HJAR May/Jun 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  MAY / JUN 2022 37 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalAR.com that provides specialized training in cardiac func- tion, cardiac rhythm management, electrophys- iology, cardiac interventional procedures, and career leadership. “We are leading the charge in the cardiac rhythm management and electro- physiology fields with the launch of our new CFIT program, designed to meet the need for highly- qualified and highly-skilled professionals in such a vital industry,” said David Burks, PhD, president of Harding University. The CFIT program combines training led by Harding’s faculty and staff with learning opportu- nities developed through partnerships with busi- ness and industry leaders. Because of these part- nerships, students will also gain hands-on clinical experience through utilization of an on-campus simulator, technology, anatomy, and cadaver labs, as well as off-campus supervised clinical activities. Students interested in the new program must have a bachelor’s degree, including at least two courses in anatomy and physiology, and have completed the GRE. For more information, visit Harding.edu/CFIT. Michael Bogatch, MD, Joins Baptist Health Orthopedic Clinic-Little Rock Baptist Health Orthopedic Clinic-Little Rock recently welcomed Michael Bogatch, MD, MSc. “I approach treatment of every patient as if they were my own family member,” said Bogatch. “My goal is to establish good patient rapport and apply myself to the fullest to obtain the best out- comes possible.” Bogatch received a medical education from the Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, where he also completed residency training. He is board-certified in orthopedic sur- gery and fellowship-trained in orthopaedic sports medicine. Dinesh Edem, MD, Joins UAMS as Endocrinologist, Director of Weight-Loss Clinic Dinesh Edem, MD, has joined the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) as an assis- tant professor in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism in the Department of Internal Medicine in the College of Medicine. Edem is triple board-certified in obesity med- icine, internal medicine, and endocrinology. He will be directing a weight management program at UAMS that is aimed at diabetic or prediabe- tes patients who are considered obese. He is see- ing patients at the UAMS Neighborhood Clinic at 11300 Financial Centre Parkway in Little Rock. He will also be seeing general endocrinology patients in the UAMS endocrine clinic with spe- cial interest in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, thyroid disorders, and male hypogonadism. He comes to UAMS from Indiana University Health in Lafayette, Indiana, where he was a clin- ical assistant professor of medicine and endocri- nology from July 2017 until December 2021. He was fellowship-trained in endocrinology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pitts- burgh after completing a residency in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins University/Sinai Hos- pital of Baltimore. Earlier, he received a medical degree from Topiwala National Medical College in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, in 2009. Arkansas Senators Cotton and Boozman Host Healthcare Roundtable Arkansas senators Tom Cotton and John Booz- man hosted a healthcare roundtable discussion in Arkansas to examine the impact and future impli- cations of COVID-19 in the state. Moderated by Arkansas Health Care Association (AHCA) exec- utive director, Rachel Bunch, the event included 15 other experts in varying aspects of Arkansas’ healthcare system and was held at the AHCA office in downtown Little Rock. Discussion covered workforce concerns, qual- ity of life considerations, CDC and CMS guid- ance, and the future of the Arkansas healthcare industry post-COVID. Arkansas’ long-term care facility staff is, for example, among the highest vaccinated in southern states with a vaccination rate of 85.8%t. Its residents have an even higher percentage of vaccinations, sitting at 88.4% as of early February. “Arkansas’s long term care facility workers are committed to providing quality care for its resi- dents, which means we must critically evaluate quality of life for those who live in our facilities,” said Bunch. “This discussion is vital in order to strategically move forward to meet the needs of Arkansans in the healthcare system.” Research about Mask Mandates in Arkansas Schools Published in CDCReport The Centers for Disease Control and Preven- tion’s latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) contains research on mask mandates in Arkansas school districts and how the mandates helped to limit COVID-19 at the schools. Researchers from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health and College of Medi- cine teamed up with the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the project. “This important and well-conducted study involving Arkansas schools amply demonstrates the efficacy of facemasks during viral surges,” said Mark Williams, PhD, dean of the UAMS Col- lege of Public Health. Michael Bogatch, MD Dinesh Edem, MD