March/April 2023 Arkansas Medical News

ON ROUNDS

Caring for NEA Women

St. Bernards’ Serena Vance, DO, discusses innovation, challenges in OB/GYN

Serena Vance, DO, OB/ GYN, is changing the future of women’s health in Northeast Arkansas and Southern Missouri.

As Medical Director of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at St. Bernards Medical Center, she's offering hope to women across the continuum of care, from fertility concerns to childbirth and menopause symptom management.

Article on page 3

Finding the Right Housing Match

MMP offers personal white glove service for relocating physician families

On any given day, especially after Residency Match Day, Amanda Baron may pick up transferring physicians from the airport, have welcome baskets waiting at their hotel with local goodies, give them a tour of the area and help them with relocation.

Article on page 5

Please find more local Arkansas healthcare news beginning on page 6.

March/April 2023 >> $5

December 2009 >> $5

CARTI Invests in New State-of-the-Art Cancer Care Surgery Center

Expanses of glass, steel and composite panels reflect expertise and advanced technology and treatment

By BECKy GILLETTE

Despite the disruptions to construction caused by the pandemic, the new CARTI Surgery Center, under construction since the summer of 2021, is set to open to the public in early June.

“The CARTI Surgery Center will begin seeing patients this spring,” said Adam Head, president and CEO of CARTI, the state’s largest not-for-profit multidisciplinary cancer care provider with treatment centers in 18 locations across the state. “We hope the community will join us for our official grand opening on Friday, June 9.”

Head said that once open, the facility will be the only cancer-focused surgery center in Arkansas—and one of only a few nationwide. The surgery center will be located at CARTI’s main Little Rock campus.

“Our new center will ensure our patients can continue their journeys at CARTI, receiving earlier, more convenient surgical care, all delivered by the unparalleled medical providers they know and trust,” Head said. “The CARTI Surgery Center embodies our mission to make trusted cancer care accessible to every patient we serve.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 4)

Fake Nursing Licenses on the Rise

By LyNNE JETER

If you employ nurses with nursing degrees from Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing, or Sacred Heart International Institute, all located in Florida, it may be time to review their files for fraudulent activity.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida recently

charged 25 individuals with wire fraud for selling fraudulent nursing degree diplomas to more than 7,600 individuals across the country. These individuals purchased the bogus diplomas to use as credentials to sit for their nursing board exams. Thousands of these individuals became licensed nurses, easily slipping under the human resources radar.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 5)

‘The scope of this fraud scheme is astonishing’

IMPROVING ACCESS TO TREATMENT IMPROVING ACCESS TO TREATMENT

for oPIoID USE DISorDEr

In collaboration with the Arkansas Department of Human Services, the UAMS Center for Addiction Services and Treatment (CAST) is providing funds to facilities across Arkansas offering medication-assisted treatment to patients with opioid use disorder. The money will allow medical providers to offer treatment to patients without insurance or the ability to pay for services.

Medication-assisted treatment involves the use of medication to relieve cravings and withdrawal symptoms along with counseling and support to overcome the

use of opioids. This includes methadone, which can only be dispensed through an opiate treatment program, products containing buprenorphine that require a federal waiver for prescribers and injectable naltrexone, which does not require special qualifications for prescribing.

The funds will cover expenses including the cost of medication, hiring peer support specialists, providing treatment services and even travel costs for patients using medication-assisted treatment.

To learn more about these funds and how to receive them: call (501) 526-8459 or (833) 872-7404 or e-mail Anner Douglas at ADouglas2@uams.edu.

PhysicianSpotlight

Caring for NEA Women

St. Bernards’ Serena Vance, DO, discusses innovation, challenges in OB/GYN

By MELANIE KILGORE-HILL

Serena Vance, DO, OB/GYN, is changing the future of women’s health in Northeast Arkansas and Southern Missouri. As Medical Director of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at St. Bernards Medical Center, she's offering hope to women across the continuum of care, from fertility concerns to childbirth and menopause symptom management.

Starting out

A native of Republic, Missouri, Vance received bachelor's degrees in secondary education and biology from the University of Missouri-Columbia before earning her Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. She went on to complete a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Akron City Hospital in Ohio before joining Ascension St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, Illinois. In 2015 she and her husband, electrophysiologist David Vance, MD, made their way closer home to Jonesboro.

An early interest

For Vance, the road to healthcare was paved early. “I was always interested in medicine, and when I was 16 my dad and stepmom decided to have a baby,” she remembered. “That pregnancy and delivery just sparked an interest.” Vance also took advantage of a high school-hospital partnership that encouraged students to explore healthcare careers. “What I really like about OB/GYN is that it’s varied between clinic time, labor and delivery and surgery,” she said. “Sometimes they run together and it can be harder to manage time, but I like that I’m not in one place every day. It keeps the job interesting and there’s always something new.”

St. Bernards Healthcare

Vance is particularly interested in prolapse surgery and is comfortable treating higher-risk obstetric patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disease or hypertension. As the only NICU east of Little Rock, St. Bernards welcomes more than 100 babies each month and is able to accommodate the majority of higher risk pregnancies. The independently owned health system also includes St.

Bernards Five Rivers Medical Center in Pocahontas and CrossRidge Community Hospital in Wynne, along with several specialty, surgical and primary care outpatient clinics throughout Northeast Arkansas. Vance said working for a smaller, locally owned health system has tremendous advantages. “Physicians and administrators here work well together toward having a successful system, as well as really great patient care,” she said. “They take care of things quickly and administrators listen to staff and physicians. That’s hard to come by.”

Innovation in OB/GYN

Vance credits advances in minimally invasive procedures for better outcomes in obstetrics and gynecology, offering patients more options, quicker recovery times and shorter hospital stays. “We’re able to get patients back to daily activities so much faster,” said Vance, who uses the Da Vinci Robotic Assisted Surgical System to perform once complicated procedures. “In the gynecological world that’s been the greatest innovation over the past decade.” Advances in obstetrics include more options in pain management for maternal comfort, including use of nitrous oxide as a noninvasive alternative to epidurals. “The gas is only active when inhaling and has a short half life, so it takes the edge off laboring and still allows mom to walk around or sit on a labor ball,” Vance said.

Infertility treatment

She’s also seeing more women turn to weight management medications to combat infertility triggered by polycystic ovary syndrome and metabolic disorders. “We know that dropping 15 percent of your body weight significantly boosts fertility, so I work with patients who are trying to lose weight in order to get pregnant,” she said. Combine that with the number of women waiting until their 30s to start a family, and the risk of fertility problems further increase. “We’re seeing more and more women affected by increased maternal age, obesity and health concerns, especially in the American south,” she said, citing baseline hypertension, diabetes and thyroid

Dr. Vance, shown here at Nettleton High School, has a passion for helping young women navigate pre-teen and teenage years. She regularly hosts free "Girl Talk" seminars (including an upcoming one May 9. Click here to register

disorders as now common diagnoses affecting conception. “In the fertility world we try hard to help with what we can, then try medications to improve a woman’s odds while increasing the chances of a healthy pregnancy.”

Understanding hormones

Vance also works to combat misinformation among patients about the role of hormones in women’s health. “There’s a misconception that hormone levels provide physicians with a clear understanding of what's going on with a patient, but levels vary so significantly through each woman’s cycle,” Vance explained. “I also can have two menopausal women the same age with the same low hormone levels but with completely different symptoms. That’s why we treat symptoms and not lab numbers.” Pills, patches, creams and vaginal rings all provide relief, while many menopausal patients use a newer class of medications that affect the thermoregulatory part of the nervous system. Vance said the recent popularity of telemedicine also is a game changer for older women, who often need a conversation rather than a physical exam.

Pap smears and yearly exams

Vance said evolving pap smear screening guidelines often cause confusion - and apprehension - among

patients and providers alike. While today’s five-year screening guidelines make some uncomfortable, there’s often confusion between pap smears and yearly exams. “There’s still a lot of education that needs to happen,” said Vance. “I tell patients I don’t need to scrape their cervix every year, but that they still need to have their wellness exam. Overall, women are much more aware of the need for screenings, including mammograms, and will let us know if they find something that’s concerning.”

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CARTI Invests in New State-of-the-Art Cancer Care Surgery Center, continued from page 1

For nearly 50 years, we have delivered the world’s most advanced forms of cancer care—all within a single, statewide network.”

The nearly 60,000-square-foot CARTI Surgery Center will include eight private overnight rooms, 12 recovery rooms, 14 pre- and post-op rooms and six large operating rooms, two of which have da Vinci RoboticAssisted Technology. Other features will feature an interventional radiology suite, a dedicated cystoscopy room for urology procedures and a minor procedure room.

The CARTI Surgery Center is one of CARTI’s largest construction projects to date—second only to its flagship Little Rock campus. Head said it represents a significant investment in their patients and their future as the cancer treatment destination. He said the decision to build the CARTI Surgery Center was born out of their patients asking, ‘Why can’t I get my surgery done at CARTI?’ Head said the facility will allow many of their patients to continue their cancer journeys at CARTI without entering a hospital setting.

“We’ll have the most advanced surgical technologies at our fingertips, expanding the range of procedures we can provide our patients,” Head said. “From reduced costs to expedited recovery times, it will improve the patient experience and outcomes. The CARTI Surgery Center will offer procedures not yet available in other areas of the state, including prostate seed implants and prostate biopsy fusion.”

Prostate cancer is the leading type of cancer in Arkansas men, accounting for 22.2 percent of cancers in the state, according to the Arkansas Department of Health. But early detection and treatment are credited with the state’s five-year survival rate of 79 percent.

Head said it is CARTI’s goal for no one to go without access to treatment, which is why CARTI has radically expanded its presence and services over the past few years to meet patients where they are.

“The CARTI Surgery Center is yet another testament to our commitment to transforming how cancer care is delivered in Arkansas,” he said.

Lessons learned during the pandemic have been used to improve air quality and make the facility even safer for patients whose treatment might have suppressed their immune systems.

“Our operating rooms are equipped with the Steris

CLEANSUITE System, which contains high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that reduce the recirculation of contaminants and microbial loads,” Head said. “This will help ensure the best air quality for our patients, minimizing their risk of surgical site infections.”

Advanced equipment and procedures include a combined CT scanner with fluoroscopy, combined radiofrequency for kyphoplasty procedures for spinal tumors and many other procedures for diagnosing and treating CARTI’s oncology patients.

“We’re also participating in unique research opportunities for the embolization of hypervascular tumors,” Head said.

Scott Stern, MD, CARTI’s chief medical director and head and neck oncologic surgeon, said having the most advanced surgical technologies will allow CARTI to continue expanding the range of surgical procedures it provides to patients.

“Research shows that patients benefit from a surgical setting that encourages mobility and safe recovery outside of a hospital setting, which is incredibly important to our vulnerable

patient population,” Stern said. “We firmly believe this is the future of cancer surgery.”

The architects for CARTI Surgery Center are Cromwell Architects Engineers. At the facility’s topping-off ceremony, Dan Fowler, the president of Cromwell Architects, said that while what people could see at the time was steel and concrete, as an architect, he could see its potential and how beautiful it was already.

“It is a beacon on a hill, and that beacon says, ‘this is a place of hope and healing and comfort,’” Fowler said. “The building with expanses of glass and steel and composite panels will express the expertise and advanced technology and treatment that drives CARTI. And the interiors themselves are warm a nd welcoming, which will add to the hospitality feel, and that will be reassuring to patients and their families.”

Adam Head Scott Stern

The CARTI Surgery Center is one of CARTI’s largest construction projects to date—second only to its flagship Little Rock campus. Adam Head said it represents a significant investment in their patients and their future as the cancer treatment destination.

Fake Nursing Licenses,

“The scope of this fraud scheme is astonishing,” said David Schumacher, a former deputy chief of the Health Care Fraud Unit for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, and co-chair of the Fraud & Abuse Practice at Hooper Lundy law firm. “The obvious victims are the patients who were treated by nurses who apparently didn’t have the training and qualifications that they had a right to expect. But hospitals and health systems and other organizations, who are desperate to find and replace qualified nurses, were also victimized by this scheme.”

David S. Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of Florida and a partner on the compliance and white-collar defense team at Jones Walker LLP in Miami, said the trend emanated from the COVID outbreak.

“During COVID, as with many industries, both a shortage of potential employees and forced movement to online certifications proliferated the healthcare industry,” explained Weinstein. “As a result, unscrupulous individuals took advantage of the situation and created a scheme to profit from these events.”

Employers who hired these fraudulent nurses had little way to know about the bogus diplomas.

“As with all due diligence checks, you rely on the information that’s in the database,” said Weinstein. “If transcripts and diplomas are submitted as a requirement to sit for the licensing exams, unless the transcripts and diplomas are outright fraudulent in their appearances, it will not set off any red flags. Moreover, by the time a candidate applied for employment, they had already used the fraudulent transcripts and diplomas to sit for and pass their licensing exams.”

Schumacher also pointed out that all three nursing schools were accredited.

Human resources and compliance departments at health and hospital systems should review employment records from all nurses to determine if any of them listed diplomas from these three institutions, Schumacher said.

“If so, they should conduct an investigation to determine if the diplomas were legitimate or fraudulent, and if fraudulent, they should immediately terminate the nurses,” he said.

It’s critical that health and hospital systems take these steps to mitigate harm, Schumacher continued.

“It’s not inconceivable that health and hospital systems will have to answer inquiries from patients and

continued from page 1

Finding the Right Housing Match

MMP offers personal white glove service for relocating physician families

By LyNNE JETER

On any given day, especially after Residency Match Day, Amanda Baron may pick up transferring physicians from the airport, have welcome baskets waiting at their hotel with local goodies, give them a tour of the area and help them with relocation.

Across the country, the scenario is repeated by select realtors who are married to physicians and understand the specifics needed for a successful move via Moving Medicine Partners, a national network of professional realtors that specialize in physician and family relocations.

“Our agents have been there, done that,” said Baron, whose husband, Chris Baron, MD, is a pediatric interventional radiologist at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. “We not only help find a home for these families but help them get connected to their communities from the very beginning. We know how important that is.”

families that were treated by nurses involved in this scheme,” he said, “and federal and commercial insurance payors could demand recoupment of any services performed by the nurses as well.”

The scandal doesn’t implicate staffing services. “However, the defendants preyed on vulnerable health and hospital systems that are having difficulty filling open nursing positions,” said Schumacher.

If convicted, the 25 defendants each face up to 20 years imprisonment.

Some state nursing boards are already taking action. For instance, the Georgia Board of Nursing has sent letters to at least 22 nurses who had diplomas from one of these schools, asking them to voluntarily surrender their nursing licenses, and the Atlanta VA medical center has removed three such nurses, said Schumacher.

“Boards of Nursing in other states will surely follow suit,” he said.

Moreover, if there are thousands of nurses out there who obtained their licenses under false pretenses, there could be years of collateral litigation, including additional indictments, nursing board licensure actions, and potential lawsuits from their employers and families, said Schumacher.

“What a mess!”

Baron, a realtor for Compass Real Estate in Nashville, Tenn., led the effort to create a network by seeking other professional real estate agents within Compass Inc. (NYSE: COMP), a real estate brokerage company founded in 2012 with more than 25,000 agents nationwide. Zoe Cangas, a realtor at the St. Louis location, helped Baron comprise the original dozen members, then set the managing teams, which ultimately resulted in an ally team.

The founding members hashed out details at a luncheon at the annual Compass Retreat last August. By the end of February, MMP had 45 realtors representing numerous states, including Alaska and Hawaii.

“Our goal is to have all states represented,” said Baron. “We’ve had an overwhelming response from realtors across the U.S., wanting to join the MMP team. While we’re still interviewing applicants, we’ve had close to 60 interviews in the first two months of the year.”

A map with MMP locations is located on the website, MovingMedicinePartners. com/Nashville.

“Having first-hand experience of being ‘married to medicine’ helps our agents connect to physician families on a different level,” said Baron. “We understand the lifestyle, long hours, and demands put on the family to make moving even that much more stressful. We have systems in place to help connect the physician family to other agents nationally and feel at home right away.”

Baron moved from Texas to Tennessee 18 years ago for her husband’s residency.

“He had no time off to come look at houses, so my mom and I came with

a 3-month-old baby,” she explained. “We looked Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I bought a house on Sunday, and he never saw it until we moved, lol.

“I try to help my clients with this challenge. Many times, they must do things virtually or I’m dealing with the spouse. I try to streamline as much as I possibly can.”

MMP is expecting a rush of business after Match Day (March 17), by helping on both ends to make a smooth transition. Last year, nearly 47,675 applicants registered in the Main Residency Match, according to the National Resident Matching Program.

“When residents receive their respective ‘match’ for the next step in their medical specialty, there’s a short window of time to leave one area and report to the next seamlessly, generally state to state,” said Baron. “We offer help immediately after connecting with the physician. We can help them connect to an agent in their area to make their moves seamless. We can also help with rental properties if that seems to fit their needs over a purchase. Our end goal is to connect physician families into their community and make the transition as stress free as possible.”

A recent assignment called for a family to be moved into a home, while getting their current home rented until it was sold.

“It involved a lot of moving parts but ended up turning out well,” she said.

Many realtors in MMP also belong to local, regional, and national chapters of American Medical Association-Alliance for spouses.

“Connecting into the medical community is very important,” said Baron. “They have instant friends and support. My husband had to do a fellowship in Cincinnati while I lived in Nashville with our then 5-year-old and 3-year-old. Having a good support system is what carried me through. Being married to medicine can be very lonely!”

David Schumacher

David S. Weinstein

Amanda Baron

GrandRounds

CHI St. Vincent Expands

Access to Cardiovascular Care in Southwest Arkansas with new Heart Clinic in De Queen

DE QUEEN – CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute , the state’s largest and most diverse network of heart specialists with more than 25 community locations across Central and Southwest Arkansas, has announced the creation of a new clinic to begin serving patients in and around De Queen, Arkansas. Cardiologists

Dr. Yuba Acharya and Dr. Srinivas Vengala will begin seeing patients on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at Heart Clinic Arkansas - De Queen located in the new Sevier County Medical Center at 960 US Hwy 71 beginning on April 11, 2023.

“Access to health care, or the lack thereof, can significantly influence both the quantity and quality of someone’s life,” said CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute President Marcia Atkinson. “We know that access to quality heart care is limited in rural parts of Southwest Arkansas. That’s why this step to ensure patients in De Queen and its surrounding communities have convenient access to our leading cardiologists is so important.”

Drs. Acharya’s and Vengala’s consistent presence in De Queen will now make quality heart care more convenient than ever for nearby communities. That care goes beyond merely treatment as they work to develop a plan that’s right for each unique patient so they can get back to the things that really matter in their lives. To learn more about the CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute and its network of clinics across Arkansas, visit: chistvincent.com/heart

Bright Promoted to Chief Operating Officer

HARRISON - North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC) is proud to announce that Josh Bright has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer.

In his role as Chief Operating Officer, Josh will provide day to day leadership and guidance to ensure the advancement of the mission and optimal effectiveness of NARMC across both inpatient and outpatient services. He will be focused on operational efficiency, improved clinical outcomes, advanced service lines

Baptist Health Celebrates New Behavioral Services Clinic in North Little Rock

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Baptist Health held a ribbon cutting and ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of Baptist Health Behavioral Health Clinic-North Little Rock, near Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock

The clinic is staffed by faculty and residents from the Baptist Health-University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Education Program:

• Dr. Jane Kang: core faculty for the Baptist HealthUAMS Psychiatry Residency Program and medical director of Baptist Health Behavioral Health Clinic-North Little Rock. She is also a board-certified psychiatrist with 17 years clinical experience in adult psychiatry.

• Kristen McGrew, Ed.D, LPC, NCC, BC-TMH: therapist faculty who has practiced psychotherapy for over 14 years, providing individual, family, and marital counseling to patients of all ages and diagnoses.

and financial viability. Josh will work collaboratively with other members of the senior leadership team and members of the medical staff to oversee the operational and clinical management functions of the organization.

Josh began his career at North Arkansas Regional Medical Center as a CNA assistant and transporter in 2002 while doing his undergraduate work during the summer. He came back the next summer and worked as a transporter. His third summer, he tried his hand at being an anesthesia tech. In 2011, Josh joined NARMC as a Staff Pharmacist and in 2015 promoted to Director of Pharmacy. He held this position until 2020, where he was promoted to Vice President of Operations. Then in 2023, promoted to Chief Operating Officer.

Josh is an Apexus Certified 340B expert, and a graduate of ASCC/AIA Leadership in Arkansas Class XIV. He is an active member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Arkansas Health Executives Forum, the Arkansas Association of Health Systems Pharmacist (AAHP), and the Arkansas Pharmacists’ Association (APA). In 2017, Josh was named the 2017 Arkansas Pharmacists Association “Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year” and was a finalist for the

2019 Health Care Professional of the Year by Arkansas Business.

Josh was born at NARMC and is a native of Jasper, AR. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Chemistry from Arkansas Tech University in 2004. He then attended the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and received his Doctor of Pharmacy in 2008. He resides in Harrison with his wife, Haley and their three children.

President and CEO, Sammie Cribbs, said, “Josh’s leadership is seen throughout the organization, and we are honored to have him as part of the NARMC team with his continued career growth. As we continue to embrace the challenges ahead, Josh’s leadership through the EBITDA improvement plan has been remarkable, and we are excited to see this continue. Josh has a true commitment to quality, and I am excited to continue

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• Amanda Thompson, LCSW: outpatient therapist and licensed clinical social worker of more than 17 years who provides psychotherapy for individuals and couples using cognitive behavioral therapy, supportive therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy.

• Resident physicians are Dr. Preetam Reddy who went to medical school at Aureus University School of Medicine in Oranjestad, Aruba, and Thomas Fister, D.O., who went to medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic in Medicine Erie, Pennsylvania.

Arkansas has greater shortages of psychiatrists than the national average, and the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation. The Psychiatry Residency Program offered through Baptist Health and UAMS is focused on retaining well-rounded psychiatrists in the state. It is additionally committed to caring for patients of all needs and to working well with other mental health professionals and integrated behavioral health settings.

Services at Baptist Health Behavioral Health Clinic-North Little Rock include personal and family grief/bereavement; addictions/substance abuse; conflict management/resolution, work and career issues; stress management; and psychiatric care.

Baptist Health’s outpatient mental health clinics provide care to individuals and families throughout Arkansas. Our licensed and accredited psychiatrists and therapists currently provide care to adults, but will be expanding in the near future to include children and adolescents.

Baptist Health Behavioral Health Clinic-North Little Rock is located in the Medical Office Building at 3201 Springhill Drive, Suite 400, in North Little Rock. It is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon. For more information about the clinic, visit Baptist-Health.com or call Baptist Health HealthLine at 1-888-BAPTIST.

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Josh Bright

Pictured are: Keith Owen, Callie Parks, Cody Walker, Troy Wells, Jane Kang, Doug Weeks, Greg Crain, Melissa Yandell, Derrell Hartwick, Dr. Stan Kellar, Dr. Preetam Reddy, Dr. Thomas Fister, Kristen McGrew, and Amanda Thompson

GrandRounds

this journey in healthcare with Josh as our Chief Operating Officer.”

“Communities prosper when local healthcare services are accessible, reliable, and sustainable. I’m honored to have the opportunity to continue leading teams of exceptional individuals at NARMC who are bringing better care to our loved ones. Growing up in the NARMC service area, it’s personal to ensure our communities are well cared for. Our families, friends, and loved ones don’t sacrifice quality to get care locally at NARMC. Alongside our exceptional teams, I look forward to building a remarkable healthcare future,” Josh stated.

Dr. Brent Rosson Named NARMC’s Chief of Staff Elect for 2023

HARRISON - Dr. Andrew Coble, Chief of Staff at North Arkansas Regional Medical Center, is pleased to announce that the medical staff has elected Dr. Brent Rosson as Chief of Staff for 2023. Dr. Rosson succeeded Dr. Coble in January.

Dr. Brent Rosson, Board certified Staff Internist and Hospitalist,

joined NARMC in 2017 and is the Medical Director for Hospice of the Hills and Hillcrest Nursing Home. He serves on the Hospitalist Oversight Committee, COVID-19 Committee, Clinic Executive Committee, Medical Executive Committee, Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chairman of the Quality Improvement Committee.

Dr. Rosson is a 2009 graduate of University of Arkansas at Fayetteville where he was an All-SEC track and field high jumper for the Razorbacks and named Student-Athlete of the Year for the Men’s Athletic Department in 2009.

He graduated from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock in 2014 where he also served as an Internal Medicine Resident from 2014-2017 until joining North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in 2017. Dr. Rosson’s desire was to move back home and serve in the community that had been so good to him and supported him throughout his younger years.

Since moving back to Harrison, Dr. Rosson joined the Goblin Athletic staff as one of the Goblin Team Physicians and has been a volunteer assistant coach for the Harrison Goblin track and field team and also sponsors the

Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock Opens New Critical Care Unit

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of a new 10-bed critical care unit, bringing the total number of critical care beds to 44 on March 1.

“At Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock, we continue to increase access to life-saving care for those in greatest need,” said Cody Walker, president of Baptist Health Medical CenterNorth Little Rock. “The addition of this stateof-the-art ICU is an embodiment of our organizational mission to improve the health of Arkansans by changing the way health care is delivered.”

The medical intensive care unit (ICU) on the hospital’s ground floor, across from the Emergency Department, is equipped to care for an assortment of complex patients. CDI Contractors completed construction and Nashville-based Earl Swensson Associates Inc. was the architect on the project.

The experienced physicians at Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock are dedicated to providing high-quality, patient-centered care for emergency medical conditions including heart attack, stroke, injuries, major illness and more.

Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock’s Emergency Department employs APRNs in triage areas for faster screening, easier access and providing prompt assessment for patients. As a Level III trauma hospital, it provides emergent services for: surgical, cardiac, neurosurgical, orthopedic and intensive care patients in the stabilization of injured patients.

To learn more about the services that Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock provides to residents of North Little Rock and surrounding communities, visit Baptist-Health.com or call Baptist Health HealthLine at 1-888-BAPTIST.

Rosson Invitational Track Meet each year for Junior High and High School teams across the state.

In 2021, Dr. Brent Rosson, was named as one of the John Paul Hammerschmidt Men of Distinction for his dedication and service to this community.

In 2022, Dr. Rosson was one of three physicians at North Arkansas Regional Medical Center on the COVID-19 committee that won the prestigious “AHA Distinguished Service Award” for their contribution and willingness to serve our community and the five counties totaling over 95,000 people that NARMC serves.

As Chief of Staff for North Arkansas Regional Medical Center, Dr. Rosson will be responsible for coordination between the Medical Staff and the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors, review and enforcement of compliance with professional and ethical standards among Medical Staff members, and other duties related to the clinical quality and integrity of the Medical Staff.

Sammie Cribbs, President and CEO, says, “I am excited to work with Dr. Rosson, in his role as chief of staff in supporting our medical community. We are extremely blessed to have such an incredible team of medical providers in our community. Dr. Rosson’s blended practice of acute care medicine and outpatient treatments will enhance our team’s knowledge base as we work to support our medical staff and the exceptional care they provide to our community. It is an honor and a privilege for me to welcome Dr. Rosson to his role as chief of staff for North Arkansas Regional Medical Center.”

Washington Regional CFO to Retire; Youmans,

Burrows Promoted to New Roles

FAYETTEVILLE — Washington

Regional Chief Financial Officer Dan Eckels has retired. Eckels first joined Washington Regional as accounting director in 1989. He took on the role of controller in 1998 before being named chief financial officer in 2000 and has played an integral role in helping guide Washington Regional over the years.

In light of Eckels’ retirement, Washington Regional recently promoted two leaders to new roles.

Marilyn Youmans has been named vice president of finance. In her new role, she will manage Washington Regional’s cost accounting, analytics, provider compensation and support, revenue cycle, and CMS

and Medicaid cost reporting and reimbursement functions, as well as oversee the system’s central billing office. Youmans was born and raised in Fayetteville and attended the University of Arkansas. She has worked for Washington Regional for 47 years and previously held the title of executive director or finance.

D.J. Burrows, CPA, has been named vice president and chief accounting officer. He will be responsible for managing accounting functions including financial reporting, payroll, accounts payable, budget, and tax reporting, as well as overseeing banking and investment functions and external financing. Burrows has served as Washington Regional’s controller since 2020. He is an Arkansas native and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.

Jefferson Regional Welcomes Infectious Disease Specialist

PINE BLUFF - Jefferson Regional is pleased to announce that Infectious Disease Physician Mallory Smith, MD, has joined the medical staff.

Dr. Smith earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Portsmouth, Commonwealth of Dominica. She completed an Internship and Residency in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, followed by an Adult Infectious Disease Fellowship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. She is Board Certified in Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine.

Dr. Smith is practicing at the Jefferson Regional Watson Chapel Health Complex, 4747 Dusty Lake Drive, Suite G1-B in Pine Bluff.

2023 Arkansas Nurse Practitioner Conference

This year you do not want to miss the Annual Conference in beautiful Hot Springs. We have Nurse Practitioners Dr. Angie Golden and Dr.

Brent Rosson

Marilyn Youmans

Dan Eckels

D.J. Burrows

Mallory Smith

GrandRounds

Mercy Reaches First Milestone in Hiring Providers to Meet Health Care Need in Northwest Arkansas

ROGERS – Mercy has hired 32 new physicians and advanced practice providers as part of a $500 million investment in the next phase of its expansion in Northwest Arkansas. The second phase was announced in July 2022 with a number of ambitious goals:

doubling the current number of primary care physicians and specialists for the region, building out the top floors of the hospital, adding new clinic locations and more.

“Phase two of Mercy’s expansion in the Northwest Arkansas community starts with the addition of one of the most important elements in patient care – more physicians and advanced practice providers,” said Ryan Gehrig, president of Mercy Hospitals Arkansas. “By ultimately adding 100 new primary care and specialty health care providers, we will effectively double the number we had at the time we announced this new phase of expansion. The speed with which we have already hired a third of that goal in just six months demonstrates our dedication to meeting the health care needs of our community.”

The U.S. Census Bureau ranks Northwest Arkansas as the sixth-fastestgrowing midsize metro area in the country. Mercy’s expansion is necessary to meet the ongoing population growth of the region and the resulting higher demand for high-quality, low-cost health care.

According to key findings from the Northwest Arkansas Healthcare: Assessment, Economic Impact and Vision for the Future report, there is a need for the development of sub-specialty areas that include cardiology and oncology. Shortages in these critical areas have forced some patients to seek treatment outside the region.

“We have identified where we intend to fill the gaps in specialty care for the region, and we have made significant strides in hiring top-tier talent within the first six months of our multi-year expansion plan. Much more is on the way,” said Dr. Scotty Cooper, president of Mercy Clinic Northwest Arkansas. “The simple fact remains that heart disease and cancer remain the top two leading causes of death in Arkansas, and we must address those core needs in addition to primary care. We all know someone who has been impacted by these diseases, and our community deserves the necessary resources to be treated with compassionate care close to home with the support of their family and friends nearby.”

Mercy’s $500 million investment brings its total commitment to Northwest Arkansas to almost $1 billion in less than a decade, which includes the phase one completion of the 275,000-square-foot patient tower in 2019.

Mercy’s continued expansion answers the call put forth by the Northwest Arkansas Council’s 2019 health care assessment report, which asserts that failing to meet the current and future needs of the region’s increasing population would adversely impact the Northwest Arkansas economy.

“While Northwest Arkansas residents have incredible access to high-quality and low-cost primary care, deficits in specialty care causes a loss of nearly $1 billion each year to the region’s health care economy due to outmigration,” said Ryan Cork, executive director of the Northwest Arkansas Council’s health care transformation division. “Mercy’s commitment to provide more specialty care services and physicians will not only make it easier for residents to receive appropriate medical care and treatment locally but also bring those dollars back into the region’s economy.”

Mercy’s phase two delivers resources needed to keep pace with the significant growth of the region.

“The physicians and advanced practice providers we have already hired address current needs for primary care and multiple specialties, including neurosurgery, rheumatology, urology, psychiatry, orthopedics, gastroenterology and pulmonology, among others,” said Eric Pianalto, chief strategic growth officer for Mercy Arkansas.

“We have also made a few hires in cardiovascular care. As Mercy moves closer to creating the infrastructure needed to expand cardiac and oncological care, our recruitment team will bring in the talent to address our greatest areas of need in the region.”

Mercy Northwest Arkansas has received a host of awards recognizing its service and commitment to patient care, quality and safety, including seven straight As from The Leapfrog Group, an independent watchdog organization, and three consecutive five-star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Mercy NWA is the only hospital in Arkansas to hold the highest rankings from both organizations.

Cindy Cooke as our keynote speakers. Our Lunch Product Theatre Speaker is national speaker, Dr. Lynn Rapsilber, Nurse Practitioner. We have workshops by national presenter, Dr. Greg Brooks (Nurse Practitioner) at a great rate. Our exhibit hall is packed this year with various vendors. Finally, this year's PAC Event (separate registration from conference) on Friday provides a meal with lots of fun and games.

If you are registered to attend the conference, keep an eye on your emails for pharmaceutical sponsored dinners for your Thursday evening meal.

Hot Springs Convention Center

134 Convention Boulevard

Hot Springs, AR 71901

Friday, April 21, 2023 at 8:00am CT - Saturday, April 22, 2023 at 5:00pm CT

Be sure to register for the Annual Conference in time to book the hotel discount before it is filled.

Register at: https://anpassociation. enpnetwork.com/nurse-practitionerevents/139485-anpa-2023-annualconference#!info

Board-Certified Oncologist

Sri Obulareddy, MD, Joins UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute

LITTLE ROCK — Sri Obulareddy, MD, has joined the breast team in the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), where she is treating patients with breast cancer. She is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology.

In addition to treating breast cancer patients, she also serves as associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine’s Division of Hematology and Oncology in the UAMS College of Medicine.

Before joining UAMS, Obulareddy treated patients with lung, breast and gastrointestinal cancers at North Star Lodge Cancer Center, Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital in Yakima, Washington, where she also led clinical trials. Prior to that, she practiced medical oncology at Sanford Health in Dickinson, North Dakota.

Obulareddy received her medical degree from Andhra Medical College, NTR University of Health Sciences in India, followed by internal medicine and medical oncology fellowships at The University of Texas Medical Branch Hospitals in Galveston, Texas. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology and the American College of Physicians.

Rangaswamy Govindarajan, MD, Named Chief of UAMS Hematology and Oncology Division

LITTLE ROCK — Rangaswamy Govindarajan, MD , hematologist and oncologist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, has been appointed chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

Govindarajan, who is also a professor in the division, will lead a growing team of physicians treating patients with benign and malignant hematological disorders, multiple myeloma and solid tumors. He will help the faculty develop investigator initiated clinical trials, including translational research.

The UAMS Hematology and Oncology Division, part of the Department of Internal Medicine in the College of Medicine, includes the state’s only stem cell, bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy program.

“Dr. Govindarajan is the ideal person for this key leadership role at a dynamic time as we introduce cutting edge new treatments, expand our care teams, create a cancer network with Baptist Health and pursue NCI designation,” said Michael Birrer, director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and UAMS vice chancellor.

Govindarjan joined UAMS in 1998 after completing his medical training at UAMS, including a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in hematology and oncology. He is board certified in internal medicine and hematology and oncology, and a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and the National Board of Internal Medicine.

Govindarajan received his medical degree from Mysore Medical College, University of Mysore in Mysore, India. He is also a member of the Royal College of physicians, United Kingdom.

“With more than 25 years at UAMS, Dr. Govindarjan is highly respected and universally liked by his peers. He has contributed significantly to the academic environment at UAMS, including educating residents and fellows. He has also contributed to clinical trials and translational research on gastrointestinal cancers and sarcoma,” said Birrer.

Govindarajan also holds the position of section chief of Hematology/ Oncology at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System.

Sri Obulareddy

Rangaswamy Govindarajan