HJAR Jan/Feb 2022

20 JAN / FEB 2022  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS   Healthcare Briefs Tickets on Sale for Carelink’s Cupcakes for Goodness Sake Tickets are on sale for CareLink’s annual fun- draiser, Cupcakes for Goodness Sake. Starting at $12 for adults and $5 for people 55+ and kids under 12, advance tickets are available by visiting the official event page at CareLink.org/Cupcakes. Benefiting the Central Arkansas Area Agency on Aging, the cupcake festival returns Feb. 26, 2022, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Heifer International Village in Little Rock. This year’s theme is Candyland. Still featuring bakers from across the state going head-to-head for People’s Choice, Care- Link has removed the amateur and professional categories and added two new award options, Most Creative and Best Cupcake, to be voted on by a panel of judges. The panel includes David Bazzel (103.7 The Buzz), Sarah Fortner (Encom- pass Financial Partners and former THV11 mete- orologist), Kim Meyer-Webb (Inviting Arkansas) and Maddie Wallace (SAVVY Kids). Roger Scott (103.7 The Buzz, Antiquities) will emcee. “We are so excited for the return of Cupcakes for Goodness Sake after converting it to a vir- tual run/walk last year,” Meredith Hale, director of development said. “The support of the com- munity has been nothing short of amazing and we are looking forward to coming together again to raise funds and friends to help us further the CareLink mission.” CareLink is still accepting applications for bakers and vendors, along with sponsorships. For more information about getting involved in Cupcakes for Goodness Sake, call CareLink’s Development Department at (501) 372-5300, toll free at (800) 482-6359, or visit CareLink.org. CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute Provides NewHeartSmart Screening Program The CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute is offering their new HeartSmart Screening Program. The new preventative screening program combines a series of tests to identify cardiovascular health risks into a single visit that patients can schedule at their own convenience to gain greater insight into their true heart health and detect any early signs of heart disease. “Our focus here is early detection. The sooner we can detect signs of heart disease, the sooner we can begin proper treatment that focuses on less invasive practices like medication or lifestyle changes rather than a trip to the emergency room,” said David Griffin, MD, chief medical offi- cer for the CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute. “We’ve carefully selected the preventative screenings that are part of this program in order to give patients the greatest level of insight into their heart health in the least invasive manner. In some ways, a HeartSmart Screening will feel little differ- ent from an annual physical, but the information we learn will be exponentially more valuable.” By combining a series of heart screening tests that would normally be conducted individually by a doctor into a coordinated preventative pro- gram that a patient can schedule on their own, the HeartSmart Screening Program provides patients with a personalized report on their own heart health. In the past, such insights would have required a series of tests conducted over time but can now be part of a convenient, preventative screening program completed with a single visit. Preventative screenings conducted as part of the HeartSmart include: • Lipid panel and hemoglobin A1C. • Blood pressure evaluation. • Body mass index. • Heart attack risk assessment (ASCVD). • Electrocardiography (EKG/ECG). • ABI peripheral artery disease assessment. • Cardiac calcium scoring CT scan. “As the leading cause of death in Arkansas, heart disease has for too long had a dispropor- tionate impact on the lives of individuals and their families across our state,” said CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute President Marcia Atkinson. “We hope this kind of convenient, preventative screen- ing program will give our patients an upper hand in the fight against heart disease and allow them take control of their heart health in order to live long, healthy lives.” The HeartSmart Screening is offered every third Friday of each month. Screenings are conducted by appointment only. Methodist Family Health Welcomes Anthony Surrat to Alma Counseling Clinic Methodist Family Health’s counseling clinic in Alma recently hired Anthony Surrat as a behavioral health professional. He will also be providing services to school-based programs in Ozark and Cedarville. Surrat has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. He has seven years of experience providing services as direct-care staff, in job coaching and career counseling. Arkansas 211, UAMS Promote Lyft Transportation to Vaccinations, Health Services Arkansas 211 has been awarded grants total- ing $97,000 to launch a statewide partnership with the rideshare company Lyft. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) will pro- mote the free service through its eight regional campuses throughout the state. An $87,000 grant for free rides to COVID-19 vaccination sites is awarded by The Palo Alto Group and United Way Worldwide. An addi- tional $10,000 grant for transportation to broad health and social needs is from Lyft and United Way Worldwide. “UAMS Regional Campuses across Arkan- sas provide access to primary care services, and transportation can be a barrier to getting people the care they need,” said Amy Wenger, UAMS vice chancellor for regional campuses. “We are pleased to partner with Arkansas 211 and United Way of Northwest Arkansas to spread the word that free rides are available.” The free Lyft transportation service is avail- able statewide based on driver availability and Lyft market presence. There are no eligibility requirements. The service is not limited to UAMS appointments; riders can also use the service to access non-UAMS health and social needs where available. “This year, Arkansas 211 made over 40,000 con- tacts with people needing help finding social ser- vices in their communities,” said Jackie Hancock, president and CEO of United Way of Northwest Arkansas. “We are pleased to add vaccination transportation assistance as an area where we can help.” United Way of Northwest Arkansas directs the statewide Arkansas 211 call for help program. “The grants will support Lyft services to cover roughly 4,000 Arkansans and address the needs of those who do not have reliable transportation