On Tuesday, May 23, the Board of Directors of North Arkansas Regional Medical Center convened and received information about a recommended piece of equipment from the finance committee.
Ken Milburn, the Chairman of the finance committee, informed the board that they had a single item to present that was outside of the budget. The board approved the immunohistochemical (IHC) staining system, which costs approximately $104,871.
After the meeting, Rachel Mullins, the Director of Laboratory Services, elaborated on the significance of the new equipment for patients. She explained that immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a technique used by surgical and anatomical pathologists to identify and interpret specific cellular proteins and their expression in body fluids and tissues. Pathologists utilize IHC to detect the presence or absence of particular antigens, proteins found on or within cells. This method is crucial for confirming cancer diagnoses, determining malignancy, identifying the origin of metastatic cancer from unknown primary sites, and addressing other diagnostic needs in complex cases. By incorporating this automated instrument into NARMC, the medical center can provide rapid results for patients.
Furthermore, at the end of the meeting, Dan Dillard, the Coordinator of Donor Relations and Grants for NARMC, made a special presentation to the Board of Directors. Dillard explained that the grant received represented funds through the efforts of the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District in collaboration with Sammie and their team. The secured funding of $145,000 was a part of residual ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding, which became available in November 2022.