Saline Health System Celebrates its 70th Anniversary

There were some historic grand openings that took place in 1955:

The first McDonald’s opened in Des Plaines, Illinois.

Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California.

Saline Memorial Hospital opened in Benton, Arkansas.

Admittedly, the opening of our hospital may seem small compared to openings of organizations that have turned into huge, international franchises, but it was a much-anticipated moment for Saline County residents, who voted to build the hospital by an 8-to-1 majority in 1953. In fact, the Saline Courier, which was known as the Benton Courier then, heralded the opening of the hospital like this: 

“One of the most important events in the history of Saline County will take place Sunday afternoon, 1 to 5, when the newly completed Saline Memorial Hospital opens its doors in a public reception. The Hospital, one of the County’s most urgent needs, will provide tremendous benefits for the health of Saline County residents.”

Bruce Anderson, a prominent Arkansas architect widely known for his work on War Memorial Stadium with his partner H. Ray Burks, created the plans for the hospital. The original entrance faced north on Main Street with the operating rooms on the north and west wings for optimal lighting. The patient rooms were in the south wing. 

The hospital opened to the public for the first time on June 26, 1955, with 43 beds. Frances Davidson, the first administrator, led a team of 25 employees and eight physicians, including Dr. Paul Hogue. 

“[When the hospital first opened] there would be only one registered nurse at night for the whole hospital,” Hogue told the Courier in 1995, when the hospital celebrated its 40th anniversary. “I think the hospital has filled a need here for many years and seems to be doing more so all the time.” 

By 1959, the hospital added 40 more beds. By 1967, the hospital was operating at 80% of capacity, when the American Hospital Association considered anything over 65% as an indication of a “critical shortage.” Saline County voters again voted in favor of funding expansion by a large margin. 

With this expansion, completed in 1969, the front entrance moved to the east side facing East Street, and the original entrance was turned into the emergency entrance. The hospital added 30 additional beds, and the laboratories, kitchen, dining facilities, administrative offices, waiting rooms, and parking areas were all expanded. 

As time passed, the hospital continued to grow to meet the needs of Saline County residents. Here are some of the most notable construction updates: 

• In 1977, we added the Wilson wing, named after Arthur Wilson, who was the hospital’s longest serving administrator.
• In 1991, we opened the six-story patient tower and expanded the main entrance to its current state.
• In 2007, we constructed a new emergency department that connects to the main hospital with a skybridge over Main Street. 

As our campus has grown physically, we have added more service lines, like opening the cardiac catheterization lab in 2008 and the weight loss center in 2013. We have also continued to upgrade to more advanced technology, like a new MRI machine in 2013 and a robotic surgical assistant (ROSA) in 2021.

Today, we have a 177-bed capacity and employ more than 850 team members, including contract staff. We work with 180 active and consulting physicians and operate seven clinics. 

While we can’t help but be proud of this growth, we remain committed to caring for our community and treating each patient with personalized care. Our motto for several years now has been that we are “friends and family taking care of friends and family.” 

This commitment to high-quality patient care has resulted in several important achievements in recent years, including earning recognition from:

• The Joint Commission Accreditation for both the hospital and laboratory
• American College of Cardiology Chest Pain Center Accreditation 
• MBSAQIP for excellence in bariatric surgery
• Optum as part of the Bariatric Centers of Excellence network
• CARF for rehabilitation services
• AASM for expertise in sleep care

Impressively, the Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety, has recognized us as one of the nation’s safest hospitals for the past two grading periods. In late 2024, we were also named among Newsweek’s top five in-state hospitals for the first time. 

In February, I stepped into the role of chief executive officer confident we have built a strong foundation and are in a good position to make a lasting and positive impact on the healthcare landscape in Benton. I look forward to leading Saline Health System into the future with purpose and passion.