HJAR Mar/Apr 2020

64 MAR / APR 2020  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS Hospital Rounds Care of the Injured Patient . “This is the highest level a trauma center can receive,” said Steppe Mette, MD, senior vice chancellor for UAMS Health and chief executive officer for UAMS Medical Center. “It recognizes the on-going commitment of our trauma team’s dedication to providing the utmost degree of trauma care in Arkansas.” The verification process includes a two-day, on- site visit and the review of the care provided to trauma patients over the previous 12 months. UAMS Medical Center also completes a pre- review questionnaire to give site surveyors a bet- ter understanding of existing trauma care capa- bilities including care, resources and quality improvement. “As the flagship for adult trauma care in Arkan- sas, we are leading the way in preventing injury and death through exemplary care, education, research, and leadership,” said Ron Robertson, MD, medical director of Trauma and chair of the Department of Surgery in the UAMS College of Medicine. UAMS has a comprehensive Emergency Depart- ment prepared to treat a wide range of medical needs with immediate, around-the-clock access to orthopaedic and trauma surgeons, neurologists, cardiologists and other specialists. The trauma surgeons stay in the hospital 24 hours a day ready to care for the most significantly injured patients. Arkansas DHS Bringing in NewCFO The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) hired Sara Bradley, who is a certified public accountant with decades of finance experience with large health systems, as its new chief finan- cial officer (CFO). Bradley will oversee all finance operations for DHS, including Medicaid finance. She previously worked for nearly three years as the market vice president for operational finance for Catholic Health Initiatives St. Vincent Health Systems in Little Rock. “We are extremely excited to have Sara joining us,” said DHS Secretary Cindy Gillespie. “Not only does she have a wealth of financial, health care, and Medicaid finance knowledge, but she also has a heart for the mission of this agency and the will- ingness to serve her fellow Arkansans.” Bradley will report directly to Secretary Gillespie. Prior to her role with the Little Rock-based health system, Bradley served in multiple high-level posi- tions with Mercy Health System from 2010-2016 and Lutheran Healthcare from 2003-2009. In addi- tion, during her time with Lutheran Healthcare in New York, Bradley was accountable for all finan- cial reporting, accounting, accounts payable, and payroll for a network of entities, including a 400- bed hospital, a large division of community men- tal health centers, a managed care plan, a nurs- ing home, and a nursing and home health agency. In her earlier career with Prison Health Services, Bradley also was the director of finance on a con- tract with Rikers Island. She is expected to complete a Master’s of Busi- ness Administration with a focus on healthcare management in February. “I am excited about the opportunity to serve the state I love and have lived in for many years,” Bradley said. “It’s an honor to be part of a team that works every day to care for and provide ser- vices to our most vulnerable citizens.” Medical Center of South Arkansas Announces Alliance with Survival Flight for Onsight Rapid Helicopter Emergency Response Team Medical Center of South Arkansas and emer- gency medical air transportation company, Sur- vival Flight, have formed an alliance to bring enhanced emergency air transport services to the South Arkansas region. Beginning in February, this alliance will equip Medical Center of South Arkan- sas with an onsite helicopter and crew based on the hospital’s campus. According to MCSA CEO Scott Street, “We are pleased to offer this service as part of our con- tinued dedication to offer the highest standard of care to our patients. These advancements in emergency air transportation will further solidify our health system as a regional healthcare leader.” The Survival Flight helicopter will be transport- ing patients to and fromMedical Center of South Arkansas, a designated level 3 trauma center, ARSaves telemedicine center and interventional cardiovascular center. Medical Center of South Arkansas will also be utilizing Survival Flight to transfer patients in need of higher levels of care to other hospitals. The new service also provides opportunities to increase access to timely medical care for rural and previously underserved areas. “Emergency air transport provides critical healthcare services to people whose lives depend on it,” said Chris Millard, President of Survival Flight. “The collaboration allows us to reach patients in South Arkansas and its surrounding areas more quickly.” The helicopter based at Medical Center of South Arkansas is a large-frame aircraft with the capability to accommodate a patient’s fam- ily member and carry enough medical supplies for multiple transport flights without restocking. Operating 24/7 on the hospital grounds, Survival Flight’s dedicated crew are in a constant state of readiness to provide patients with timely care when an emergency occurs. Arkansas Surgical Hospital Welcomes Dr. Ali Raja to Surgery Team Neurosurgeon Dr. Ali Raja is joining the medical staff at Arkansas Surgical Hospital. As part of the Arkansas Surgical Hospital team, Raja teat illnesses and injuries of the spine and neck. “I think of each surgery as an opportunity from God where my team and I may be able to help ease another human being’s pain,” said Raja. His practice at Neurological Surgery Associates will include microsurgical cranial and other neu- rosurgical procedures, including brain tumors and other pathologies of the brain. Raja will start see- ing patients in clinic on Feb. 3. His most recent clinical appointments include Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the Arkansas Neuroscience Institute at St. Vincent Infirmary. Raja’s residency training took place at the Univer- sity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences as well as the Department of Neurosurgery at Children’s Hospi- tal of Pittsburgh, and Boston Children’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School. “We are proud to have Dr. Raja join our great medical staff,” said Brian Fowler, CEO of Arkansas Surgical Hospital. “His neurological expertise has already made an impact on central Arkansas, and he’ll be able to continue even more effectively at a physician-owned hospital.” n

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