HJAR May/Jun 2023

40 MAY / JUN 2023  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS   Healthcare Briefs to study the young participants during their first year of treatment. Capturing brain images of very young children can be challenging. “We prepare them through play,” said van der Plas. “And we partner with child life spe- cialists to help kids feel at ease with the scan- ner procedures.” Arkansas Children’s child life specialists use a variety of age-appropriate strategies to help chil- dren and families understand and cope with ill- ness, disease, and treatment procedures. Chil- dren in the study will also interact with an MRI simulator, which helps prepare them for proce- dures by having them explore the MRI tunnel and sounds in a gradual and playful manner. The $2.5 million Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) award by NIH recognizes the value of long-term funding for outstanding research projects. MERIT awards can be extended up to two additional years based on an expedited review of the accomplishments during the initial funding period by the National Cancer Institute. Recruitment of participants is scheduled to begin in the spring and will continue for about four years. Sri Obulareddy, MD, Joins UAMSWinthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Sri Obulareddy, MD, has joined the breast team in the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), where she is treating patients with breast cancer. She is board-certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. In addition to treating breast cancer patients, she also serves as associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine’s Division of Hematology and Oncology in the UAMS Col- lege of Medicine. Before joining UAMS, Obulareddy treated patients with lung, breast, and gastrointesti- nal cancers at North Star Lodge Cancer Center, Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital in Yakima, Wash- ington, where she also led clinical trials. Prior to that, she practiced medical oncology at Sanford Health in Dickinson, North Dakota. Obulareddy received a medical degree from Andhra Medical College, NTR University of Health Sciences in India, followed by internal medicine and medical oncology fellowships at The University of Texas Medical Branch Hospi- tals in Galveston. She is a member of the Amer- ican Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, and the American Col- lege of Physicians. NARMCOpens theMED Urgent Care South North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC) announced the opening of theMED Urgent Care, located at 4318 Highway 65 South in Bellefonte (across from Harps Grocery and next door to Dollar General). The facility is more than 3,400 square feet with six exams rooms, procedure room, laboratory, and X-ray room. Hours of operation will be Mon- day-Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m., and Saturday and Sun- day from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Urgent care Medical Director Jennifer Sadler, MD, said, “Our team is excited to be opening NARMC’s new urgent care clinic, led by an ABEM Board certified in Emergency Medicine physician with 25 years’ experience. We look forward to providing the highest level in urgent care with an emphasis on community and keeping care local. Our staff live in rural Arkansas and understand the medical needs in these communities and are excited to be a part of providing excellent care to our neighbors.” North Arkansas Regional Medical Center is expanding its services from not only one urgent care clinic but two in the community. There will be an additional urgent care facility in the new theMED plaza (formerly the Bear State Bank building), which will open this spring. “We have an incredible team of highly skilled staff who are excited to begin providing care at TheMed Urgent Care South. Our team’s focus is to continue to increase access to quality med- ical care for our community. The opening of this urgent care is one way our team is able to increase access to healthcare in the communi- ties that we serve,” said Sammie Cribbs, presi- dent and CEO. Director of Clinic Operations Kortni Dixon said, “I’m excited for our community to have expanded access to excellent care at soon to be two of our new urgent care locations. These services will pro- vide improved access which is extremely posi- tive for our patients, community and surround- ing areas.” Due to growth, the Internal Medicine Clinic will expand into the current Mediquick facility and the entire bottom floor of the Millennium Medi- cal Clinic. All urgent care patients will need to visit theMED Urgent Care located just south of Harri- son in Bellefonte or the North location, which will be open this spring. Arkansas Urology Promotes 3 to APP Clinical Director Positions Arkansas Urology has promoted three of its advanced practice providers to clinical director positions, signaling an increased focus on key areas of expertise for the practice. Iris Kennedy, advanced practice nurse (APN), is the new APP clinical director of urology can- cer services, overseeing preventative and diag- nostic care, in addition to treatment. Kennedy joined Arkansas Urology in 2008. Her prior expe- rience includes emergency medicine, general and Iris Kennedy, APN Sri Obulareddy, MD