HJAR Sep/Oct 2019

28 SEP / OCT 2019  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS   Healthcare Briefs “Dr. Williams brings wide experience in public health education and research — combined with enthusiasm toward our health improvement mis- sion — that will benefit Arkansas.” Williams’ public health career spans over 30 years, having published over 200 peer- reviewed articles and chapters. His research focuses on behavioral epidemiology, disease prevention, and health promotion in underserved and minor- ity populations. “I am honored to be selected as dean of the College of Public Health and look forward to leading the college as we seek to improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans through education, research and service,” Williams said. Williams comes to UAMS from the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work at Florida International University, where he held multiple roles. From 2011 to 2013, he served as professor and chair of the Depart- ment of Health Policy and Management. He was appointed associate dean of Academic Affairs in 2012 and interim dean from 2013-2016. Prior to that Williams served in academic roles at the University of Texas School of Public Health, the University of St. Thomas, and the University of Rhode Island. He worked in the private sec- tor as vice president for behavioral research at NOVA Research Company and vice president of research and development at Affiliated Systems Corporation. Williams was one of the first to study the epide- miology and prevention of HIV in drug users and was an original contributor to the development of community-based prevention interventions with this population. His scholarly work includes stud- ies of HIV transmission in injection drug users, disease transmission in social networks of drug users and men who have sex with men, and HIV prevention. His research group was the first to establish injection drug use as a mechanism of HIV trans- mission in sub-Saharan Africa. Also, his work was the first to establish the effectiveness of brief internet interventions to prevent HIV transmis- sion among gay and bisexual men in rural areas. Williams received an undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa in 1976 and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska in 1979. He received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1983 from the University of Iowa. Kelly Crowe, MD, Joins Conway Regional Wound Healing Center Kelly Crowe, MD, a board-certified emer- gency medicine physician, has joined the Con- way Regional Wound Healing Center and Hea- logics, Inc. as the new, full-time outpatient wound care physician. Crowe holds a medical degree from UAMS. She completed a four-year residency in emergency medicine at Lincoln Hospital through Weill Cor- nell Medical College in the Bronx, New York City. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Microbiology from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and went on to obtain her Masters of Science degree in Biology. She worked in emergency medicine until 2013 and then began practicing in urgent care settings. The Conway Regional Wound Healing Center offers state-of-the-art outpatient clinical wound care and hyperbaric medicine. The center spe- cializes in advanced wound care, using a vari- ety of clinical treatments, therapies, and support services to treat chronic wounds. The center provides a physician-driven, multi-disciplinary approach to outpatient wound care. Creekside Center forWomen’s Samantha Corral earns IBCLC Samantha Corral, certified nurse-midwife at Creekside Center for Women, recently earned the title of an international board certified lac- tation consultant (IBCLC). Samantha graduated with a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Oregon Health and Science University in 2018 and has been providing women’s healthcare in Northwest Arkansas since 2017. Creekside Center for Women also has recently been recognized by the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) as a 2018 ACNM Best Practice. This title is awarded to practices which meet the Institute for Healthcare Improvement “Triple Aim” of improving the patient experi- ence, reducing the cost of care, and improving the health of populations. This is demonstrated by high breastfeeding rates, low preterm birth and cesarean rates, and reporting fiscal variables. The center is offering outpatient lactation services to postpartum women in Northwest Arkansas. Mercy Opens Sleep Center in Booneville Mercy has opened a sleep lab in Booneville to conduct studies for patients with a variety of sleep-related disorders. The move from Mercy Hospital Waldron to Mercy Hospital Booneville creates a centralized location for Mercy Sleep Center to serve patients in Logan and Scott counties and surrounding areas, according to Chellie Smith, director of sleep services for Mercy in the Fort Smith region. “This will allow us to accommodate more patients within the region, leading to faster turn- around times at all Mercy sleep facilities,” Smith said. Mercy also has sleep labs in Fort Smith and Ozark, as well as Mercy Clinic Sleep Medicine in Fort Smith. “Our team has more than 150 years of experience. That means we can take care of even the most complex cases such as patients with COPD, pulmonary hypertension, post-respi- ratory failure, and complex sleep apnea.” Mercy sleep centers help people with disorders Mark Williams, PhD Kelly Crowe, MD