UAMS Plans 24/7 Freestanding Emergency Care Network
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is developing freestanding emergency and urgent care facilities with partner Intuitive Health, starting with Little Rock.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Healthcare
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The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is launching a network of freestanding emergency and urgent care facilities that will be open 24/7 and offer on-site laboratory and imaging services. Permits for the first Little Rock location have been filed.
Why it matters
The facilities combine emergency department and urgent care services in freestanding locations, aiming to expand access to high-quality care for residents of Little Rock. The effort reflects UAMS's stated mission to improve the health of all Arkansans.
The first Little Rock facility is projected to take 12 to 18 months to build, with planned round-the-clock operating hours of 24/7. Details on total facility count, investment amount and opening dates beyond that timeline have not been disclosed.
The players
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)
UAMS is the state's academic medical center, operating a hospital, clinics and the health sciences campus in Little Rock that trains physicians and other health professionals.
Intuitive Health
Intuitive Health is a Dallas-based healthcare company that partners with health systems to develop freestanding emergency and urgent care facilities.
The details
UAMS is developing the freestanding facilities in partnership with Dallas-based Intuitive Health, combining emergency department and urgent care services. Each location will include on-site laboratory services and imaging capabilities, and permits for the first Little Rock site have already been filed.
Timeline
Nov. 9, 2026: UAMS issued a system news release announcing the facilities.
Construction of the first Little Rock location is expected to take 12 to 18 months from the announcement.
Healthcare Landscape
The UAMS plan follows a national expansion of freestanding emergency departments that hospital systems have used to place emergency care outside main hospital campuses. By pairing emergency and urgent care in one location, the network extends that model to a statewide academic medical center.
Residents of Little Rock may gain access to emergency and urgent care options around the clock once the first facility opens. The on-site laboratory and imaging services could allow many common diagnostic needs to be handled in one visit.
The takeaway
Freestanding emergency and urgent care sites can offer round-the-clock access outside traditional hospital campuses. Residents seeking same-day care in Little Rock may find these options useful once they open.
Further reading
For more on the healthcare industry in the region, see Healthcare coverage tied to Little Rock.
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