’s overall rating
- 2of 5 patient survey rating
- 2 deficiencies cited in the last three years
- 492 beds
Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.
What these words mean3
- Star ratings
- CMS rates some kinds of place from 1 to 5 stars, more stars meaning better on CMS’s own measures for that kind: for a nursing home, its health inspections, staffing and quality measures. A rating is CMS’s summary of those measures; it doesn’t promise good care. Source: CMS, Care Compare and the Five-Star Quality Rating System.
- Inspection (survey)
- A visit by state inspectors, often unannounced, who check a place against the rules it must meet. For nursing homes and other places Medicare pays, CMS calls these visits surveys: a standard survey of a nursing home comes at least every 15 months, and a complaint survey whenever a complaint calls for one. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.308.
- Deficiency, citation, violation
- What inspectors write up when a place didn’t meet a rule: the rule, what they saw, and when. CMS calls it a deficiency; states may say citation or violation. It is the inspectors’ finding, not a court’s, and the place is usually asked for a plan to correct it. Source: CMS, statement of deficiencies (Form CMS-2567); each state’s licensing agency.
What did inspectors find?
The last inspection on record was on Jul 9, 2024: a complaint inspection.
2 deficiencies cited in the last three years, 1 of them under EMTALA, the law requiring an emergency department to examine and stabilise anyone who comes to it.
CMS, QCOR Hospital 2567 statements of deficiencies. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated monthly.
When those deficiencies happened
2 deficiencies in 1 month of the last 36. Last cited Jan 2024. Most serious: Standard-level. The last 3 years, to Nov 5, 2026.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dec | |||||||||||
| 2024 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2025 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2026 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov |
Hover or focus a month to read it.
Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.
Each deficiency, as cited
Rule titles as CMS’s inspectors cite them, set in sentence case.
CMS, QCOR Hospital 2567 statements of deficiencies. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated monthly.
Jan 12, 2024: complaint inspection1 deficiency
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Recipient Hospital Responsibilities
The inspectors’ words, 827 words
“RECIPIENT HOSPITAL RESPONSIBILITIES CFR(s): 489.24(f) A participating hospital that has specialized capabilities or facilities (including, but not limited to, facilities such as burn units, shock-trauma units, neonatal intensive care units, or (with respect to rural areas) regional referral centers, which, for purposes of this subpart, means hospitals meeting the requirements of referral centers found at §412.96 of this chapter) may not refuse to accept from a referring hospital within the boundaries of the United States an appropriate transfer of an individual who requires such specialized capabilities or facilities if the receiving hospital has the capacity to treat the individual. This requirement applies to any participating hospital with specialized capabilities, regardless of whether the hospital has a dedicated emergency department. This Standard is not met as evidenced by: 44854 Based on record review and interview, it was determined the facility failed to accept an appropriate transfer for one of one (#1) patient requiring possible surgical intervention not offered by the transferring facility. By not accepting Patient #1 the facility delayed the specialized treatment needed for Patient #1. The failed practice had the likelihood to affect any patient needing the surgical services provided by the facility for acute surgical intervention. Findings follow: A. On 01/10/24, review of Baptist Health Fort Smith “Patient Care Policy, EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act) Guidelines,” showed “The receiving facility should accept appropriate transfer of individuals with an emergency medical condition if the hospital has specialized capabilities or facilities and has the capacity to treat those individuals.” B. On 01/10/24, review of Baptist Health Fort Smith Transfer log for November 2023 showed Patient #1 was placed on the Intake Activity Log as cancelled after the initial referral denial on 11/13/23 at 10:34 PM. C. On 01/10/24, review of Patient #1’s clinical record from the Referring Facility dated 11/13/23 to 11/14/23 showed the following: 1) On 11/13/24 at 6:17 PM, Patient #1 was admitted to the Referring Facility’s Emergency Department (ED) with sudden onset of RUQ (right upper quadrant pain). Had a known ventral hernia and pain was located at the hernia site. Hernia did not reduce and mildly tender after medication. Review of the Radiology Impression showed “Relative collapse of the large bowel leaving the hernia sac concerning for partial obstruction.” Patient # 1 was given morphine 4 mg (milligram) and Zofran 4 mg. NG (nasogastric tube) placed while in ED due to partial SBO (small bowel obstruction) findings. 2) On 11/13/23 at 10:08 PM, Patient #1 requested transfer to Baptist Health Fort Smith. Baptist Health Fort Smith Access Center was called by the referring Physician. The Baptist Health Fort Smight Access Ccenter paged the surgeon and would call back. 3) On 11/13/23 at 10:24 PM, Baptist Health Fort Smith Access Center returned the call and said the on call surgeon refused to accept Patient #1 as other local hospital (Receiving Hospital #2) had multiple surgeons. The Access Center for Baptist Health Fort Smith was notified that the other Facility (Receiving Facility # 2) was on MedSurg (Medical, surgical) divert and Patient #1 had requested Baptist Health Fort Smith for transfer as he was due to see a surgeon there on 11/15/23 to discuss the same concern. 4) On 11/13/23 at 10:36 PM Receiving Hospital # 2 Transfer Center was contacted by referring Physician to explain situation regarding Baptist Health Fort Smith refusal to accept Patient #1 and need for general surgical evaluation. Patient #1 was accepted for ED to ED transfer to Receiving Facility #2 on 11/13/23 at 10:40 PM. D. On 01/11/23 at 11:00 AM review of Baptist Health Fort Smith Call Center audio during teleconference confirmed findings in C.1 and C.2. E. On 01/11/24 at 11:00 AM during a teleconference interview with Director of Patient Command Center at Baptist Health Medical Center - Little Rock (Central Access Command Center for Baptist Health Facilities), he stated, “Before 11/13/23 capability and capacity was the basis for acceptance of transfers. There was a meeting on the 11/13/23 and a new policy was put in place on the 14th (11/14/23). Before that there was no escalation process. Now Hospital Administration must be contacted before a Patient transfer is declined. Patient #1 should have been accepted. I will send the new and the old policy.” F. Review of the Policy, “EMTALA” with effective date of November 14, 2023 and updated December 27, 2023 showed, “When coordinating an Emergency Department to Emergency Department transfer (to include observation patients) and you encounter a physician refusing to accept the transfer, and the following apply: 1. The receiving Emergency Department is not on diversion. 2. The facility physician has the capability and capacity to care for the patient, and we are on no other diversion status that would impact capability and capacity then we should contact the Command Center Supervisor or Director and discuss the issue. It is important to ensure that this is a potential EMTALA violation based on physician refusal when there is adequate capability and capacity.””
Jan 11, 2024: complaint inspection1 deficiency
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Rn Supervision Of Nursing Care
The inspectors’ words, 325 words
“RN SUPERVISION OF NURSING CARE CFR(s): 482.23(b)(3) A registered nurse must supervise and evaluate the nursing care for each patient. This Standard is not met as evidenced by: 50014 Based on clinical record review, policy and procedure review, and interview, it was determined the Emergency Department nursing staff failed to accurately assess and document patient assessments on three (#1, #5 and #9) of ten (#1-#10) patients. The failed practice did not ensure the registered nurse addressed the patients’ needs and/or anticipated needs in a timely manner. The failed practice had the likelihood to affect all patients seen in the Emergency Department. Findings follow: A. Review of the policy “Assessment/Documentation Expectation - Emergency Department” revision date of 10/23/2023 showed that the assigned nurse for the patient will be responsible for the ER (Emergency Room) adult and/or pediatric assessment, within the EMR (electronic medical record). B. The findings of A were confirmed in an interview with the Assistant Nurse Manager of the ER on 1/10/2024 at 1:55 PM. C. Review of Patient #1’s ER clinical record dated 10/13/2023 showed there was no evidence a registered nurse performed a nursing assessment while the patient was in the Emergency Room. D. The findings of C were confirmed in an interview with the Assistant Nurse Manager of the ER on 01/10/2024 at 1:45 PM. E. Review of Patient #5’s ER clinical record dated 01/10/2024 showed there was no evidence a registered nurse performed a nursing assessment while the patient was in the Emergency Room. F. The findings of E were confirmed in an interview with the Assistant Nurse Manager of the ER on 01/10/2024 at 1:55 PM. G. Review of Patient #9’s ER clinical record dated 01/10/2024 showed there was no evidence a registered nurse performed a nursing assessment while the patient was in the Emergency Room. H. The findings of G were confirmed in an interview with the Assistant Nurse Manager of the ER on 01/10/2024 at 1:55 PM.”
All 3 inspections in the last three years
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 9, 2024 | Complaint inspection | No deficiencies cited |
| Jan 12, 2024 | Complaint inspection | 1 deficiency cited |
| Jan 11, 2024 | Complaint inspection | 1 deficiency cited |
How do patients fare?
- CMS’s overall CMS rates some kinds of place from 1 to 5 stars, more stars meaning better on CMS’s own measures for that kind: for a nursing home, its health inspections, staffing and quality measures. A rating is CMS’s summary of those measures; it doesn’t promise good care. Source: CMS, Care Compare and the Five-Star Quality Rating System. for it is 2 of 5.
- Of the measures behind its CMS rates some kinds of place from 1 to 5 stars, more stars meaning better on CMS’s own measures for that kind: for a nursing home, its health inspections, staffing and quality measures. A rating is CMS’s summary of those measures; it doesn’t promise good care. Source: CMS, Care Compare and the Five-Star Quality Rating System., CMS counts against the national value: mortality, 0 better and 0 worse of 8; safety of care, 2 better and 0 worse of 6; readmission, 0 better and 1 worse of 10.
- Patients rate it 2 of 5 in CMS’s patient survey (546 surveys completed, Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025): 64% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10, and 66% would definitely recommend it.
- Infections, compared by CMS with the national benchmark (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025): central line bloodstream infections (CLABSI), no different than national benchmark; catheter urinary tract infections (CAUTI), no different than national benchmark; surgical site infections after colon surgery, no different than national benchmark; MRSA bloodstream infections, no different than national benchmark; C. diff infections, better than the national benchmark.
- CMS’s patient safety composite for serious complications, PSI 90, Jul 1, 2022 to Jun 30, 2024: no different than the national value.
- Deaths within 30 days, as CMS gives them (Jul 1, 2022 to Jun 30, 2025): heart attack 13.1%, heart failure 9.7%, pneumonia 12.2%, COPD 9.1%, stroke 16.6%, heart bypass surgery 3.1%. CMS gives no comparison with the national rate for them in this release.
- Readmissions within 30 days, as CMS gives them (Jul 1, 2023 to Jun 30, 2025): heart attack 15%, heart failure 21.7%, pneumonia 15.5%, COPD 20%, heart bypass surgery 12.5%. CMS gives no comparison with the national rate for them in this release.
- After outpatient care, compared by CMS: unplanned hospital visits after a colonoscopy, no different than the national rate; hospital admissions after outpatient chemotherapy, no different than the national rate; emergency visits after outpatient chemotherapy, no different than the national rate; unplanned hospital visits after outpatient surgery, no different than expected.
- Emergency department patients spent a median of 124 minutes there before leaving (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025), and 2% left before being seen.
- 78% of patients with severe sepsis or septic shock got the care CMS measures, SEP-1 (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025).
- Medicare’s spending per patient here is 1.01 times the national median (Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024).
CMS, Hospital General Information, Patient survey (HCAHPS) - Hospital, Healthcare Associated Infections - Hospital, Timely and Effective Care - Hospital and Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary - Hospital. Released Aug 13, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, Complications and Deaths - Hospital and Unplanned Hospital Visits - Hospital. Released Sep 30, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Measure | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall ratingCMS’s overall hospital quality star rating, 1 to 5 | 2 of 5 |
| Patient survey ratingCMS star rating from its survey of the hospital’s patients (HCAHPS), 1 to 5 | 2 of 5 |
Is it certified, and in good standing?
- Medicare-certified acute care hospital since Jul 1, 1966.
- Ownership: voluntary non-profit - private.
- It is accredited by The Joint Commission, whose surveys stand in for the state’s routine inspections.
- No For hospices, home health agencies, hospitals and dialysis facilities, CMS writes deficiencies at two levels. Standard is the usual one; condition-level is the more serious, when a problem is serious enough that the provider doesn’t meet a whole condition of taking part in Medicare. Source: CMS, State Operations Manual. deficiency on record in the last three years.
- Voluntary non-profit - Private.
CMS, Provider of Services File - Hospital & Non-Hospital Facilities. Released Oct 14, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, Hospital General Information. Released Aug 13, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, QCOR Hospital 2567 statements of deficiencies. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated monthly.
Has it been penalized?
- CMS doesn’t publish fines or other penalties for hospitals.
- CMS cut its Medicare payments by 1% for fiscal year 2026 under the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program, which does so for the quarter of hospitals that fare worst on conditions patients get in hospital.
- 2 deficiencies cited in the last three years came from inspections that included a complaint investigation.
CMS, Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program. Released Aug 13, 2026. Updated yearly.
CMS, Provider of Services File - Hospital & Non-Hospital Facilities. Released Oct 14, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, QCOR Hospital 2567 statements of deficiencies. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated monthly.
| Date | What | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare payment reduction (HAC Reduction Program) | Fiscal year 2026: 1% of Medicare payments |
What do patients say about their care?
- CMS doesn’t publish staffing levels for hospitals.
- In CMS’s patient survey, patients rate how well its nurses communicated 2 of 5.
- 62% of its health care workers got a flu shot (Oct 1, 2024 to Mar 31, 2025).
CMS, Patient survey (HCAHPS) - Hospital and Timely and Effective Care - Hospital. Released Aug 13, 2026. Updated quarterly.
Who owns it?
- Baptist Health runs it.
- 23 owners or officers are people: Larry White (corporate director); Ronald Dedman (corporate director); Lamarr Bailey (corporate director); Herren Hickingbotham (corporate director); Judy Simmons Henry (corporate director); Michael Akin (corporate director); Chris Brune (corporate director); Troy Wells (corporate officer); Troy Wells (managing employee (on the payroll)); Suzanne Peyton (corporate director); John Mcmorran (corporate director); Steven D Weeks (corporate officer); Steven D Weeks (managing employee (on the payroll)); Lindsey Lorence (corporate director); Steven Booth (corporate director); David Mitchell (corporate director); James S Jones (corporate director); Louis M Lee (corporate director); Teresa Howell (corporate director); Brent Beaulieu (managing employee (on the payroll)); Brent Beaulieu (runs it (operational or managerial control)); Glenn Millner (corporate director); Les Warren (corporate director).
- CMS’s Provider of Services file records 2 changes of ownership, the latest on Nov 1, 2018.
- No private-equity firm among the owners CMS lists.
- No real-estate investment trust among the owners CMS lists.
CMS, Hospital All Owners and Hospital Enrollments. Released Sep 29, 2026. Updated monthly.
CMS, Provider of Services File - Hospital & Non-Hospital Facilities. Released Oct 14, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Organisation | Role | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baptist Health | Runs it (operational or managerial control) | 100% | Nov 1, 2018 |
How does it compare nearby?
- Of the 3 hospitals CMS lists in Sebastian County, 2 have an overall star rating from CMS: 1 rated 3 of 5, 1 rated 2 of 5.
- CMS rates this one 2 of 5.
CMS, Hospital General Information. Released Aug 13, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Place | Overall star rating |
|---|---|
| Mercy Hospital Fort Smith | 3 |
| Valley Behavioral Health System | Not given |
What the record doesn’t say
- CMS doesn’t publish fines or other penalties for hospitals, so none are shown. The one payment cut CMS publishes for each hospital, under its Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program, is shown where it applies.
- Only complaints that led to a citation appear; complaints that didn’t aren’t published.
- Most hospitals are accredited by a private organisation (The Joint Commission, DNV and others) whose routine inspections stand in for the state’s; those reports aren’t public, and QCOR holds only the state’s surveys: no inspection on record here doesn’t mean none took place.
- QCOR says its hospital inspection data are complete only through September 17, 2026, while it moves to a new system.
- CMS doesn’t publish staffing levels for hospitals.
- In its September 2026 release CMS gives no comparison with the national rate for death and readmission rates, though it gives the rates.
Sources
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospital General Information (xubh-q36u).
Released Aug 13, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Patient survey (HCAHPS) - Hospital.
Released Aug 13, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Healthcare Associated Infections - Hospital (77hc-ibv8).
Released Aug 13, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Complications and Deaths - Hospital (ynj2-r877).
Released Sep 30, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Unplanned Hospital Visits - Hospital (632h-zaca).
Released Sep 30, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Timely and Effective Care - Hospital (yv7e-xc69).
Released Aug 13, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary - Hospital (rrqw-56er).
Released Aug 13, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program (yq43-i98g).
Released Aug 13, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated yearly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Provider of Services File - Hospital & Non-Hospital Facilities (Hospital_and_other.DATA.Q3_2026.csv).
Released Oct 14, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, QCOR Hospital 2567 statements of deficiencies (Hospital_2567s_2010_to_2026YTD.xlsx).
Released Oct 20, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospital All Owners (Hospital_All_Owners_2026.09.29.csv).
Released Sep 29, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospital Enrollments (Hospital_Enrollments_2026.09.29.csv).
Released Sep 29, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: CMS. CMS’s own record is on Care Compare. If Hearth Record copied something wrongly, it will fix it and log the correction publicly, with its date: how corrections work.
This copy of the record was made on Nov 5, 2026.
From the hospital
The public record above comes first. Anything the hospital adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.
Replies
None. Replies aren’t open yet. When they open, the hospital will be able to answer any finding for free, and the reply will show beside that finding, unedited and dated.
Paid listing
None. Paid listings aren’t open yet. When they open, anything paid for will say “Paid by the hospital”, and paying will never change a finding, a rating or the order of results.