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About Us
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Psychiatric Research Institute | The new Psychiatric Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is one of the most innovative psychiatric treatment and research facilities in the nation.
A joint venture between UAMS and the Department of Psychiatry, PRI offers outpatient clinics, inpatient care and research space in one state-of-the-art structure designed to treat thousands of patients each year.
The five-story, 100,000 square foot building is one of only nine such psychiatric facilities in the United States. The $32 million center includes 40 inpatient beds: 10 dedicated to the care of children ages of 2-12; 10 for geriatric patients; 10 acute-care beds for adults; and 10 serving a dual-care purpose for psychiatric patients who also have a medical condition.
The first floor is home to much of PRI's administration and support staff and also houses the Division of Health Services Research (DHSR), one of the country's largest and most comprehensive health services research centers.
A grand, wide staircase leading up through the atrium, which deliberately promotes collaboration between staff and visitors, leads to the second floor's Walker Family Clinic, which consolidates many of PRI's outpatient services for adolescents, adults and the elderly. The clinic includes a number of specialty programs, including treatment for addictive, eating, anxiety, depressive and post-traumatic stress disorders.
The Fred and Louise Dierks Research Laboratories, located on the fourth floor, include the Center for Addiction Research and a methadone clinic that promotes more convenient and safe access for patients and guests.
One of the unique aspects of PRI is the neuroimaging center, which contains a 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The $2.2 million mechanism, twice as powerful as standard MRI machines and weighing roughly 10,000 pounds, is used for both clinical procedures and research studies. One of only two in Arkansas (a similar unit is currently being used by the UAMS Department of Radiology), the MRI is capable of capturing detailed images of blood flow and brain activity. It will also process those images faster than standard MRI systems, providing medical personnel with improved diagnostic capabilities. |
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