HJAR Jul/Aug 2026

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  JUL / AUG 2026 57 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalAR.com “abscopal effect” of cancer treatment, which occurs when radiation or another type of local therapy causes tumors outside the treated area to shrink or disappear as well. Even if only one lesion is treated, Orcutt said, the enhanced immune response may cause multiple lesions to respond without direct treatment themselves, which “has huge implications for patients with metastatic cancer that other liver- directed treatments do not have.” Histotripsy had a 95.5% success rate in clinical trials, with nine out of 10 treated tumors remaining gone one year later. It received FDA approval in October 2023, following more than 20 years of development at the University of Michigan. The technology has also been used to treat patients at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic, among other institutions across the United States. James C. Walker, MD, Joins Baptist Health Surgical and Specialty Clinic–Conway James C. Walker, MD, FACS, has joined Baptist Health Surgical and Specialty Clinic–Conway. Walker is a board-certified general surgeon specializing in minimally invasive, robotic-assisted procedures and advanced endocrine surgery. Beyond his surgical practice, he is recognized in trauma care. He served for seven years as the trauma medical director for CHI St. Vincent in Little Rock and has conducted numerous state surveys as an Arkansas State Trauma Site Physician Surveyor. Walker earned a medical doctorate from UAMS in 2009. He completed both a surgical internship and a residency at UAMS, where he also conducted research focused on the effects of diabetes on the nervous system. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Arkansas Children’s Hospital Unveils Champions Pavilion, New Lobby, Gallery Arkansas Children’s recently introduced to families its patient-focused Champions Pavilion, new lobby, and gallery at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH), which feature an easier outpatient surgery experience, expanded clinical research capabilities, and centralized family services. Part of Arkansas Children’s $371 million statewide expansion, the Champions Pavilion is a 157,000-square-foot, three-story facility designed to emphasize a family’s perspective and needs, and engineered to solve capacity constraints while providing families with a less stressful experience that prioritizes their time and their child’s comfort. The new lobby and gallery bring essential family services to the front of the hospital, creating an experience that’s easier to navigate. Designers added arching butterfly sculptures, symbolizing a patient’s journey. From valet parking and seamless check-in to a café located directly in the waiting area, Champions Pavilion is designed to make care easier for families. The facility introduces a “one- stop shop” model for the state’s only nationally ranked pediatric orthopedics program and a leap forward in clinical research and surgical efficiency. Key features of the three-story expansion include an increase from 16 to 26 exam rooms, featuring eight individual casting rooms and three on-site x-ray/EOS imaging suites; rehab space complete with a turf field, track, and regulation wooden basketball court to help young athletes return to play safely; an advanced outpatient surgery facility featuring eight operating rooms with ability to expand; post-op recovery areas offering increased privacy with walled spaces; a state-of-the-art Pediatric Clinical Research Unit (PCRU) featuring up to 16 private rooms and a dedicated food allergy prep kitchen, allowing Arkansas families to access emerging treatments — including gene therapy and new biologics for asthma and allergies — years before they reach the general market; and a new 5,000-square-foot automated lab that drastically reduces wait times for critical diagnoses. To date, the Arkansas Children’s Foundation has raised over $35 million for ACH’s expansion, anchored by lead gifts from B. Thomas Golisano and the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Auxiliary. While Champions Pavilion hosts outpatients at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, the system-wide expansion also includes a 72,000-square-foot addition at Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW) in Springdale, scheduled to open in phases through this fall. The hospital will expand to 40 inpatient beds to support growing demand in northwest Arkansas. Tamara T. Perry, MD, Named President of Arkansas Children’s Research Institute Arkansas native and pediatric allergy expert Tamara T. Perry, MD, FAAP, FAAAAI, will serve as the new president of Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI). She will also serve as senior vice president and chief research officer for the Arkansas Children’s system effective July 1. Perry serves as a professor of pediatrics and recently held the title of Chief of the Allergy and Immunology Division at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s. In 2020, Perry was recognized with the Dr. Robert H. Fiser, Jr., Research Achievement Award for her contributions to pediatric research. She was also recognized as the Arkansas Biosciences Institute’s Established Investigator of the Year in 2022. Perry earned a medical degree at UAMS and completed an undergraduate degree at University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. n James C. Walker, MD, FACS Tamara T. Perry, MD