Dec. 11, 2017 | Her youngest daughter, Cheyenne, covets new shoes like most 10-year-old children; her oldest child, 13-year-old Sequoia, continues to hit growth spurts every few months making new shoes a necessity; and she, 35-year-old Virginia Duck, has worn through the soles from her current pair of shoes.

Those circumstances made the annual Hearts2Soles event led by UAMS’ Ruth Thomas, M.D., at River City Ministry in North Little Rock a relief for Duck’s entire family.

Duck and her girls were three of the 60 homeless, working poor and disabled to receive free medical foot care, shoes and multiple pairs of socks Nov. 30.

In addition to Thomas and staff from UAMS, helping at the event were staff from Snell Prosthetic & Orthotic Laboratory and other volunteers. The event has been spearheaded since its inception by Thomas, professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in the UAMS College of Medicine.

The first Hearts2Soles event in North Little Rock was in 2008. Stephen Conti, M.D., an orthopaedic surgeon from Pittsburgh, who started Our Hearts to Your Soles that works in partnership with Soles4Souls, reached out to Thomas about starting a similar operation in Arkansas.

Since then, Thomas and her volunteers have set up at River City Ministry every year, except 2014 when a shortage of shoes forced the group to cancel, to help the less fortunate in central Arkansas.

“This is just one way we can help the homeless in our community,” said Thomas. “Obviously, the participants get a lot out of tonight, but so do our volunteers who come back year after year to help. We love being able to help.”

After signing in and receiving a plate of food, participants were called back one at a time for a foot bath in warm water, followed by an exam and pedicure. Then, each participant was fitted for a new pair of shoes donated by Red Wing Shoes, as well as a few pair of socks.

Waiting to be fitted for her own shoes, Duck smiled as Cheyenne showed off a new pair of colorful socks and Sequoia sported a shiny pair of white sneakers.

“This is important to us,” said Duck. “Most of the homeless and less fortunate need new shoes often, because of the amount of walking. Personally, I’m happy to see my girls so excited about getting new shoes.”

By Lee Hogan| December 11th, 2017 |

Dec. 12, 2017 | If nothing improves in dementia care in the next three decades, then by 2050 taking care of people with dementia will cost $1 trillion annually in the United States, a guest speaker warned Dec. 2 during the Dementia Update conference at UAMS.

That speaker, Constantine Lyketsos, M.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, along with other health professionals at the update sought to educate the physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, social workers and caregivers about dementia and how to improve care for patients.

Lyketsos also was the founding director of the Johns Hopkins Neuropsychiatry Service, which he led for over a decade, and is a world expert in the care and treatment of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, especially those with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.

Mark Pippenger, M.D., associate clinical professor in the UAMS College of Medicine Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatrics, introduced Lyketsos, then gave the audience of about 80 an overview of what dementia is and the most common causes of it.

In order of prevalence, the causes include neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, vascular dementia and fronto-temporal dementia (FTD).

Pippenger said Alzheimer’s disease usually happens in older people, and memory loss is usually the predominant symptom. Lewy body patients also are older, but they often have a loss of motor control like that found in Parkinson’s disease. Vascular dementia often results from a known stroke, and FTD comes with behavioral changes and odd affect as the frontal and temporal lobes degenerate.

“In every case, we should give them the best, most accurate diagnosis possible,” Pippenger said. “We should always stop those drugs that can make dementia worse. We frequently see people on drugs that are making things worse.”

Lyketsos in his opening remarks echoed Pippenger’s assessment, but spotlighted the issue of agitation in dementia patients and how best to treat it.

“My focus is on agitation because it is one of the most problematic behaviors,” Lyketsos said. “There are few drug options that are safe. I want you to think about how not to use drugs, and not to use drugs that are harmful.”

He said in 2010, there were 35 million people with dementia, and by 2030, that total will rise to 50 million worldwide. There is no drug even in development that will stop dementia in its tracks, and as a society, we are underinvesting in drug development and treatment for it, Lyketsos said.

The conference was the second annual Dementia Update to be presented by the Walker Memory Center at the UAMS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging. Pippenger is a behavioral neurologist and sees patients at the Walker Memory Center.

Following the presentations from Pippenger and Lyketsos, speakers in other sessions covered topics including support services and resources for community members; training in screening and diagnosis for professionals; medications, safety and legal matters; and strategies for handling difficult behaviors.

By Ben Boulden | December 12th, 2017

The procedure itself was nothing out of the ordinary for a seasoned orthopaedic surgeon like C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., but the response he received from the patient will always be a special memory for him.

In the middle of a medical mission trip to Trinidad, Barnes had just helped a middle-aged woman move her hip to show her the arthritis pain she had suffered from for years was gone. Overcome with joy, she expressed her thankfulness by kissing Barnes’ hands.

“It gets you pretty fired up,” said Barnes.

It’s always satisfying to travel to faraway lands with experienced colleagues to provide medical care to those less fortunate. It’s the exact reason Barnes, chair and professor of the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, has gone on so many trips with Operation Walk in the last decade.

Barnes and his physician assistant, Sara E. Foster, were two of the more than 50 health care professionals — including nurses, anesthesiologists, hip and knee surgeons and other operating room staff — who collectively replaced 52 joints in 48 patients in Trinidad over the week of Oct. 13.

The trip was sponsored by Operation Walk Maryland, a not-for-profit group based in Baltimore and one of the many chapters of Operation Walk USA that offers free surgical treatment for patients in developing countries and the United States through volunteer medical service.

Barnes met Lawrence D. Dorr, M.D., founder of Operation Walk USA and The Dorr Arthritis Institute, and Paul Khanuja, M.D., leader of Operation Walk Maryland, during his John Insall Traveling Fellowship in 2006. Since then, Barnes has accompanied Dorr and Khanuja on several mission trips to Peru, India and Trinidad. He joined Operation Walk Boston to the Dominican Republic, where he worked with his peers from a previous fellowship at Harvard Medical School.

The group spent the first day evaluating patients and performing the first four surgeries. The next days started around 7 a.m. and lasted until about 7 p.m. In between, doctors, nurses and other staff inhabited four operating rooms as patient after patient was wheeled in for surgery.

One of the noticeable things on a trip like this, Barnes said, is the increased severity of conditions in patients, compared to stateside because of the lack of widespread care and treatment.

“Many of the patients are much worse off because they’ve been without care for so long,” said Barnes. “Here, we manage orthopaedic conditions and if treatment fails, there are many surgeons to address the issue, but that’s not the case in many parts of the world.”

Gratitude from the patients is one of the main reasons Barnes continues to go back.

“It’s always a very rewarding experience that allows you to work with other wonderful surgeons from around the country in a less fortunate place,” said Barnes. “Obviously, it does so much for the patients, but the surgeons benefit just as much because we’re reminded of why we became surgeons: To take care of others.”

This particular trip had extra meaning for Barnes because his daughter, Sally, currently a sophomore in college, came along to assist.

“Sally has a heart of gold and really enjoys these types of mission trips,” said Barnes. “It was special to be able to see her excel and do such a great job.”

Trips like this will continue to be a part of Barnes’ efforts. He’s already planning his next trip with Operation Walk in the spring. This time, in Nicaragua.

By Lee Hogan | December 8th, 2017

Dec. 7, 2017 | UAMS’ Jay (Jawahar) L. Mehta, M.D., Ph.D., is one of 27 cardiologists across the country being recognized by Forbes as an exemplary physician in the field of cardiology.

Many individuals on the list have served in the top spots of multiple hospitals and contribute a wealth of clinical research to advance the practice, in addition to serving on community boards and national organizations.

Mehta is a professor of internal medicine and physiology/biophysics in the College of Medicine and holds the Howard and Elsie Stebbins Chair in cardiology. He serves on several major journal editorial boards and is a member of many prestigious academic societies including the American Society for Clinical Investigation and Association of American Physicians. He is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking research related to blood clotting and heart attacks. His findings in the 1970s on the role of blood platelets helped lead to new anti-clotting drugs.

More recently, his laboratory has been working on a potential gene therapy for atherosclerosis, the disease known for causing arteries to clog.

In 2004, the UAMS Mehta/Stebbins Chair in Cardiovascular Research was established in his honor.

The Forbes list was generated via a partnership with Grand Rounds, whose mission is to connect patients with the highest quality care available to them. Grand Rounds’ matching algorithm connects patients with physicians uniquely qualified to care for their specific clinical need. Grand Rounds’ algorithm includes physician quality data on 96 percent of practicing physicians in the U.S.

Forbes’ list features individual profiles of all 27 health care leaders: www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2017/12/05/27-top-cardiologists-picked-by-big-data/#6b2b4d2b6a7e.

About Grand Rounds

Grand Rounds’ vision is to create a path to great health and health care for everyone, everywhere. Founded in 2011, the company provides an employer-based platform that delivers improved outcomes for patients and their families. It connects patients with care informed by the latest and best practices — preventing and correcting misdiagnoses and unnecessary or failed treatments. Named second among Glassdoor’s 2016 Best Places to Work, Grand Rounds helps restore individual health and quality of life, and offers employers lower health care spending and higher employee productivity. For more information, visit www.grandrounds.com or follow us on Twitter @GrandRoundsInc.

UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; northwest Arkansas regional campus; statewide network of regional centers; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Myeloma Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging and Translational Research Institute. It is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 2,834 students, 822 medical residents and six dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses throughout the state, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

By David Robinson| December 7th, 2017

Sushma Bhusal, M.D., and Aparna Sharma, M.D., have joined the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) as transplant nephrologists, caring for kidney and pancreas transplant patients before and after surgery.

UAMS is the only center in Arkansas that offers adult liver and kidney — and soon pancreas — transplantation.

Bhusal and Sharma have advanced, specialized training in the needs of kidney and pancreas transplant patients. Bhusal completed a fellowship in nephrology at New York University and a fellowship in transplant nephrology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Sharma completed a nephrology fellowship at University of Chicago Medical Center and a transplant nephrology fellowship at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

In addition, Bhusal is director of UAMS’ pancreas transplant program, which is expected to open in the next year. UAMS is also expanding its living donor program, and Bhusal said it is important to spread the word about the life-saving role that living donors can play.

“The evidence is clear that people who donate one of their kidneys do not experience higher rates of mortality or morbidity compared to the general population,” Bhusal said.

Sharma agreed.

“Transplantation is absolutely the best treatment for end-stage renal disease, and living kidney donations are the best kind,” Sharma said. “Kidney donation is safe and can really save lives.”

Bhusal and Sharma also serve as assistant professors in the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology.

“Dr. Bhusal and Dr. Sharma strengthen our growing transplant program,” said John Arthur, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Division of Nephrology. “We are excited to have them join us.”

Bhusal obtained her M.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry University, India. She completed an internship in internal medicine at the New York Metropolitan Hospital Center in New York, where she was awarded Most Outstanding Intern for 2011-2012, and a residency in internal medicine at St. Vincent Hospital in Worchester, Massachusetts.

Sharma earned her M.D. at Sawai Man Singh Medical College in Jaipur, India. She completed a residency in internal medicine at Presence Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, Illinois.

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UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; northwest Arkansas regional campus; statewide network of regional centers; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Myeloma Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging and Translational Research Institute. It is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 2,834 students, 822 medical residents and six dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses throughout the state, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

Tina Farber arrived in Arkansas with one thing on her mind — meeting her two new grandbabies. Her son’s third child had arrived in April, and her daughter was expecting her third about one month later.

“I was planning to stay about two months,” said Farber, a native Arkansan who now lives in New Mexico. “I had a PET scan scheduled for July 7 and needed to return home in time for that.”

A stage 3 lung cancer survivor, Farber was considered to be in remission following surgery, chemotherapy and radiation in 2016. The PET scan was a routine follow-up to ensure the cancer had not returned.

Her plans were about to change, however, when she soon developed a cough, headache and fever, prompting a trip to the urgent care clinic. After returning to her daughter’s house with a diagnosis of pneumonia, Farber’s fever shot up to 102.4 degrees and the family took action.

“My daughter, Brittney, said to pack my bags. She was taking me to the hospital,” said Farber.

About a year earlier, while still undergoing chemotherapy, Farber also had made a visit to Arkansas. A bout with dehydration during her stay landed her in the UAMS Emergency Department, where she was impressed with the doctors and nurses who attended to her.

“Everything was in sync. They got me all taken care of. I told my kids that if I’m ever visiting again and need to see a doctor, don’t take me anywhere but UAMS,” she said.

After making the hour-long drive from her daughter’s home in Malvern, Farber again arrived at UAMS where she was quickly admitted and given the attention of a team of health care providers.

“Before I even got my wristband, they called me to triage and then immediately put me in a room where six people were waiting to take care of me. I was blown away,” she said.

After a series of tests, the doctor arrived with unexpected news. Lesions were found in her brain and bones that likely meant the lung cancer had spread.

“Once we found out the tumor had progressed to the brain and bones, we immediately got Mrs. Farber’s team together to carefully review her case and formulate an overall treatment plan,” said Fen Xia, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology in the UAMS College of Medicine.

That team included Xia, who specializes in radiation therapy for brain cancer; medical oncologist Konstantinos Arnaoutakis, M.D., who specializes in lung cancer; and orthopedic oncologist Corey Montgomery, M.D., who specializes in bone cancer. Other specialists in neurology and neurosurgery also were consulted as the treatment plan took shape.

“Having a team of physicians who work together efficiently and in a timely manner is particularly critical in cancer patient care. At the UAMS Cancer Institute, our doctors and nurses communicate instantly and continuously to coordinate our patients’ care at every step, from diagnosis and care management planning to treatment delivery,” said Xia, who also works closely with nurse practitioner Nikki Baxter, A.P.R.N., at the UAMS Radiation Oncology Center.

Because radiation therapy requires daily treatments, Baxter is available to assist patients with symptom management and other issues that arise on a day-to-day basis.

“Communication and accessibility are the top priority with our patients. We all work together to provide the best care possible,” Baxter said.

That emphasis on communication and coordination have lightened the load for Farber and convinced her to postpone returning to New Mexico in favor of continuing treatment in her home state at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

“It’s hard to be away from my husband, but God put me here for a reason,” said Farber, who added that her family and long-time friends have offered endless support and encouragement during her extended stay in Arkansas.

“The doctors and nurses at UAMS have taken the time to get to know me. They all know my story, which is really important to me. I’m going to stay here and fight this battle because I know I’m in good hands,” Farber said.

By Susan Van Dusen | December 1st, 2017

LITTLE ROCK – Ronda Henry-Tillman, M.D., F.A.C.S., was invested Nov. 29 as the recipient of the Muriel Balsam Kohn Chair in Breast Surgical Oncology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). She is chief of Breast Oncology in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Surgery.

The endowed chair is the result of a gift from the Tenenbaum Foundation. The foundation’s primary objectives include providing humanitarian assistance to residents of central Arkansas, promoting awareness of breast cancer, and funding research to reduce or eliminate deaths from the disease.

The chair is named in honor of Muriel Balsam Kohn, mother of Judy Tenenbaum, who died of breast cancer in 1993.

“I am thankful for the generosity and foresight of the Tenenbaum Foundation in establishing this endowed chair, which has enabled valuable breast cancer research to be conducted in Arkansas for the past 10 years. This legacy will continue for many years to come through the work and dedication of Dr. Henry-Tillman,” said UAMS Interim Chancellor Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., who also serves as senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost.

An endowed chair is among the highest academic honors a university can bestow on a faculty member and is established with gifts of $1 million, which are invested and the proceeds used to support the educational, research and clinical activities of the chair holder. Those named to a chair are among the most highly regarded scientists, physicians and professors in their fields of expertise.

“Dr. Henry-Tillman has been a valuable member of the UAMS faculty since 1998, not only serving as a knowledgeable and caring physician for countless women, but also as a tireless advocate for underserved Arkansans who lack basic health care services. There is no doubt that her work to improve access to mammography services has extended the lives of women across our state,” said UAMS Cancer Institute Director Peter Emanuel, M.D., who also serves as professor of medicine in the UAMS College of Medicine.

NBA Hall of Famer and philanthropist Dikembe Mutombo addressed the attendees gathered to honor Henry-Tillman at a Nov. 29 ceremony, praising her work at educating health providers in Africa, including at the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital he founded 10 years ago in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Henry-Tillman’s mentor, Groesbeck P. Parham, M.D., recruited her to travel to Africa where she has taught breast surgical techniques and medical procedures to health care providers who have limited access to equipment and advanced educational opportunities. Parham is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

After earning her medical degree at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, Henry-Tillman completed her surgical residency in the UAMS Department of Surgery and fellowship training in the UAMS Fellowship in Diseases of the Breast program.

She holds the positions of professor in the Department of Surgery, co-director of Health Initiatives and Disparities Research in the UAMS College of Medicine, and co-leader of the Breast Tumor Disease Oriented Committee in the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

She previously served as director of the UAMS Cancer Control program and was instrumental in the development of the university’s mobile mammography program.

Her research efforts have focused primarily on health initiatives that address access, community-based participatory research, health disparities and health policy in the areas of breast, prostate, colorectal, and cervical cancer prevention.

In 2016, Henry-Tillman was appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission and was voted chairman in 2017. She also is a member of the Breast Cancer Control Advisory Board and is a Pulaski County health officer for the Arkansas State Board of Health.

Her memberships and professional activities include the American Surgical Association, Society of Surgical Oncology, Southern Surgical Association, Society of Black Academic Surgeons, National Medical Association, American Society of Breast Surgeons and multiple committees of the National Institutes of Health. She has served as a board member for the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers and the national Health Disparities Committee for the American Cancer Society, as well as the Arkansas Cancer Coalition and other local organizations.

She has received numerous awards and honors including being named to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Medical Society, Best Doctors in America and Castle Connolly’s Exceptional Women in Medicine. She is recipient of the Shipley Award by the Southern Surgical Association; the Rosetta Wilkins Award by BreastCare; the President’s Award by the Arkansas Medical and Dental Pharmaceutical Association; the President’s Award by the Arkansas Democratic Black Caucus. She also has received the Phenomenal Woman in Science and Excellence in STEM Mentoring awards.

The Tenenbaum Foundation was created in 1964 by Joe M. Tenenbaum. The foundation created the chair’s endowment in 2007 to recognize Kohn and the chair’s first holder V. Suzanne Klimberg, M.D., former director of the UAMS Division of Breast and Surgical Oncology. Klimberg now serves as medical director of the University of Texas Medical Branch Cancer Center in Galveston, Texas.

Speakers at the Nov. 29 ceremony included Gardner, Emanuel, Klimberg, Parham, Mutombo and the following:

• Pope L. Moseley, M.D., UAMS executive vice chancellor and dean of the UAMS College of Medicine
• Kent C. Westbrook, M.D., distinguished professor of surgery in the UAMS College of Medicine
• Frederick R. Bentley, M.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Surgery in the UAMS College of Medicine

By Susan Van Dusen| November 30th, 2017|

The Association of American Medical Colleges website featured UAMS College of Medicine students in an article about the importance of standardized patient programs.

Read more.