In 2023, the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement is marking its 25th anniversary as a nonpartisan, independent health policy center with the mission to serve as a catalyst for improving the health of Arkansans.
In his latest column for the Healthcare Journal of Arkansas, ACHI President and CEO Dr. Joe Thompson looks back at more than a dozen accomplishments from the past quarter century, including: passage of the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2006, which protects Arkansans from the dangers of secondhand smoke in workplaces and public spaces; funding of the state’s first trauma system, which improved time-sensitive care in emergency situations; and Arkansas’s distinction of becoming the first Southern state to opt for Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, which provided health insurance to thousands of previously uninsured residents.
Thompson also considers a few of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
For a more in-depth discussion on the future of health care in Arkansas, ACHI hosted two symposia — one in Little Rock on Oct. 25 and one in Fayetteville on Nov. 2 — featuring panel conversations with local and national experts and keynote presentations from futurist and trendcaster Shawn DuBravac, PhD. Recordings from both events are available on our website.
