Grand Rounds June on Arkansas Medical News Inc.

Grand Rounds June

Arkansas Children’s Hospital Honors Staff, Community
Physicians At Ruth Olive Beall, Betty A. Lowe, MD, Awards

LITTLE ROCK — Physicians who have advanced Arkansas pediatric health care shined recently at Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s (ACH) signature awards ceremony, the Ruth Olive Beall and Betty A. Lowe, MD, Awards.
The ceremony, which has become an annual event, honored the tireless effort and dedication of physicians who serve on staff, as well as of a community clinic that has continuously supported ACH. The hospital presented 51 physicians with milestone service awards for periods ranging from five to 40-plus years on staff.

Held at the Country Club of Little Rock, the awards ceremony also recognized four physicians with the hospital’s highest honors. Each received a statuesque crystal vase as a display of appreciation for the support and devotion they have shown ACH.

Robert Arrington, MD, chief of Neonatology at ACH, received the Ruth Olive Beall Award, the highest distinction, which is presented to a physician who consistently displays the ACH Service and Behavioral Standards. Dr. Arrington also is co-director of ACH’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and professor of Pediatrics in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine.

Charles James, MD, chief of Pediatric Radiology at ACH, received the  Drs. Joanna J. & Robert W. Seibert Award. Dr. James also is an associate professor of Radiology and Pediatrics in the UAMS College of Medicine. The award he received honors a physician, clinical service, section or unit displaying outstanding teamwork. It is named for physicians who epitomized and promoted teamwork at ACH.

Warren A. Skaug, MD, and the staff of the Children’s Clinic of Jonesboro, PA, received the Dr. Tom Ed Townsend Award. The honor recognizes an Arkansas community physician and/or clinic that has provided excellence in health care and has been a consistent supporter of ACH. Dr. Skaug is an assistant clinical professor of Medicine at UAMS. He has been with the Children’s Clinic of Jonesboro since 1980.

Pat Casey, MD, co-medical director of ACH’s Medical Home Clinic for Special Needs Children, received the Betty A. Lowe, MD, Award. The honor is given to an individual who, through personal initiative, service and leadership, has made a significant contribution to the health and well-being of the children of Arkansas. Casey, a professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry in the UAMS College of Medicine, also is the Harvey and Bernice Jones Professor of Developmental Pediatrics.

Ruth Olive Beall was the second superintendent of the Arkansas Children’s Home and Hospital. Under her leadership, ACH weathered the storm of the Depression, made record progress and expanded well beyond its original status. Betty Ann Lowe, MD, is an Arkansas pediatrician, past medical director of ACH and professor emeritus at UAMS. This program is named in their honors because of their unique visions for ACH.

Komen For The Cure Arkansas Affiliate Increases Grants Total Again This Year

FORT SMITH — The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Arkansas Affiliate made history last year when for the first time it awarded grants totaling $1 million. That trend continued as Komen for the Cure handed out checks to 28 Arkansas organizations totaling more than $1.2 million.

St. Edward Mercy Foundation in Fort Smith, Arkansas, was awarded a grant of $36,220 for its “To Save a Life” program. This project will provide women living in Franklin, Logan and Scott counties in Arkansas who have a low income and are un-insured or under-insured the opportunity to receive a free mammogram via the mobile mammography unit. The mobile mammography unit makes monthly visits to select locations in each of these three counties. In addition to breast health procedures, “To Save a Life” also provides education about breast self-care and breast cancer awareness through educational sessions and community events throughout the year.

Arkansas Methodist Partners With IHI’s 5 Million Lives Campaign

Arkansas Methodist Medical Center (AMMC) staff members attended the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Town Hall meeting held April 3rd in West Memphis, Ark., as part of the Institute’s 5 Million Lives Campaign. Twenty-two hospitals and representatives from the IHI in Dallas and the Arkansas Hospital Association were in attendance and shared best practices in the care and treatment of heart failure, pneumonia, and heart attack care.

AMMC joined the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) 100K Lives campaign in the beginning of 2005 and continues with the 5 Million Lives Campaign that was introduced in 2007. The 5 Million Lives Campaign is a commitment hospitals make to the Institute agreeing to work on projects to improve healthcare.

The campaign has been endorsed by the American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Nurses Association (ANA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Joint Commission.
The campaign promotes the adoption of up to 12 improvements in care that can save lives and reduce patient injuries.

AMMC also works with improvement initiatives promoted by the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, The Joint Commission, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the National Quality Forum.

Arkansas Researcher To Receive $1.3 Million NIH Grant To Study Vascular Complications Of Diabetes

FAYETTEVILLE — A biomedical engineering researcher at the University of Arkansas will receive a $1.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the causes of endothelial cell dysfunction, which significantly contributes to many diabetes-related vascular complications and cardiovascular disorders. The research will help medical researchers better understand the molecular mechanisms for endothelial cell dysfunction and will guide the development of new therapies for diabetes-related vascular problems.

“Scientists know that endothelial cell dysfunction is a common pathogenic framework of many vascular complications,” said Mahendra Kavdia, an assistant professor in the College of Engineering. “For example, we know that oxidative stress is a key event in endothelial cell dysfunction. But the underlying molecular mechanisms of this process remain poorly understood. Our investigation will improve this understanding.”

Kavdia’s research team hypothesizes that this biochemical chain of events includes interaction between nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species that are influenced by many factors such as enzymes and antioxidants, and the release of nitric oxide and superoxide. To test this hypothesis, the researchers have been developing computational models to predict levels of nitric oxide, superoxide and peroxynitrite, a toxic biochemical produced by the interaction between nitric oxide and superoxide. With the aid of endothelial cells from human umbilical cords, the research team also has performed in vitro experiments to expose endothelial cells with oxidative stress. The grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute will allow the researchers to continue this integrated computational and experimental approach.

The grant will also help to significantly augment biomedical engineering research opportunities at the university.

Kavdia, the first biomedical engineering faculty member hired by the university, also has research projects supported by the American Heart Association. He recently received the Arthur C. Guyton Award for Excellence in Integrative Physiology and Medicine.

QSource Awarded Arkansas Medicaid Contract; Opens Office In Little Rock

MEMPHIS — QSource has been awarded a $1.7 million contract to assist the State of Arkansas by performing the state’s Medicaid Therapy Utilization Review and Personal Care prior authorization program for the next year starting July 1.

QSource will assume the responsibility of providing review of individual plans of care and prior authorization for personal care services for Medicaid eligible beneficiaries under 21 years of age. The purpose of prior authorizations and retrospective reviews is the promotion of effective, efficient and economical delivery of healthcare services.

Buccaneer Computer Systems and Service, Inc. (BCSSI) is partnering with QSource in delivering superior information systems (IS) and analytical support. BCSSI is a national leader in IS design and implementation and is expert in Arkansas Medicaid claims analysis, data mining and reporting.

LAMMICO Assists “Physicians Health Program” In Arkansas

METARIE, LA — Representatives from the Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Company recently made a $5,000 donation to the “Physicians Health Program” at the annual meeting of the Arkansas Medical Society held in Branson, Missouri.

The check was presented to Dr. Larry Lawson, Executive Director of the Arkansas Medical Foundation (www.arkmedfoundation.org) by Fred Kirchgraber, LAMMICO’s Vice President of Marketing/Business Development. The funds will go to the Foundation’s “Physicians Health Program.” The program was established by the Arkansas Medical Society to offer professional assistance to physicians across the state. The donation will help further the program’s advocacy mission to assist those health care providers who are re-entering the medical profession for various reasons.

Phillips Joins CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System As Vice President, Chief Operating Officer

TEXARKANA — St. Michael is pleased to announce that John Phillips, FACHE, has joined CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System as Vice President, Chief Operating Officer (VP/COO). Phillips comes to Texarkana from Statesville, NC, where he served as Chief Operating Officer for Davis Regional Medical Center, a 129-bed hospital.
Phillips holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Abilene Christian University and a second Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy from UT Southwestern, Dallas. He graduated with a Masters of Business Administration in 2002 from Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, TX. In 2007, he received his Masters of Health Care Administration, Executive Program, from Trinity University, San Antonio, TX.

UAMS College Of Pharmacy Receives $100,000 For Dean’s Endowed Chair

LITTLE ROCK — The College of Pharmacy at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has received a gift of $100,000 from alumni Karrol and Vicki Fowlkes of Salem to help establish an endowed Dean’s Chair for new academic programs, faculty recruitment and retention, and student leadership activities.

The gift will be made over four years. Dean Stephanie F. Gardner, Pharm.D, Ed.D., said the gift will go toward a goal of $1 million, which will provide unrestricted funds to be used by the current and future deans to advance the College of Pharmacy.

Karrol Fowlkes, Pharm.D., is a former faculty member and associate dean of the college. Vicki Fowlkes, B.S., serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council and the College of Pharmacy’s Admissions Committee. They own Finnegan’s Inc., a disposable medical supplies company based in Little Rock.

The couple established the Excellence in Community Pharmacy Endowed Scholarship in 2001, which has generated a total of $45,000 in scholarship awards.

WCMC Receives Quality Grant for Medication Reconciliation Program

SEARCY — White County Medical Center was selected to receive the first American Data Network Quality Grant according to President and CEO, Malcolm “Cole” Williamson. The five thousand dollar grant was awarded in support of White County Medical Center’s community outreach program focusing on medicine reconciliation.

When patients move across care treatment settings, they are at risk for dangerous drug interactions or adverse medication events if care givers do not have a clear picture of the patients’ medicine regimens. According to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement website, poor communication of medical information through the healthcare continuum is responsible for approximately 50 percent of all medication errors and 20 percent of adverse drug events. Reconciliation is the act of compiling the most accurate and complete list of medications, by comparing a patient’s current list of prescriptions to the physician’s admit, transfer, and discharge orders.

UAMS Top 10 Nationally In Producing Family Physicians

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has been recognized by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) for being in the top ten nationally in producing family medicine physicians.

The AAFP presented UAMS with an Achievement Award on May 2 at the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Annual Spring Conference in Baltimore, Md.

Based on a three-year average for a period ending October 2007, 16.5 percent of UAMS graduates have entered Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited family medicine residency programs.

WCMC Opens Inpatient Adult Behavioral Health Unit

SEARCY — White County Medical Center is broadening its treatment options for people suffering from behavioral health illnesses through its new acute psychiatric unit — Compass. Compass recently opened on WCMC’s South Campus located at 1200 South Main in Searcy.

Compass is an inpatient behavioral health unit designed to provide short-term comprehensive care for adults 18-64 with a wide range of diagnoses including depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders and psychotic disorders.  Each year, nearly one in five adults in the United States suffers from behavioral or emotional problems, and if untreated, these people may become harmful to themselves or others and may have difficulty coping with every day tasks.

Treatment will include individual and group therapy. Educational opportunities for family members will also be provided.
Psychiatrist Dr. Herman R. Clements, II, who has 11 years experience in psychiatric care, will oversee the Compass unit. According to Clements, Arkansas is in need of more facilities designed to treat patients suffering from behavioral health diseases. Nationwide, the number of behavioral health treatment facilities is significantly lower than the need, and this problem is even more pronounced in Arkansas.

On average, a patient will spend between 5-7 days in the Compass unit, and the maximum stay is 30 days.

Willow Creek Sets New Birth Record: 22 Babies In One Day

JOHNSON — Northwest Medical Center — Willow Creek Women’s Hospital set a new all-time record for the number of babies born in a single day on Thursday, Feb. 28. The new record of 22 babies tops the previous record of 18 babies, which was set in May 2007.

The new mark also surpasses the old one in terms of time-span from the first birth to the last — just 17 hours and 22 minutes. Also of note is the fact that the previous mark included multiple births, whereas Thursday’s record did not.

“The Willow Creek physicians and staff rallied and did an incredible job of managing what essentially was double the normal workload,” said Arin Brewer, R.N., Chief Nursing Officer at Willow Creek. “This new record is a monument to their responsiveness, teamwork and expertise.”

The math works out to an average of one birth every 47 minutes, but a closer examination of birth times indicates that the pace was considerably faster during certain periods.

VNA Of Arkansas Celebrates 70th Anniversary

LITTLE ROCK — Visiting Nurse Association of Arkansas (VNA) at St. Vincent is celebrating 70 years of service to the community this year. In 1938, when VNA began, Americans were mystified by the live radio broadcast of Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds, entertained by Academy Award winning films like You Can’t Take It With You, starring Frank Capra, and trying to stay healthy amid the threats of tuberculosis, diphtheria and typhoid fever. At that time the VNA was foraging ahead with a medical plan that still stands the test of time – taking care of patients in their own homes.

For more than half a century, VNA has been providing quality home health care in Central Arkansas. VNA was the first organized home health agency in the state, established in 1938 by the Pulaski County Medical Society, Pulaski County Nurses Association, the United Way, and the Junior League of Little Rock.

Today, families are vastly different and much less concerned about the health issues so prevalent in 1938. But because there are new illnesses and greater difficulties associated with getting much-needed healthcare there is still a place for the 70-year-old VNA.

June 2008