NEWS
All-Terrain Wheelchair Offerings by Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Game & Fish Have Personal Meaning
Mobility is something that many take for granted. Walking a trail or navigating a park seems like a simple task, but that isn’t the case for everyone. Mobility issues affect 12.2% of the U.S. population, meaning roughly one in every 10 people has serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs. In Arkansas, that percentage is even higher at 18%.
The natural beauty and abundance of wildlife in Arkansas makes the state widely known for hiking, hunting, fishing, and the like. But for those facing mobility challenges, the terrain associated with outdoor activities often presents a barrier. However, there is a tool that can roll right over those barriers — an all-terrain wheelchair.
This is almost exactly as it sounds. It’s a wheelchair that can traverse terrain that has previously created barriers for those wanting to take part in The Natural State’s most popular pastimes. Just ask Craton Tull CADD Coordinator Brad Unruh. He knows all about this chair, which is typically referred to by the brand name, Action Trackchair.
“I’ve had mobility limitations all my life that have limited my outdoor activities,” Unruh said. “The Trackchair has made those activities possible.”
Award-Winning Fort Smith Emergency Hospital Continues Concierge-Level Care
Before 2023, Fort Smith lacked medical facility options for its residents. The city had been dealing with overcrowded emergency departments and a lack of concierge-level care for the local community. After analyzing the area's market and discussing the state of local healthcare with investing physicians, Nutex Health determined the area needed additional healthcare in the form of a micro-hospital with both an emergency room and primary care options. They had previously built similar hospitals throughout Arkansas that had been successful and wanted to bring these services to the Fort Smith community.
Crafton Tull partnered with RPPY Architects to design the hospital, conveniently located near I-540 at 4701 Phoenix Avenue. Crafton Tull provided civil engineering, land surveying, and construction inspection services for the new 18,600-square-foot facility. Due to the building being located in a highly trafficked commercial area, an emergency entrance lane and a drive-thru lane were included to effectively ease traffic flow to and from the facility.
the parking lot layout is efficient for patients and medical personnel
The highly anticipated hospital offers 24/7, year-round access to outpatient and inpatient medical care. Their board-certified physicians and licensed ER doctors offer full-service, top-tier adult and pediatric emergency care to address a wide range of medical emergencies. Dr. John Weddle, DO, is a partner and medical director for the ER and hospital. He said that the hospital differs from other facilities because they offer bedside physician care, lower volumes of emergency department patients, and a more rapid workup and evaluation of most common complaints. They also maintain nurse ratios of 4:1 and employ experienced ED nurses who help facilitate the care of patients.
Weddle said the location has exceeded growth in all areas of the center, including emergency department care, observation admissions, full inpatient admissions, and development of outpatient imaging and lab services. The emergency hospital is equipped with a CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) and COLA (Commission on Office Laboratory Accreditation)-certified diagnostic laboratory to offer high-resolution diagnostic imaging capabilities for patients. The hospital staff also adopted innovative technology to diagnose bacterial and viral infections in 15 minutes with the MeMed BV Test.
full-service care is offered for a variety of medical needs
Crafton Tull Announces Acquisition of Laneshift
Crafton Tull announced Wednesday the acquisition of Bentonville-based Laneshift, which will continue to operate under the same name. Laneshift was established in 2017 by Ryan Hale and provides education and planning services focused on improving bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. The four-person team works with cities, companies, developers and advocacy groups to facilitate active transportation initiatives, including educational tours of established trail networks and a four-day professional development course called the Active Transportation Academy.
