3 Central Arkansas hospitals expand in 1 day

Little Rock, AR -- Three of Arkansas' largest hospitals expand on the same day.

37 acres of land is where patients can now visit the brand new St. Vincent West Hospital. The building is only phase one and phase two begins in the next couple of weeks. The site on Chenal Parkway will have family physician offices and an urgent care office.

"That's where the population is growing and so this gives us an opportunity to give the people who live out in West Little Rock," said Vice President Tadd Richert.

While St. Vincent is building west, Baptist Hospital is now in Hillcrest. Doctors set up a clinic on Kavanaugh Blvd. Inside the rooms, a lot of the equipment is hidden and Dr. Allan Mckenzie says there's a reason.

"Those things, whether the patient processes it or not, actually increase your anxiety. When you are in a room and there is equipment, that puts you a little bit on edge about the situation,"said Mckenzie.

Then, there is Arkansas Heart Hospital cutting into North Little Rock's healthcare market. The Mccain Boulevard location is another addition to the more than 30 satellite offices across the state.

"Healthcare is a local affair and we felt like we needed to have a North Little Rock office," said President Bruce Murphy.