Fort Smith Metro Daily News Briefs: Choctaw Nation agreement, ACHE ‘adoption’ scholarships

Following are news brief items from the Fort Smith metro.

Fort Smith, Choctaw Nation Agreement
The Fort Smith Police Department^[1] (FSPD) and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma^[2] have signed a cross-deputization agreement, marking the first-ever tribal law enforcement agreement in the State of Arkansas.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed on Sept. 5, establishes mutual aid and cross-jurisdictional cooperation between FSPD and the Choctaw Nation’s Lighthorse Police Department. The agreement is designed to enhance safety and strengthen law enforcement coverage for communities within the city of Fort Smith and areas of the Choctaw Nation’s reservation and Indian Country located in Arkansas.

“I am very excited and honored to help welcome the Choctaw Nation to the City of Fort Smith and State of Arkansas,” said Fort Smith Police Chief Danny Baker. “I look forward to partnering with the Lighthorse Police in protecting Fort Smith and the great people of the Choctaw Nation. The story of Fort Smith includes those of our Native American brothers and sisters, and together, we will work to keep our shared communities thriving and safe.”

The agreement allows officers from both agencies to respond to observed violations of the law, assist one another with arrests, investigations, and detentions, and provide emergency support when needed. It stems from Arkansas Senate Bill 510, which authorized cross-deputization partnerships between Arkansas law enforcement agencies and federally recognized tribes.

ACHE Scholarships
The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education^[3] (ACHE) has named the first recipients of its new Adopt-A-Scholar Recruitment Scholarships. The program was created to support exceptional incoming medical students at the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM) whose goals align with ACHE’s mission to improve access to quality healthcare, according to ACHE.

Each scholarship is made possible through a $100,000 donation, pledged over four years. The program was established to provide financial and personal support to future physicians. Donors have the opportunity to “adopt” a medical student by funding a recruitment scholarship that helps reduce the financial burden of medical education.

“These partnerships are about more than just scholarships. They’re about mentorship, encouragement, and investing in the health of our communities,” said ACHE President and CEO Kyle Parker. “Our Adopt-A-Scholar recipients represent resilience, compassion, and a deep commitment to service, which are the very values ACHE stands for.”

The inaugural scholarships were awarded to two incoming students in the ARCOM Class of 2029. The First National Bank of Fort Smith Adopt-A-Scholar Recruitment Scholarship was awarded to Deborah Jandebeur.

“Becoming a physician has always felt like my calling, and I’m thrilled to be training at an institution whose values mirror my own,” Jandebeur said. “ARCOM’s focus on healthy living and improving lives speaks to the very core of my aspirations.”

Raised in Decatur, Ark., Jandebeur is now an empty-nester with her son in graduate school and twin daughters in college. She works in a hospital emergency department and plans to serve as a rural community physician.

The Brenda and Anthony Altman Adopt-A-Scholar Recruitment Scholarship was awarded to Mary “Adi” Young.

“After graduating, I am prepared to contribute to ARCOM’s mission as a student and beyond, promoting equitable, compassionate healthcare and creating lasting change in the communities I serve,” Young said.

Young’s interest in medicine began at age five after a life-threatening illness led to hospitalization at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis. She has volunteered in pop-up clinics in underserved areas of Costa Rica.

Mercy and AI
Officials with Mercy Fort Smith^[4] say the use of artificial intelligence is helping them to have more meaningful face-to-face time with patients.

Mercy is one of four U.S. health care systems to earn 2025 KLAS Arch Collaborative Electronic Health Record (EHR) Breakthrough Recognition.

“This national recognition is a clear indicator that our caregivers are extremely satisfied, which in turn makes for happier patients,” said Dr. Todd Craig, Mercy vice president of clinical informatics. “There’s no doubt the work we are doing at Mercy is improving patient care and reducing physician and provider burnout.”

Much of the recent work is tied to an AI assistant that generates office notes in seconds after a patient leaves an exam room, enabling doctors to concentrate on patients instead of paperwork. The AI solution has an added bonus: Doctors finish their notes before they go home.

“DAX Copilot allows me to spend less time typing and more time connecting with my patients. That face-to-face time builds trust, helps me listen more closely and ultimately leads to better care,” said Dr. Matthew Turner, family medicine physician with Mercy Clinic Primary Care – Cliff Drive in Fort Smith.

With a patient’s consent, DAX Copilot, which is now part of Microsoft Dragon Copilot, uses ambient voice recognition and generative AI to automatically and securely capture doctor-patient conversations that are then automatically uploaded to Mercy’s EHR. It automatically drafts clinical notes for the doctor to review and approve after each patient visit, giving physicians across Mercy more time in every appointment for direct patient interaction. The time saved also enables doctors to see more patients.

Mercy began using the technology more than a year ago, with additional doctors taking advantage of it since its launch. So far, it has freed physicians from administrative burdens and saved caregivers more than 108,000 hours across the Mercy system. And that’s just the beginning of unlocking the benefits of AI.

Methodist Village Gift
Methodist Village Senior Living^[5] (MVSL) has received a $30,000 donation from Home Instead to support the opening of a hospice suite at the facility.

“End-of-life care is one of the most sacred responsibilities we carry,” said MVSL CEO Melissa Curry. “Thanks to the generosity of Jonathan Fry and Home Instead, we will now be able to offer families a warm, comfortable space where they can be present with their loved one during this important time.”

The new space will include a home-like resident for the patient, two recliner beds for family members, a full bathroom and walk-in shower for caregiver comfort, and a kitchenette with snacks and beverages.

“Supporting this hospice suite is our way of giving back and ensuring families have the support they need during one of life’s most emotional moments,” said Fry, owner of Home Instead.

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