Baxter Health is seeking proposals for the implementation of a hands-free nursing communication system across its hospital. The project is the first bid launched by the health system under Arkansas’ Rural Health Transformation Program.
The plan calls for the purchase of 325 smart communication badges designed to enable nurses and care teams to communicate seamlessly across inpatient units. In addition to the devices themselves, the project includes the software, necessary infrastructure, and staff training to support their use. Baxter Health stated that the Rural Health Transformation Program will fully or partially fund the system.
Proposals must be submitted via email as a single PDF to Kelly Dicks, director of Baxter Health's Cline Emergency Center, at kdicks@baxterhealth.org, by 11:59 p.m. on December 10. Dicks is the sole contact for this bidding process. Per the proposal timeline, installation is required to begin by July 1, 2027, and the project must be complete by July 15, 2027.
The formal request for proposals, including specific project details and evaluation criteria, is accessible at baxterhealth.org/patient-visitors/rural-health-transformation. Baxter Health noted that additional bid opportunities under the Rural Health Transformation Program will also be posted on that page. All procurement processes for these projects are in line with federal and state regulations.
The Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion, five-year federal initiative, was established in conjunction with a 2025 law that reduced federal Medicaid spending. Managed nationally by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and locally by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, the program allocated $208.8 million to Arkansas in its first year. Funds aim to support rural healthcare providers in modernizing services and delivery methods.
In May of this year, Baxter Health submitted the first of four planned applications under the program. That submission, titled THRIVE at Home, proposed expanding telehealth and home-based care offerings. Tuesday’s announcement did not specify whether the communication badge project aligns with THRIVE or one of the health system’s other pending applications.
Baxter Health operates a 268-bed hospital in Mountain Home and a 25-bed critical access hospital, alongside two surgery centers and a network of clinics throughout north-central Arkansas.