Proven Healthcare Executive Diana McDaniel to Lead National Physician Recruitment Firm’s New Northwest Arkansas Headquarters, Tackling Critical Doctor Shortages
Springdale, AR, August 27, 2024: MedExcellence, a leading national physician recruitment firm, announced today the opening of its headquarters in Northwest Arkansas, spearheaded by healthcare veteran Diana McDaniel. As the firm's new Managing Partner, McDaniel brings her extensive experience and deep-rooted commitment to addressing the critical physician shortages affecting Arkansas and the broader heartland region.
“Access to care,” McDaniel emphasizes, “can only be improved through strategic efforts to bring more physicians to the area. My Arkansan heart is full at the prospect of growing healthcare in our state, attracting top medical talent to meet both immediate and long-term needs.”
Arkansas faces a stark physician shortage, with only 224 doctors per 100,000 people—72 less than the national average, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. This shortage is compounded by rapid population growth, making it increasingly difficult for residents to find local, affordable care. The lack of specialty care providers also poses a significant economic challenge, costing Northwest Arkansas nearly $1 billion annually as patients seek care out-of-state.
McDaniel, a former Arkansas hospital executive, identified Northwest Arkansas as a region in dire need of additional recruitment resources. Her decision to relocate MedExcellence’s operations to the area underscores her commitment to solving this healthcare crisis. “While expanding graduate medical education will grow the physician pipeline in the long term, the region urgently needs an influx of physicians to meet current demands,” she adds.
MedExcellence, Arkansas’s only national physician recruitment and locum tenens firm, is poised to make a lasting impact. Through nationwide campaigns and a personalized, face-to-face approach, the firm’s recruiters are ready to tell the story of Northwest Arkansas, attracting top-tier medical professionals to the region.
About MedExcellence
MedExcellence is a physician and provider recruitment firm with over a decade of experience in workforce and recruitment planning. Physician-founded, the firm operates nationwide with its headquarters now in Northwest Arkansas.
About Diana McDaniel, MPA, FACMPE
Diana McDaniel is a recognized healthcare leader with a proven track record in hospital operations, physician recruitment, and healthcare system innovation. She previously served as the operations executive at Arkansas Children’s Northwest, overseeing the region’s first pediatric hospital. McDaniel is deeply involved in the community, with leadership roles in several state organizations. Her work has earned her numerous accolades, including Arkansas Business 40 Under 40 and Northwest Arkansas Business Journal Women in Business.
McDaniel holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of Arkansas and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.