PROFILES IN HEALTHCARE - OCTOBER 2023

2023

PROFILES in HEALTHCARE SPECIAL FEATURE PRESENTED BY

WORDS Dwain Hebda and Catherine Frederick some interviews have been edited for length and clarity

Do South® Magazine is proud to recognize the expertise and contributions of healthcare providers in our community who set the bar for excellence with their professionalism and quality of service. These healthcare specialists are committed to providing the very best to those in their care.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

2023

PROFILES in HEALTHCARE SPECIAL FEATURE PRESENTED BY

WORDS Dwain Hebda and Catherine Frederick some interviews have been edited for length and clarity

Do South® Magazine is proud to recognize the expertise and contributions of healthcare providers in our community who set the bar for excellence with their professionalism and quality of service. These healthcare specialists are committed to providing the very best to those in their care.

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ANCHORED HOPE COUNSELING

unique things we offer are hours outside Monday through Friday,

Anchored Hope Counseling provides a safe place for clients to get

8 to 5. We start with appointments at 8 a.m. and, among our twenty

help, hope and healing. The practice opened seven years ago and

therapists, we see clients until 8 or 8:30 at night, which is much more

has since grown to twenty counselors representing a broad range

convenient for our clients who work or have family obligations.”

of expertise.

Another feature that helps improve access for clients is telehealth “We work with children and adolescents, we work with couples on

which started out of necessity during the pandemic and has

relationships and we have counselors dually licensed as marriage

continued to be offered ever since. The ability to counsel patients

and family therapists,” says Dr. Deborah Braboy, founder. “We have

remotely is just one of the changes Dr. Braboy has seen since the

specialists in addiction, trauma, grief and loss. We kind of run the

practice opened.

gamut, which is one of the nice things about our practice. Whatever a family needs, we generally have someone who can accommodate

“I think there’s more acceptance of therapy overall,” she says. “There’s

that need.”

still a little bit of a stigma, but I think people are more likely to recommend therapy to loved ones or to consider it for themselves.

In launching Anchored Hope, Dr. Braboy sought not only to offer a wide range of specialties, but also to bring them within reach of

“Another thing that’s changed is, when we first opened, it was

more people.

just Counseling and everyone saw everybody. Now, therapists are really developing their own area of expertise. I think that helps us

“One of the things I saw when I first started the practice was working

as therapists, but it also helps clients choose someone who’s the

hours were an obstacle for many people,” she says. “One of the

right fit.”

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ALMA PHYSICAL THERAPY When Taylon Payne and Tamra Brown began working together at Van Buren Physical Therapy, they felt a connection that came from common experiences.

Both women hailed from Oklahoma, where they were athletes growing up, and both had suffered their fair share of sports injuries that eventually led them to their chosen professions. Both shared a love of helping people and a commitment to a higher standard of treating patients.

It didn’t take long for the two to decide to build upon their commonalities and that’s when Alma Physical Therapy was born.

“We decided to open a clinic in Alma because we needed to give people more options that may be closer to home for them,” Taylon says. “We also wanted to provide a place where we could relate to the patients. We wanted to work with patients in a way that they felt like we could understand where they’re coming from.”

The clinic attracts its share of sports injuries, but is not limited to serious athletes and weekend warriors. When it comes to patients, Alma Physical Therapy treats all ages and abilities.

“We see pediatric patients as well as adults for post-operative care, and recurring/chronic pain,” Taylon says. “We have the ability to evaluate and treat a wide range of diagnoses.”

Each patient receives one-on-one personal attention in a private room with a therapy plan that’s tailored for their specific needs. It’s one of the many things that sets the threeyear-old clinic apart from the field.

“Something that’s really important to Tamra, and to me, is to make sure our patients feel heard regarding their personal goals as well as goals you would expect to see on paper,” Taylon says. “ They may need to take steps or be able to walk upstairs, but if they want to work in their garden, that is something we will work on as well.

“We want them to not only successfully conquer the stairs, but also go home and feel confident to work in their garden. They need to be able to do things at home that they love that add purpose to their life. We let our patients know we care about them outside of clinical goals. We care about them as people.”

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BAPTIST HEALTH WOMEN’S CLINIC

birthing options that present a more connected and less clinical

The labor and delivery department of Baptist Health is used to

“One of the unique approaches from having a nursing background

new arrivals but recently experienced something that made even

as I do is that I tend to be a little more hands-on with my patients

longtime OB-GYNs sit up and take notice. The hospital added

and a little more involved in the nitty gritty of what they want their

SaraBeth Askins, a certified nurse midwife and women’s health

birth experience to look like,” SaraBeth says. “For those who want

nurse practitioner, to its collective medical arsenal.

that more natural feel, that more homebirth feel but still be in a

delivery experience has led to a resurgence in midwifery.

medical environment, I can provide that.”

“In much of the civilized world, midwives are utilized well and in many geographic areas of the United States do the majority of

In addition to delivering babies, midwives are also active in

deliveries,” says Dr. Mark Fowler, chief of OB-GYN. “Adding SaraBeth

other aspects of women’s health care and wellness including

to our team is one of the biggest things that sets us apart from any

breastfeeding support, gynecological services, postpartum care,

hospital within a couple hundred miles.”

family planning and postpartum depression/anxiety management, among other services.

Midwives such as SaraBeth undergo rigorous training and are licensed to perform anything a medical doctor can do except

“A lot of what brings people in the door is their pregnancy,” SaraBeth

C-sections. SaraBeth does not perform home births, which lends

says. “Going forward we’ve built a relationship with them that can

to patients’ peace of mind of still being in a hospital yet enjoying

extend into the postpartum period and really through the rest of

an alternative birthing experience. In recent decades, the desire for

their well-woman care over their lifespan.”

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CENTER FOR HEARING AND BALANCE Any business that reaches twenty-five years in operation has

With the space came a new specialty targeting the body’s

demonstrated their worth to their clients and the community at

vestibular system. Damage to the system, as a result of trauma or

large. And when that worth is improving people’s lives, as with the

birth defect, causes vertigo, dizziness and nausea and contributes

Center for Hearing and Balance, such milestones are particularly

to increased falls, especially in seniors.

satisfying.

“Medication can help a person cope but doesn’t always get to the “I believe God gives us talents and the intent is for us to give of our

root of the problem,” Dr. Linton says. “We are equipped and trained

talents,” says Dr. Kelley Linton, who founded the practice. “Certainly,

to do testing and evaluation specifically to determine where the

my talent is helping people hear better and so I needed to give my

patient’s dizziness is coming from and then devise a treatment plan

talent to those who can receive it. When that all falls into place, it’s

that we follow through with locally.”

an amazing feeling.”

Dr. Linton said such treatments have surpassed her wildest dreams Not only has Dr. Linton built a medical practice that has stood for

for the clinic. “We didn’t have any idea where the business was

a quarter century, she’s grown that practice to include services and

going to go when we started,” she says. “We just wanted to open a

technology unlike anything else to be found in the River Valley.

practice where we provided hearing health care the way we wanted

Last year, the Center for Hearing and Balance moved into a new

to provide it — which was spending time with the patient to get to

7,000-square-foot building, providing ample space to house its

know them — and devise the best treatment plan to improve their

employees and serve its patients comfortably.

quality of life.”

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PREMIER PEDIATRICS Built on the belief that all children are created in the image of God

“I think the thing that sets us apart from other pediatric practices is

and are unique in their potential and purpose, Premier Pediatrics

access,” Dr. Wilkinson says. “The primary intent of opening our clinic

applies this mission-driven approach to pediatric wellness.

was really to be able to meet those after-hours care needs during the

Providing excellent medical care in a nurturing, comfortable

week and weekends. As an urgent care clinic, we’re open seven days

environment has been the goal since Dr. Josh Wilkinson opened

a week, 360 days a year to help offset some of that need.”

the practice in 2019.

Prior to opening Premier Pediatrics, Dr. Wilkinson had practiced “What specifically drew me to this medical specialty was the love

locally for a decade and his vast experience shows when dealing

for the pediatric population,” Dr. Wilkinson says. "I saw a need in our

with even the smallest of patients, especially when it comes to

community for many, many years, but this is just, quite frankly, what

putting children and their families at ease.

I enjoy doing. I enjoy being with kids, I enjoy watching them grow and partnering with their families to give them a healthy start in life.”

“I think that goes back to us being a very family-centered environment,” Dr. Wilkinson says. “It’s a bright space full of friendly

Dr. Wilkinson’s vision was for a clinic that provided quality medical

faces, a lot of laughter. We try to put everything in a setting of play

services that wasn’t limited to regular business hours. Premier

as much as possible. Smiles and those types of interactions often

Pediatrics operates as an urgent care clinic for that very reason,

go a long way toward putting children at ease, and it can have the

providing access to care when needed.

same effect on parents.”

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WESTERN ARKANSAS PLASTIC, HAND & RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY CENTER

“Hand surgery is something Dr. Kelly is known for,” Pam says.

Dr. James Kelly III, a distinguished physician and independent

He also deals with trauma and was first known in our area for arm,

surgeon, is a leader in the field of plastic, hand, reconstructive

hand, and finger replants. Most anything pertaining to the upper

and cosmetic surgery, having helped hundreds of patients of all

extremity, he is well known for.”

“Dr. Kelly treats anything from congenital hand deformities from birth to osteoarthritis or joint deformities occurring with age.

ages and walks of life regain their mobility, self-esteem, and selfconfidence by his work.

Plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery are also in Dr. Kelly’s wheelhouse, although most people misunderstand what each of

“Our practice is very broad,” says Pam Kelly, practice administrator.

these specialties entails.

“Dr. Kelly is a very well-rounded surgeon, who is trained and experienced in a variety of hand, plastic, reconstructive and

“People assume plastic is all cosmetic, but there’s a difference,”

cosmetic surgical procedures. “I think treatement diversity is what

Pam says. “Plastics is anything dealing with soft tissue, ranging

sets our practice apart. You never know what you may encounter

from skin cancers, burns, post-cancer breast reconstruction,

on any given day. It keeps things interesting.”

or even reconstructive surgery resulting from an injury. Plastic surgery is comprised of a multitude of things.

Western Arkansas Plastic, Hand & Reconstructive Surgery Center was founded in 1998. The practice has become a center of

“Cosmetic surgery is exactly as it reads — aesthetic, elective

excellence for a wide range of patients, to include those suffering

procedures. Dr. Kelly specializes in this field as well; in fact, he’s

from birth defects or physical trauma to reconstructive surgery, or

completed fellowships and is board certified in all the above. The

those wanting to change some part of themselves to look their best.

practice is certainly very well-rounded.”

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