HJAR Jan/Feb 2026

48 JAN / FEB 2026  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS Hospital Rounds Baptist Health Nurses Recognized at March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Gala in Arkansas Several Baptist Health nurses were honored at the first-ever March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Gala in Arkansas, held Nov. 20 at Embassy Suites in Little Rock. Thirteen nurses from Baptist Health were named as finalists and four received Nurse of the Year recognition: • Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year: Nycole Oliver, DNP, Baptist Health Family Clinic–Massard; • Critical Care Nurse of the Year: Shannon Smith, RN, Baptist Health–Fort Smith; • Infection Control Nurse of the Year: Susan Molsbee, RN, Baptist Health; and • Rising Star Nurse of the Year: Bailey Tolle- son, RN, Behavioral Health, Baptist Health Medical Center–North Little Rock. Arkansas Heart Hospital Announces New President Jacob Robinson is the new president of Arkan- sas Heart Hospital. Robinson previously served in multiple executive roles at the hospital, including chief administrative officer and chief operating officer. He succeeds Drew Jackson, who previously served as president and chief executive officer. Baptist Health First in Arkansas to Offer Abbott TriClip, Minimally Invasive Therapy For Heart Valve Condition Baptist Health's cardiology team in Little Rock now provides Abbott's TriClip transcatheter edge- to-edge repair (TEER) system, an advanced, min- imally invasive treatment option for tricuspid regurgitation (TR), a condition where the tricus- pid valve leaks. This innovative therapy eliminates the necessity for open-heart surgery. The first-in-class TriClip system has demon- strated both safety and effectiveness, leading to an overall improvement in patient well-being. “We are thrilled to be the first in Arkansas to offer this technology,” cardiologist Evan Watts, MD, said. "The TriClip system provides a much- needed treatment option for patients suffering from tricuspid regurgitation, offering them a min- imally invasive way to improve their heart function and overall quality of life." TriClip is delivered to the heart via a catheter inserted through the femoral vein in the leg and works by clipping together a portion of the leaf- lets of the tricuspid valve to reduce the backflow of blood. Designed specifically for the right side of the heart and the tricuspid valve’s complex anatomy, the innovative TriClip and steerable guiding cath- eter systems allow physicians to independently grasp and effectively clip leaflets of the tricus- pid valve to reduce regurgitation. This minimally invasive approach allows the heart to pump blood more efficiently and relieve symptoms of TR, which improves the quality of life for patients. Tricuspid valve regurgitation is a condition in which the valve between the two right heart cham- bers (right ventricle and right atrium) don’t close properly, allowing blood to flow backward into the right atrium of the heart. The disease is often debilitating, causing symp- toms such as shortness of breath and fatigue, and when left untreated, may progress into conditions such as atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure and, ulti- mately, death. Traditionally, the only treatment options for TR have been surgery, which is rarely performed due to the complexity of the procedure and high risks involved, and medical therapy, which is usually not successful in reducing TR. Abbott's TriClip device offers a critical treatment alternative for individu- als affected by this condition. Mercy Names Northwest Arkansas President Rhett Stover began his role as president of Mercy Northwest Arkansas Communities on Dec. 1. He returns to Mercy after most recently lead- ing Proactive MD, an advanced primary care net- work and value-based care organization cover- ing 22 states. Stover has served in many leadership roles throughout his career, including chief execu- tive officer of Oklahoma State University Medi- cine, chief administrative officer at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City, and CEO of Oklahoma State Uni- versity Medical Center in Tulsa while it was man- aged by Mercy. Stover earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration marketing at the University of Okla- homa and his master’s in healthcare administration at Oklahoma State University. He serves on the board of directors for the Cherokee Nation Home Health Services. Ryan Gehrig, who recently served as president for all Mercy Arkansas Communities, will now focus full time on Mercy Fort Smith. Arkansas Children's Names Yoder Next EVP & Chief Financial Officer Arkansas Children’s named Brandon Yoder, CPA, MBA, as the system’s next executive vice presi- dent and chief financial officer. He started on Dec. 1, aligning with the late December retirement of CFO Gena Wingfield, who has served more than 40 years with Arkansas Children’s. Yoder brings more than two decades of health- care financial leadership, most recently serving as vice president of finance at Children’s Health- care of Atlanta. In this role, he oversaw corporate finance, accounting, financial reporting, treasury, grants accounting, and financial systems, in addi- tion to financial operations leadership for physi- cian practices, academic programs, and major ser- vice lines, including the Aflac Cancer Center and Marcus Autism Center. “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Brandon as he steps into this critical role, suc- ceeding Gena Wingfield’s remarkable 40-plus years of service,” said Arkansas Children’s Pres- ident & CEO Marcy Doderer. “It takes a special kind of leader to honor such a powerful legacy while steering us into the future, and Brandon has the strategic brilliance and dedication to integ- rity required.” Yoder's values-driven leadership style and deep Rhett Stover