HJAR Jul/Aug 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  JUL / AUG 2022 41 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalAR.com Chris Shenep, director of marketing at Arkansas Urology and director of the AU Foundation. “We want people to know about our programs and services, and we also want to communicate the importance of prioritizing men’s health and pre- ventative care.” Lauren August Clark, MD, Joins Baptist Health Gastroenterology Clinic in Little Rock Baptist Health Gastroenterology Clinic in Lit- tle Rock recently welcomed Lauren August Clark, MD. Clark, a native of Texarkana, Texas, received a medical education from the University of Arkan- sas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. She received residency training in internal medi- cine at Baylor University Medical Center. Seth Barnes, MD, Named President of the Arkansas Medical Society Hot Springs internist Seth Barnes, MD, has been named president of the Arkansas Medical Society (AMS) and will lead the physician advocacy group over the next year. A Fordyce native, Barnes attended undergrad- uate studies at the University of Arkansas Mon- ticello, earned a medical degree at UAMS, and completed residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Beginning his career in private practice at Batesville’s White River Diagnostic Clinic, he also served as chief of staff at White River Medical Center during his 19-year tenure. Barnes also served as executive medical direc- tor for Future Fuel Chemical Company Batesville from 2002 to 2018. Today, Barnes lives in Hot Springs, where he is employed by the St. Vincent Medical Group as an internist. In addition to his involvement with the Society since 1999, he is a fellow with the Ameri- can College of Physicians. “I love the work that AMS does to protect the profession from outside influences and adverse legislation. It’s so much fun to get together and share experiences, and it’s reassuring to be in a group whose mission is to help the profession along. I encourage folks to join because that’s where our strength comes from,” said Barnes. Mercy Names Ryan Gehrig President of Northwest Arkansas, Fort Smith Hospitals Ryan Gehrig will guide the future of Mercy hos- pitals across Arkansas, including the two largest facilities in Rogers and Fort Smith, with a newly expanded role as president of Mercy Hospitals Arkansas. “Mercy has deep roots in both communities, and as Arkansas continues to grow at a rapid rate, it’s important our teams take a one-Mercy approach so we can continue to provide the high- est quality, compassionate, faith-based care to the people we serve,” said John Mohart, MD, president of Mercy communities, who leads oper- ations for all Mercy hospitals. “Ryan is uniquely suited to unify our efforts in Arkansas and provide a seamless approach to care and service that best meets the needs of people in Northwest Arkan- sas and the River Valley.” Gehrig has served as president of Mercy Hos- pital Fort Smith for 10 years. He came to Mercy from Norman Regional Health System, where he served as vice president of enterprise systems and chief administrative officer for Moore Medical Center, one of the system’s hospitals in Norman, Oklahoma. He previously served as chief oper- ating officer of Wesley Medical Center in Hat- tiesburg, Mississippi, as CEO and COO of Bris- tow Medical Center in Bristow, Oklahoma, and as COO of Cushing Regional Hospital in Cush- ing, Oklahoma. Gehrig graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science. He received a master’s in healthcare administra- tion from Trinity University in San Antonio. In addi- tion, he completed an administrative residency at Hillcrest Healthcare System in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Sheena CarlLee, MD, Joins Washington Regional Plaza Internal Medicine Clinic Sheena CarlLee, MD, recently joined Washing- ton Regional Plaza Internal Medicine Clinic in Fay- etteville, where she provides comprehensive care for patients ages 18 and older including wom- en’s health; preventive care; physicals and routine checkups; and evaluation, diagnosis, and treat- ment of acute and chronic illnesses. CarlLee also serves as faculty with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine on the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville. CarlLee earned a medical degree from the Uni- versity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and com- pleted a residency in internal medicine at the Uni- versity of Iowa, where she went on to serve as chief resident. She is board-certified by the Amer- ican Board of Internal Medicine. n Lauren August Clark, MD Ryan Gehrig Seth Barnes, MD