Baptist Memorial Health Care welcomed Baptist Memorial Hospital-Paragould team members during a celebration at the hospital in Paragould, Arkansas, on March 20. Baptist Paragould team members wore their Baptist T-shirts as they met with Baptist leaders, enjoyed a photo booth and attended the prayer cross dedication.
Baptist also held a news conference that morning to celebrate the merger, unveil the hospital’s new name and share plans for the future.
“Today represents the culmination of nearly a year of planning to ensure a smooth transition and conclusion to the merger between Baptist Memorial Health Care and Arkansas Methodist Medical Center,” said Jason Little, president and CEO of Baptist. “When we were approached with an opportunity to merge with AMMC, it was important our values and goals aligned in a way that would support sustainable health care for the region while safeguarding AMMC’s legacy. I believe we have accomplished that, and it is my honor to welcome the AMMC team to the Baptist Memorial family.”
The merger, first discussed in April 2025, includes the transfer of all AMMC assets, including the 129-bed hospital, 91-bed Chateau on the Ridge Assisted Living facility and eight medical clinics, to Baptist Memorial Health Care.
“This merger protects the AMMC legacy and secures the future of the hospital and sustainable access to exceptional health care for the community,” said Matthew Miller, chair of Arkansas Methodist Medical Center’s board of directors. “I am proud to have supported this merger and helped usher in a stronger foundation for lifesaving health care in the region.”
Baptist Memorial Health Care and Arkansas Methodist Medical Center finalized plans to merge on Feb. 28, 2026, increasing Baptist Memorial’s hospitals to 25. AMMC had more than 500 employees, who immediately transitioned to Baptist Memorial Health Care.
“Seeing logos and signage change has been exciting and visibly represents the transition from Arkansas Methodist Medical Center to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Paragould,” said Melanie Edens, administrator and CEO of Baptist Paragould. “These signs are also a symbol of Baptist’s commitment to advancing health care for this community. Today, we celebrate the combining of two great organizations, our shared mission and the path forward to a bright future for health care in the region.”
During the news conference, Edens also shared that Baptist would begin installation of its electronic health record system, powered by Epic, at the Paragould hospital. Other changes will include strategic growth through physician recruitment, expansion of services and implementation of telehealth support.
