Arkansas Medical News July-August 2015

FOCUS TOPIC PHYSICIAN RECRUITMENT ORTHOPAEDICS

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PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT PAGE 2

C. Lowry Barnes, MD ON ROUNDS Physician Scribes Help Doctors Get Back To Being Doctors Cost of Scribes Can Pay for Itself by Increased Patient Visits Electronic medical records (EMRs) have increased the workload for doctors greatly.

It has become much more time consuming to keep up with documentation, and increasingly difficult for doctors to take care of patients in an efficient manner ... 5

Successful Physician Recruitment Vital To Allay Shortages in Arkansas Recruiting Strategies Include Student Loan Forgiveness, Addressing Lifestyle Issues

By BECKy GILLETTE

Physician shortages, particularly primary care shortages in rural areas of Arkansas far from metro areas, are acute and there is a looming imperative to address the issue not just for the present, but for the next ten to 20 years when many older family doctors will be retiring.

“We have a number of counties that are considered to be primary care professional shortage areas,” said Charles W. Smith, MD, a family physician and professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) who heads the UAMS primary care service line. “Those shortages can be found in all corners of the state except central and northwest Arkansas.”

Solving the problem has been hampered by residency caps from the federal government.

“The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) have limited expenditures for training,” Smith said. “They have been reluctant to expand that funding. That has put a damper on expanding residency slots because (CONTINUED ON PAGE 4)

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Ray Montgomery, Member of Governor’s Advisory Council Working to Sustain Healthcare in Arkansas The Challenge of Keeping the Newly Insured Covered

By BECKy GILLETTE

SEARCY—The White County Medical Center was the largest employer in a six-county area even before its recent merger with the Harris Medical Center to create Unity Health. Now the system has 2,200 employees and serves a population of about 250,000.

While the merger has helped achieve economies of scale for the non-profit health system that serves as a major economic engine for Northeast Arkansas, Unity Health President\CEO Ray Montgomery is very concerned about declining reimbursements combined with the potential loss of the state’s private option (CONTINUED ON PAGE 6)

WHITE COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER HARRIS MEDICAL CENTER S P E C I A LT Y C A R E M U LT I P L E P H Y S I C I A N C L I N I C S Visit Unity-Health.org for a full list of services and locations.

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PhysicianSpotlight

UAMS Orthopaedic Surgeon C. Lowry Barnes Lectures on Importance of Cost Containment Pain Management, New Procedures for Knee and Hip Replacement Have Reduced Hospitalization

By BECKY GILLETTE

PHOTO COURTESY OF UAMS

LITTLE ROCK – C. Lowry Barnes, MD, chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), travels the country frequently to give presentations on orthopaedic surgery. One trend now is that instead of speaking about the latest surgical procedures, he is being asked to talk about cost containment and value in orthopaedics.

“After 20 years, I have been to the podium more times than I like to think,” Barnes said. “Usually in the past, the interest was in new techniques and certain prostheses. Mainly today I am talking about efficiencies, decreasing the length of the hospital stay and cost containment in the operating room for total hip and knee replacements. There is now tremendous interest in true value-based care, alternatives like bundled payments and early discharge from the hospital.”

That trend is being driven by economics. It is an important national concern to

C. Lowry Barnes is shown conducting a knee replacement surgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock. Barnes said better pain management and surgical techniques has reduced the average length of stay in the hospital from joint replacement to only one day post op, which helps reduce costs.

control healthcare costs. In orthopaedics, that may be achieved by managing the whole episode of care better.

“Arkansas is at the forefront in this

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area,” Barnes said. “Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, QualChoice and Medicaid have episodic care payments for four diagnosis groups including hip and knee replacements. The episode of care is managed for 30 days before surgery and 90 days after. The goal is to control episode of care costs and improve quality by more closely managing the process.”

Their surgery team is now available 24/7 for patients to contact via telephone rather than have patients go to the emergency room. Most problems can be managed over the telephone or by the patient being seen in the physician’s office.

“Sometimes patients are concerned about swelling, so they can call about that,” Barnes said. “There may be wound drainage or minor problems like a lowgrade temperature. They can call us instead of going to the ER.” Complications from hip and knee replacement are rare these days. Pain management is much improved from the past. One thing Barnes talks about around the country is a multi-modal approach to pain so that combined techniques and medication work together to decrease pain, increase mobility, and lead to faster recovery.

“Now most patients are going home post-operative day one,” he said. “When I finished training 23 years ago, they were in the hospital 12 days; now, it is only one day.”

When should primary care physicians recommend someone for knee or hip replacement?

“The time to recommend a candidate for joint replacement is when the pain of arthritis interferes with life,” Barnes said.

“It may be that the patient can no longer care for their spouse, shop, cook, or play golf, or that the pain interferes with sleep.

Patients always know when their arthritis is interfering enough with their life that they are ready to have treatment.”

When seeing a patient with knee pain, primary care doctors should get a standing anterior to posterior x-ray of both knees.

“Sometimes non-weight-bearing Xrays don’t show the arthritis as much because the load is not placed on the joint,” he said. “Most people get joint replacement for wear and tear arthritis. There are things we can do now to prevent the progression of arthritis. There are techniques now for managing injuries better.”

Because of the large number of baby boomers retiring, there is concern about having enough orthopaedic surgeons to meet the demand in the future.

“If the predictions about the tremendous exponential growth in joint replacement are true, we don’t have enough total joint trained orthopaedic surgeons to take care of that need,” Barnes said. “UAMS has been working to address those needs to provide the best orthopaedic care and increase our accessibly. New surgeons have been added to the staff, and a new clinic has opened in West Little Rock. Patients can drive up to the door and park.

UAMS has a tremendous medical system with some of the best doctors working here, but big buildings scare people. Figuring out how to navigate a big building when they have a lower extremity problem can be a challenge for them. This new location makes it a lot easier for them.”

Barnes has been a UAMS professor of orthopaedics for the past three years (CONTINUED ON PAGE 9)

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Successful Physician Recruitment Vital To Allay Shortages, continued from page 1 they are very expensive to develop without CMS funding. One of the things that needs to happen nationally is that CMS needs to expand its funding for residency positions.

Then you would rapidly see existing programs growing and new programs starting.”

In 2007 the Arkan- Dr. Charles W. Smith sas Legislature created the Community Match Physician Recruitment Program that targets state residents and “new” physicians – not medical students.

“The community provides $10,000 per year for four years and this is matched by state funds for a grand total of $80,000 over a four-year period,” Smith said.

“Funds are paid to the physician practicing in the medical underserved community ‘after the fact’ on a quarterly basis – therefore assuring 100 percent compliance before funds are paid to the physician.”

Tracy Bradford, section chief of the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) Office of Rural Health & Primary Care, said the farther away a community is from a Tracy metro area, the harder it Bradford is to attract doctors.

“A large part of the state is consid-

ered rural and there is a lack of services and providers,” she said. “There is a great need. What our office does is focus specifically on recruitment for primary care, dental and mental health providers.”

Bradford said the shortages in the Delta are the most acute in the state. Success can be achieved by letting physicians know how rewarding it can be to work in these communities.

“Surprisingly, a lot of medical students are not aware of the loan repayment program,” Bradford said. “In the big scheme of things, it is a limited commitment of two years.”

Joy Gray, an ADH program specialist who works on recruitment and retention of physicians, said the student loan repayment gives physicians $50,000 a year for a two-year commitment, and then $20,000 per year if the Joy Gray physician stays after that.

“It is tax free and goes directly to student loans for healthcare professionals who agree to serve in a health shortage professional area,” Gray said. “That same program is applicable for dental hygienists, dentists, nurses, advanced practical nurses (APNs), and nurse midwives. Another program called Nurse Corps is just for nurses with different scholarship and loan requirements.”

The umbrella of general practitioners

covered includes internal medicine, OB/ GYN, general pediatrics, general psychiatry, and geriatrics.

“Psychiatry is a big one we don’t have enough of in the rural areas,” she said. “Some psychiatrists who are based in Little Rock travel monthly to see clients in outlying clinics.”

Another program, the Arkansas Rural Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Program, provides for medical students (and applicants on the alternate list) to contractually agree to practice primary care in a medically underserved community in Arkansas. Funds are provided by the state to medical students to help pay for tuition, fees and living expenses. Typically, the obligation is for four years. Each year of full-time service will cancel one year of assistance.

Since the inception of the program in 1995, all alternates approved and advanced on the Rural Practice program have subsequently been admitted to medical school.

“I am pleased to report that a study conducted by Tammy Henson, administrator of the Rural Practice Program, shows a 96 percent success rate,” Smith said. “We have placed quite a few physicians around the state in shortage areas with that program.”

The challenges of attracting and retaining physicians isn’t limited to rural areas or to primary care. Many younger physicians don’t want to work 60 hours a week. They highly value quality of life and having time for family and hobbies.

“We regularly interview physicians who are as interested in hearing about their potential lifestyle as they are about their salary,” said David P. Foster, MD, FAAFP, president of St. Vincent Medical Group in Little Rock. “We are intentional in building practices which support physicians. In a private Sign up online for Sign up online for a subscription practice, the physician is and a subscription and learn how to thrive in learn how to thrive in the lead clinician as well the new integrated the new integrated Dr. David P. as the businesshealthcare ownerparadigm. healthcare paradigm.

Foster (or partner). Therefore, most every decision is made by the physician. This can become overwhelming.”

Foster said in a high-performing, multi-specialty clinic, they use teambased care where everyone is encouraged to practice at the top of his or her respective license. “This allows the physician to focus her time on what she was trained for: taking care of patients,” Foster said.

On a business trip?

On a business trip?

Solving the physician shortage probOut of the country?

Out of the country?

Integrated Healthcare lem is an issue critically important not just Integrated Healthcare Delivery is everywhere Delivery is everywhere to health, you are. Online 24/7. but to the economic survival of you are. Online 24/7. rural areas of the state. Smith said it is important enough public as a whole The way we deliver healthcare outsidethat of thethe hospital is The way we deliver healthcare outside of the hospital is should get behind the notion of expandrapidly changing.

Forward thinking practitioners are rapidly changing. Forward thinking practitioners are collaborating ing with other providers to improve the patient the primary care workforce. collaborating with other providers to improve the patient experience while decreasing costs.although If you are an executive “I think APNs and physiexperience while decreasing costs. If you are an executive or medical director who seeks to thrive in the new are going to be cian assistant providers or medical director who seeks to thrive in the new integrated healthcare paradigm, then join the conversation integrated healthcare paradigm, then join the conversation helpful because those professions don’t by subscribing to Integrated Healthcare Delivery, and find by subscribing to Integrated Healthcare Delivery, and find require the same length and complexity of Transforming the way we deliver care out how your peers are already improving outcomes with out how your peers are already improving outcomes with training as primary care physician traingreater efficiency. greater efficiency. ing programs, it isn’t correct to assume one will substitute for the other,” Smith ihdelivery.com/subscribe said. “It works best when they work as a

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team.”

Smith said healthcare reform is setting up the environment to support and encourage the movement from more specialty care to more primary care. Cost effective care is often basic care, coordination of care and preventive care as opposed to doing more procedures and seeing more specialists.

“Everyone is going to have to buy into a slightly different way of looking at healthcare in order for this to be solved,” Smith said. “It would be nice to see some of the best students aspiring to be the best primary care physicians seeking to serve the population. That hasn’t been the case for some time, and we really need to return to a philosophy along those lines.”

Smith said part of the solution is moving from fee-for-service to outcome-based payments and population based models.

“Get paid for good outcomes,” he said.

“As insurance companies and the government pay in a different way, it will reward primary care more than it has been rewarded in past.”

Go online to: Arkansas Department of Health Rural and Primary Care http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/ programsServices/hometownHealth/ Pages/orhpc.aspx

Arkansas Primary Care, Mental Health and Dental Health shortage area maps. http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/ programsServices/hometownHealth/ ORHPC/Pages/default.aspx

National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan and Scholarship Program Information http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/

ADH Rural Health and Primary Care Web Page http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/ programsServices/hometownHealth/ ORHPC/Pages/default.aspx

UAMS Center for Primary Care ttp://www.uamshealth.com/ centerforprimarycare

Video: Charlie Smith, MD, a primary care physician with the UAMS Family Medical Center, enjoys building relationships with his patients to optimize their health https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=kXgE27jyWuM

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Physician Scribes Help Doctors Get Back To Being Doctors Cost of Scribes Can Pay for Itself by Increased Patient Visits

By BECKY GILLETTE

Electronic medical records (EMRs) have increased the workload for doctors greatly. It has become much more time consuming to keep up with documentation, and increasingly difficult for doctors to take care of patients in an efficient manner.

“I was seeing fewer patients, and struggling having to do records later on in the evening or on weekends,” said J.D. Fuller, MD, a bariatric surgeon at the Surgical Clinic of Central Arkansas, Little Rock, who is medical director of MedOptim (formerly ScribeNow) formed in January 2012. “Using a scribe has allowed me to Dr. J.D. Fuller get it done in real time throughout the work day, decreased my workload and allowed me to focus on my patients again. It definitely improved my stress levels. My patients are a lot more satisfied now. It does improve patient satisfaction to see the doctor actually spending time with them again instead of

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Physicians who use scribes report that it reduces stress while improving patient satisfaction by allowing the physician to have more time with patients.

looking into a computer screen.”

The cost of using a scribe is a concern for many doctors. But without help, physicians may have to cut back on the number of patients they can see when using EMRs, which causes a decline in revenues.

“When you get a scribe in place, it allows you to see several more patients per day and it allows you to bill for those services appropriately,” Fuller said. “So, we found having a scribe in place easily pays for itself every day and is actually profit-

able for the clinic. That is why it is working.”

There is more than one way to provide scribe services. Some doctors choose to have the scribe in the room with patients, and patients typically don’t find that very distracting. It usually works out nicely.

“Most of our doctors, however, chose to use our remote monitoring technique where the scribe is in the office, but not physically in the room with the patient,” Fuller said. “The scribe is listening to the physician during the encounter and documenting appropriately based upon the physician’s examination findings. That provides real time documentation, but maintains patient privacy.”

MedOptim has an extensive training program which includes multiple courses both in the classroom and online followed by extensive testing. Then there is a several week period of on-the-job training where they are mentored by the company’s most experienced scribes. Once done with basic training, they are paired up with the doctor and learn specific terminology and preferences required.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 9)

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Healthcare Leader: Ray Montgomery, continued from page 1 Medicaid expansion—a worry for hospitals all over the state. Declining reimbursements could result in $30 million in losses for Unity Health in the next six years.

Montgomery is serving on the Governor’s Advisory Council formed to help the state come up with strategies to provide healthcare to state residents while containing costs.

“We will use this Advisory Council to create ideas for the Governor’s Health Reform Task Force as a platform to publicize, explain and plead to political groups and communities to understand the importance of sustaining health insurance coverage for the people now covered under the private option Medicaid expansion,” Montgomery said. “Obamacare is extremely controversial in a conservative state like Arkansas.

Arkansas is the only state in the nation to come up with the private option plan to cover the working poor and unemployed.

Arkansas has had the greatest reduction in uninsured residents of any state. That is phenomenal. This has been a logical approach to address this problem, and we have to figure out a way to sustain it.”

Over 250,000 people have received health insurance through the state’s private option Medicaid expansion. Initially, the federal government is paying 100 percent of the cost, but after 2016, the state will have to start paying a share that will grow to ten percent by 2020. Some legislators have said the state can’t afford the cost sharing estimated at $200 million annually by 2020,

and that it is important to contain growth in government and prevent residents from becoming too dependent on government programs. But Montgomery questions if it is the right thing to give 250,000 people health insurance and then put those people back out on the streets with no insurance so they go back visiting the emergency rooms for healthcare.

“This task force is tasked with figuring out solutions to the private option and Medicaid in general,” Montgomery said.

“We are facing the reality that healthcare costs are increasing, and many state legislators elected in November campaigned on the pledge to repeal the Medicaid private option because their constituents don’t like Obamacare. Yet the Medicaid private option plan has been very successful. This is a partnership that works with private insurers to keep costs down.”

Studies by the Arkansas Hospital Association have found that hospitals have experienced a significant reduction in bad debt and charity care since the private option was instituted. Montgomery said part of those savings came from people being able to access primary care at a doctor’s office instead of going to the emergency room—the most expensive way to get healthcare.

Despite the challenges, Montgomery, a self-described eternal optimist, is confident about the unique ways the healthcare community is working to weather the storm.

“I have a lot of confidence in the lead-

Dr. Kris Hanby Medical Director, Total Joint Center

ership of this state to come up with solutions to problems for our communities to receive the care they need,” he said.

Arkansas has also seen success with a Medicaid payment initiative program that helped to reduce the growth of Medicaid spending from five to seven percent annually to only two percent in the past year or so.

“We call it bending the cost curve,” Montgomery said. “It is not reducing costs, but the growth is narrowing significantly.

It is a very successful group of strategies.”

Healthcare is in the midst of a transformation that includes value-based purchasing putting a much greater emphasis on quality and incentivizing good results.

“We are seeing in healthcare a real emphasis on patient satisfaction and reducing re-admissions,” he said. “And instead of only thinking of hospitals as a place to care for sick people, hospitals can help reach out to get people to eat well, reduce stress, and exercise. Hospitals can provide important health education, as well as support for the emotional and spiritual health needed to achieve the highest level of wellbeing.”

Another strategy Unity Health is taking to deal with declines in reimbursements is to add services not previously available like an adolescent psychiatric program.

Physician shortages are a huge problem, and Montgomery is excited about a new residency program being established to help train physicians to practice in rural areas of the state. New osteopathic medical schools are being opened at Arkansas

State University in Jonesboro and Fort Smith. The first class will begin in 2016 with 115 students at Jonesboro and 150 at Fort Smith.

“We have been approved for an internal medicine program of which we have capacity for ten residents per year for a three-year program,” Montgomery said.

“That means once we ramp up, we will have 30 residents in internal medicine here at any one time. We have been approved for four residents in family medicine, so that is 12 once we ramp up. We also got approval for a psychiatric residency program that will begin in July. Since it is hard to recruit physicians from large urban areas to come to Arkansas, this is a successful strategy to grow our own because about 70 percent of residents who graduate stay within 50 miles of where they did their residency.”

They hope to attract specialists willing to teach.

“It is vital for our program to partner with specialists who would be willing to teach knowing they are positively impacting the future of healthcare,” Montgomery said.

A native of Kansas, Montgomery has been at the White County Medical Center for 26 years. He is married to Rebecca Montgomery, and the couple have three children and two grandchildren.

“This is a great community, a great place to live,” Montgomery said. “I’ve been blessed with talented people who make me look good.”

All you need for a life of motion The staff and physicians of the Total Joint Center at Washington Regional are committed to serving our patients with comprehensive care for knee, hip and shoulder joint replacement. The Total Joint Center offers education, surgery and rehab, and is listed as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery.

For more information, call 463.5100 or 463.5067, or visit us online at www.wregional.com/total-joint-center

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ARKANSAS on the MEND

BY BECKY GILLETTE

Unity Health Foundation Funds Special Projects to Enhance Patient Care

Foundation Efforts Include Fundraising to Enhance Services in Labor and Delivery

By BECKY GILLETTE

SEARCY—In today’s challenging financial environment, hospitals and other healthcare providers often are trying to do more with less money. Non-profit organizations like the Unity Health Foundation can fill in gaps by doing fundraising to purchase the latest equipment and assist with special projects that allow the Unity hospitals in Searcy and Newport to enhance patient care for the region.

“We come alongside the hospitals and provide additional support and funding for projects like the Cancer Center of Excellence and the New Life Center,” said Cassandra Feltrop, executive director of Unity Health Foundation. “We are here to help ensure that we keep quality healthGynecologist Kris Citty, MD, is shown holding a newborn at the Unity Health-White County Medical Center which delivers about 1,200 babies per year. The Unity Health Foundation has funded numerous projects to enhance labor and delivery services at the hospital.

care for those in our region for many years in the future.

When the foundation raises funds for specific projects, we free up money in the organization to be used for adCassandra ditional renovations or Feltrop equipment throughout the organization.”

Currently the foundation is about a year and a half into a public campaign with a goal of raising $1.7 million. At the end of April, $1,120,000 had been pledged to the campaign.

One use of the foundation money has been to enhance services for the New Life Center at the Unity Health-White County Medical Center that currently delivers more than 1,200 babies per year. The foundation has funded improvements that include an infant security system upgrade, new state-of-the-art nursery equipment, an advanced fetal monitoring system and a new triage area with four patient areas.

“We renovated six of the labor/delivery rooms for additional labor/delivery/ recovery/post-partum rooms, and made the rooms more family friendly,” Feltrop said. “We also installed new flooring in the nursery and throughout New Life Center.”

Room renovations include a custom built-in surface area with storage, rocking chairs, big screen TVs, increased seating for families and a sofa that folds out for sleep space.

“I recently had a baby in the New Life Center at Unity Health-White County Medical Center,” said new mother Ariel Inman. “My husband and I are thankful for the advanced fetal monitoring system that helped the nurses closely watch our unborn baby during labor.”

Inman’s husband accidentally tested the new Infant Security System leaving the nursery and set off the alarm as he stepped too close to the elevator.

“This is all wonderful technology and makes us feel safe knowing that our local (CONTINUED ON PAGE 9)

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Physician Scribes Help Doctors, continued from page 5 Initially scribes were primarily used in emergency rooms, but Fuller said they have found the biggest demand comes from clinics, especially busy family practices.

“One thing we did not anticipate was that we would actually be improving patient access to care,” Fuller said. “Now that doctors can see more patients throughout the day, doctors are now able to schedule more patients and we have been able to improve healthcare in Arkansas. In one clinic where we work, we started providing scribe services to the doctor and after a while also to several nurse practitioners (NPs).”

Some healthcare providers use nurses to input the EMRs. But Fuller said they believe nurses are much more effectively used performing nursing functions instead of scribe duties.

“From a cost standpoint, you are better off using a scribe,” Fuller said. “Let nurses be nurses. Let doctors be doctors. And we will take care of the documentation.”

MedOptim offers several different programs. The most common one is to provide real-time EMR documentation by medical scribes, but the company also works closely with billing professionals such as medical coders. Fuller said this improved level of “coding awareness” in the clinic helps to improve coding accuracy as services are billed appropriately.

There are no startup costs associated with training, equipment purchases, or software.

“We use your existing EMR system and provide all the scribe specific equipment,” Fuller said. “Payroll taxes and all associated costs for the scribe are paid by us. We charge daily for our services and usually doctors will find it to make good financial sense immediately. We do have a contract that has a one-year term, but there is a 30-day out clause for either party. We contract with each provider, but it is easy to terminate the services if it doesn’t work out for some reason. We have found most of our doctors who have

tried it love it.”

Michael Murphy, MD, CEO of ScribeAmerica, said the use of scribes is expected to increase.

“As the EMR, federal, and insurance regulations continue to impact physician productivity, the need for assisted documentation will grow,” Murphy said. “At the end of the day, medical scribes are going to be the standard in healthcare and they will be part of the team: a physician,

nurse, tech and a medical scribe.”

The use of scribes may allow physicians to practice longer before retiring. A study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association in October 2012 said that nearly 46 percent of physicians had at least one symptom of burnout. The highest rates were found in internal medicine, family medicine and emergency departments where scribes are more likely to be used.

Go online to: MedOptim Healthcare Evolved, http://www.medoptim.com/ ScribeAmerica, http://www.scribeamerica.com/ J.D. Fuller, MD, explains his reasons for starting ScribeNow (now MedOptim) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PsSxJE6z4k&feature=player_embedded J.D. Fuller, MD, describes the ScribeNow implementation process, https:// www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pMcJuVdw6ag

UAMS Orthopaedic, continued from page 2

Unity Health Foundation, continued from page 7

while he continued his private practice at Arkansas Specialty Orthopaedics and St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center. He became-full time chair of orthopaedics at UAMS on April 1.

“Many have been confused about my transition and thought maybe I was no longer operating,” Barnes said. “I continue to see patients in the office and operate just as much as I have for years. I absolutely love taking care of my patients, and I hope to instill this same attitude in residents and medical students.”

hospital has this level of monitoring and security in place,” Inman said.

One effort that has helped raise money for the New Life Center improvements is the Miracles Happen Every Day Campaign. Feltrop said that campaign is a wonderful way for people to make a gift to the foundation to help support the project which has a positive impact on many people in their region each year.

“We almost all know someone who has had a baby in the Unity Health-White County Medical Center New Life Center or someone who is going to be having a baby in the New Life Center, whether they are our New parents Ariel and Matt Inman appreciated the enhanced family or friends or people we facilities and services provided by the Unity Health Foundation for go to church with,” Feltrop said. labor and delivery services at the hospital.

“This campaign touches almost hospital auxiliary. everyone in our region.”

“These groups are already commitThe Mother’s Day and Father’s Day ted to your organization and they are a Tribute Program are also popular. great place to start when you are begin“This is a wonderful and easy way for ning any new program or campaign,” she people to give a gift that keeps on giving said. “They will provide support and will in honor of or in memory of someone spehelp share your story with others close to cial in their lives,” Feltrop said. “It is an them.” opportunity for us to gain new donors as well as provide additional avenue for curHow You Can Help rent donors to give to an organization they There are many ways in which you love. This year we also added the ability to can help: give online, and we found that to be suc• Join Pillars of Health to give annual cessful for Mother’s Day Tributes.” or monthly gifts.

Feltrop said other medical charities • Make an online tax-deductible doin the state may find, like Unity Health nation at www.unity-health.org Foundation, that successful fundraising • Businesses can become cornerstone starts with those closest to you including partners with a three-year pledge. employees, medical staff, board, and the

Go online to: UAMS Department of Orthopaedic Surgery http://ortho.uams.edu/

American Society of Hip and Knee Surgeons www.aahks.org

American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons www.aaos.org

New West Little Rock Orthopaedic Clinic Opens www.uamshealth.com/ orthopedicswlr

Knee Replacement Gives Patient Her Life Back http://www.uamshealth.com/news/?i d=5350&sid=1&nid=10574&cid=5

UAMS Opens New Orthopaedic Clinic in West Little Rock video: www arkansasmatters.com/story/d/ story/uams-opens-new-orthopedicclinic-in-west-little-ro/54962/ zchLIIlnnUOemmeu6-Bk1w

arkansasmedicalnews

.com

Barnes graduated with honors from the UAMS College of Medicine in 1986, and completed his internship and residency in orthopaedic surgery at UAMS before doing a fellowship in adult reconstructive surgery and arthritis surgery at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

In 1998, Barnes was founding managing partner of Arkansas Specialty Orthopaedics. He has long been active at St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center, serving on the board of directors until 2010 and as president of the St. Vincent Infirmary Physician Hospital Organization.

Barnes is the only Arkansas member of the prestigious Knee Society. He is a past president of the Arkansas Orthopaedic Society, the Southern Orthopaedic Association and the Society for Arthritic Joint Surgery. He serves as treasurer for The American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons and has recently been named the Distinguished Southern Orthopaedist by the Southern Orthopaedic Association. In addition, he is second vice president of the Mid-America Orthopaedic Association and will be its president in two years.

Barnes has published extensively and is on the editorial boards of peer-reviewed publications including the Journal of Arthroplasty and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. He is editor of the Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances. He holds four patents for orthopaedic surgery devices that he developed, and has designed numerous hip and knee implants.

Barnes and his wife, Tanya, married for 29 years, have three children: Emily, 26, sells real estate for Charlotte John; Chase, 22, sells real estate and manages farms for Mossy Oak; and Sally, 17, is a senior at Episcopal Collegiate School.

As far as hobbies, Barnes admits he “works too much, but I do lots with my family and try to play a lot of tennis and golf.”

Go online to Unity Health Foundation, http://www.unity-health.org/wcmc-foundation

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GrandRounds SVMIC Completes Planned Board Leadership Transition PINE BLUFF – State Volunteer Mutual Insurance Company (SVMIC) recently completed a planned leadership transition within its Board of Directors.

Dr. Hugh Francis of Memphis, Tenn., succeeds Dr. Paul McNabb of Nashville, Tenn., as Chair of the Board. Dr. Francis has previously served as Vice Chair of the Board since 2006.

Dr. John O. Lytle of Pine Bluff, Ark., steps into the role of Vice Chair.

Lytle was elected to the Board in 2006 and most recently served as Secretary.

In addition, he has served on SVMIC’s Arkansas Advisory Committee since its inception in 2003. Lytle’s Vice Chair appointment marks the first time an Arkansas-based doctor has assumed this role. Lytle’s election reinforces SVMIC’s strong position as the longest tenured writer of medical professional liability insurance in Arkansas, having written their first Arkansas policy 26 years ago.

The new slate of Board officers also includes Dr. Katrina M. Hood of Lexington, Ky., as Secretary and Dr. Matthew L. Perkins of Smyrna, Tenn., as Treasurer.

Hood has been a Board member since 2009 and is the first female doctor to be an officer of the Board; Perkins has been a member since 2008.

Baptist Health Medical CenterLittle Rock Implants The State’s First Heartmate III LITTLE ROCK – Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock (BHMC-LR) implanted the state’s first HeartMate III, a left ventricular assist device, as part of a clinical trial called MOMENTUM III. The Baptist Health Heart Transplant Program is currently one of only 60 select centers chosen to evaluate the Thoratec HeartMate III, left ventricular assist device, the latest advancement in mechanical circulatory support. This trial is expected to enroll more than 1,000 patients nationwide.

St. Bernards Preparing for First Residents to Move Into The Villa JONESBORO - Moving day is coming soon at St. Bernards Villa, a new Level II Assisted Living facility with a separate and secure memory care center. The first residents will begin arriving within the next couple of weeks.

Located at 2217 West Parker Road, The Villa is designed for seniors who can benefit from a higher level of assisted living care than previously has been available locally. It has a total of 75 oneand two-bedroom apartments, with 45 of those in the assisted living part of the facility and 30 in the secure Bill Rainwater Sr. Memory Care area.

Two Physicians Join UAMS Orthopaedics Department LITTLE ROCK — The UAMS Orthopaedics Department has announced the addition of two new physicians.

Hip and knee replacement surgeon Paul K. Edwards, MD, has joined the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Dr. Paul K. Edwards and will see patients at the UAMS Orthopaedic Clinic at #2 Shackleford West Bouledvard.

He is also an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedics in the UAMS College of Medicine.

Edwards earned his medical degree from UAMS in 2005. He completed a residency in orthopaedic surgery program in 2011, at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. In 2012, Edwards completed an adult reconstruction fellowship at OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Foot and ankle surgeon Robert D. Martin, MD, has joined UAMS, effective May 1, and will see patients at the Outpatient Clinic.

He is also an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedics in the UAMS College of Dr. Robert D. Martin Medicine.

Martin earned his medical degree from the University of Alabama in 2008.

He completed his internship in 2009 and residency in 2013, both at UAMS. He was a fellow at the Florida Orthopaedic Institute, where he specialized in foot and ankle surgery.

Local Physician Provides Leadership to National Organization BATESVILLE - Batesville Orthopaedic Surgeon Jeff Angel, MD, is in the third year of a six- year term representing Arkansas on the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Board of Counselors. The Board of Counselors is a 90 mem- Dr. Jeff Angel ber advisory group elected by state and regional Orthopaedic societies, including, Canada, Puerto Rico and the United States Military.

Specifically, Dr. Angel is working with committees that are charged with developing the quality metrics and outcome measures that are a part of the national health reform. These outcome measures will be publically reported, providing a new level of transparency in healthcare. Outcomes will be important as future payment models reflect the value of quality care. Dr. Angel will help his colleagues integrate the new standards into their practices.

Dr. Angel practices at MPOC Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Clinic in Batesville along with Drs. J.D. Allen and Dylan Carpenter.

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we

the experts in orthopaedic care

At UAMS, you’ll have access to sub-specialty orthopaedic care unlike anywhere else in the state. We tailor our program around patient needs and offer patient-friendly locations that are easy to access. That’s why we’ve added the convenient, new UAMS Orthopaedic Clinic in West Little Rock. Our goal is to deliver the state’s best patient- and family-centered care as we continue to offer expanded programs for you and your patients. For patient referrals, please call us at 501-614-BONE (2663).

HipKnee ARKANSAS UAMSHealth.com/orthopaedics

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