HJAR Mar/Apr 2022

38 MAR / APR 2022  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS   Healthcare Briefs develop the skills needed to provide safe, reliable care for those who need help, giving their nor- mal caregivers an opportunity to care for them- selves as well.” The course contains one introductory mod- ule and 10 modules on specific respite skills. The modules teach skills such as safety procedures, client care, disability basics, medication aware- ness, professional ethics, and interpersonal skills. After completing all the modules, the respite provider will get a certificate of completion. The respite provider then can ask to be added to the Arkansas Lifespan Respite Registry as an inde- pendent provider. This allows caregivers across the state to search for potential respite workers and services. To find the registry, visit https://humanservices. arkansas.gov/divisions-shared-services/ provider-services-quality-assurance/arkansas- lifespan-respite/respite-worker-registry/. To learn more about the Arkansas Lifespan Respite Voucher Program and sign up for the training, visit https://humanservices.arkansas . gov/divisions-shared-services/provider-services- quality-assurance/arkansas-lifespan-respite/ lifespan-respite-training/. People also can call toll-free at (866) 801-3435 or email arlifespan.respite@dhs.arkansas.gov for more information. Anthony Klappa, MD, JoinsWashington Regional Walker Heart Institute Anthony Klappa, MD, recently joined Wash- ington Regional Cardiovascular Clinic, part of the Washington Regional Walker Heart Institute, where he provides evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular disorders. Klappa received a medical degree from Rosa- lind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago and completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Iowa. He completed a fellowship in interventional cardiology at Loyola University Medical Center. Klappa is board-certified in internal medicine, adult comprehensive echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, and cardiovascular disease. Sara Grigg, APRN Joins Washington Regional Eureka Springs Family Clinic Sara Grigg, APRN, recently joined Washington Regional Eureka Springs Family Clinic where she provides comprehensive medical care for adults and children of all ages. Grigg earned a Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University and a Bachelor of Sci- ence in Nursing from Cox College. She has more than 10 years’ experience as a registered nurse in labor and delivery, public health, and occupa- tional health. UAMS Radiation Oncology Center Earns APEx Accreditation The Radiation Oncology Center at the Univer- sity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has received the highest national accreditation from the American Society for Radiation Oncol- ogy (ASTRO). The center, which is part of the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, is the only radia- tion oncology center in the state to be granted full accreditation by the Society’s ASTRO Accredi- tation Program for Excellence (APEx). The accred- itation is voluntary and granted by ASTRO for a four-year term ending in November 2025. “APEx accreditation ensures patients that our radiation therapy treatment is safe and provided by a team of highly trained professionals,” said Fen Xia, MD, PhD, radiation oncologist, professor and chair of the UAMS Department of Radiation Oncology in the College of Medicine. Dominique Erly, PA-C, JoinsWashington Regional Cardiovascular &Thoracic Surgery Clinic Dominique Erly, PA-C, joined Washington Regional Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Clinic, part of the Washington Regional Walker Heart Institute, where she works alongside Charles Cole, MD, James Counce, MD, Robert Jaggers, MD, Russell Wood, MD, Kathleen Smith, APN, DNP, Caitlin Sutherland, APRN, and Rhagen Thomas, PA-C, to provide care for patients in the clinic and hospital setting. Erly earned a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Wake Forest School of Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science from the University of Ver- mont. She most recently worked as a physician assistant on the transplant surgery team at the Medical College of Wisconsin. n Anthony Klappa, MD Sara Grigg, APRN Dominique Erly, PA-C