Construction in full swing on Arkansas Children's Northwest hospital expansion

• The new space also will prevent NWA kids and their families from having to travel to Arkansas Children's in Little Rock for advanced care.

State of play: The hospital will have 40 patient beds, up from 25, and will be able to serve patients with more-acute conditions in areas like gastrointestinal, endocrine and orthopedics.

• The work also includes a pharmacy and expanded infusion center, where patients with diseases including cancer can be treated.
• The hospital will gain 72,000 new square feet, plus 22,900 square feet of renovated space.

What they're saying: The system is looking to add about 40 doctors to the Northwest campus over the next few years. Even as pediatricians are lacking nationally, Arkansas Children's has been able to fill its pediatric training fellowships in Little Rock and recruit doctors for the system statewide, Wiggins said. The NWA campus' connection to the anchor hospital helps fill the roles.

• The Little Rock location also is expanding, and the system intends to add 150 doctors statewide, plus about 400 other employees, including nurses.

What's next: Arkansas Children's still needs to raise $90 million in philanthropy to complete the $318 million combined cost to expand both hospitals.