HJAR Jan/Feb 2025

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  JAN / FEB 2025 29 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalAR.com from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sci- ences, where he also completed residency train- ing in internal medicine and a cardiovascular dis- ease fellowship as a chief fellow. Von Edwins has a testamur in nuclear cardiol- ogy and adult echocardiography and is board-eli- gible in cardiovascular disease. He is board-certi- fied by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine. Baptist Health Heart Institute/Arkansas Cardi- ology Clinic-Little Rock, at 9501 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 600, is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mercy Opens 65 Prime + Clinic in Fort Smith Arkansas’ first 65 Prime+ by Mercy clinic, located at 6801 Rogers Ave., Suite 107 in Fort Smith, is now open for patient care. 65 Prime+ by Mercy – Tower West is a clinic geared toward Medicare patients, those 65 and older. The new clinic, located in the former Con- venient Care at Mercy Tower West, offers an expanded primary care experience with longer and more frequent appointment times, ensuring that patients have ample time to discuss all their healthcare needs, 65 Prime+ providers are supported by a regis- tered nurse and care navigator. Nurses provide clinical support to patients during visits and care between visits, while the care navigator helps coordinate all other aspects of the patient’s care. That could include referrals to specialists, thera- pists, or other providers, setting up tests or proce- dures, obtaining prescriptions and medical equip- ment and making sure that all preventive care like immunizations, lab tests, and cancer screenings are obtained. Other specialized accommodations include examination chairs that recline, allowing the patient to feel more comfortable during their visits. Additionally, reserved parking and a cov- ered drop-off area make appointments easier for patients. Baptist Health Behavioral Health Clinic-North Little Rock Welcomes Karen Hall, MD Child and adolescent psychiatrist Karen Hall, MD, recently joined the team at Baptist Health Behavioral Health Clinic-North Little Rock. Hall received a medical education from the Uni- versity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where she also completed residency training in psy- chiatry and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry. Hall specializes in psychiatric evaluations and medication management for children ages 5-18. Baptist Health Behavioral Health Clinic-North Little Rock, located at 3201 Springhill Drive, Suite 400, is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Trump Announces Healthcare Cabinet Picks President-elect Donald Trump recently announced his nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Mehmet Oz, MD, as leader of the Centers for Medicare and Medic- aid Services (CMS). “For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug compa- nies who have engaged in deception, misinfor- mation, and disinformation when it comes to pub- lic health,” Trump wrote. “The safety and health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives.” Kennedy, a longtime critic of pharmaceutical and food industries, has stirred controversy with his stance on vaccines and medical freedom. As the founder of Children’s Health Defense, he has advocated for greater scrutiny of vaccines and other public health mandates, drawing both sup- port and criticism across the political spectrum. Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon and television per- sonality, has been tapped to head CMS, the fed- eral agency overseeing Medicare and Medicaid. Trump’s vision for CMS under Oz includes mod- ernizing the programs to ensure financial sustain- ability, combating fraud and inefficiencies, and empowering patients to make more informed health decisions. Marty Makary, MD, has been nominated for FDA Commissioner. Makary’s focus will be restor- ing scientific rigor and expediting drug approvals. Janette Nesheiwat, MD, has been nominated for the position of surgeon general. Nesheiwat will lead public health efforts. All nominations are set to face Senate review in the coming weeks. CARTI’s Festival of Trees The CARTI Auxiliary’s Festival of Trees raised nearly $870,000 to support Arkansas cancer patients and their families. More than $100,000 will go toward expanding CARTI’s clinical research program statewide. UAMS Launches Arkansas Maternal Health Scorecard The University of Arkansas for Medical Sci- ence (UAMS) recently launched an online mater- nal health scorecard to provide crucial data that could improve the well-being of mothers and babies across the state. The Arkansas Maternal Health Scorecard is an interactive and user-friendly collection of mater- nal health data from the Arkansas Maternal Mor- tality Review Committee (MMRC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Preg- nancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS), the CDC Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (Wonder), and the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Fast Stats website. The scorecard will be used to inform the pub- lic as well as maternal health stakeholders, com- munity organizations, and healthcare providers. Development of the scorecard was supported by a five-year grant to UAMS by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration that established the PRIMROSE Project. “By increasing the accessibility of mater- nal health data, the Arkansas Maternal Health Kirby N. Von Edwins, MD