HJLR Nov/Dec 2018

Healthcare Journal of little rock I  NOV / DEC 2018 43 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalLR.com awarded to the Department of Family and Pre- ventive Medicine’s Community Health and Edu- cation Division. Alysia Dubriske, director of Com- munity Health and Education at UAMS, is leading the grant. UAMS staff will be working in partnership with local leadership and stakeholders across the state, but especially in counties where life expectancy is lower than national and state aver- ages. Many rural counties in the eastern Arkan- sas Delta fall into this category. Obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, low physical activity, pov- erty, and lack of access to healthcare are factors. The project aims to:  Develop and implement food service guide- lines for food pantries, early childhood educa- tion centers, developmental disability day cen- ters, and local parks. Support breastfeeding by partnering with fam- ily practice clinics, early childhood education cen- ters, and developmental disability day centers and by offering continuing medical education hours and early childhood center and develop- mental disability center professional develop- ment training. Partner with communities to create activity- friendly routes to connect everyday destinations by implementing local policies to include bike routes, sidewalks, and trails that increase safety and access for all abilities. Implement nutrition standards and physical activity standards into early childhood education centers across the state by changing the Quality and Improvement Rating System in Arkansas to increase physical activity, increase nutrition and physical activity education to staff, and decrease screen time. Assisting Dubriske with the project are Chris- topher Long, PhD, senior director of Research and Evaluation at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus; and Leanne Whiteside-Mansell, EdD, director of the Research and Evaluation Divi- sion in the UAMS Department of Family and Pre- ventive Medicine. Bettie Cook, senior research administrator at UAMS, assisted with the success- ful grant application. n are at the heart of everything we do.” “UAMS brings a comprehensive team of phy- sicians to Arkansas Children’s that represent all specialties across the spectrum of medicine,” said Christopher T. Westfall, MD, FACS. “Because our physicians have an academic interest in research and education, they are teaching and providing the latest treatments and techniques.” The updated agreements aim to provide high level care to children and young adults, inte- grate pediatric research activities, and continue to advance leading pediatric clinical care and academic programs with national recognition, attract and retain top staff, and improve operat- ing performance. “We look forward to empowering the faculty, researchers, and staff who serve children every day to make their highest and best contribution at every point of care,” said Arkansas Children’s Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Offi- cer Chanda Chacon, MPH, FACHE. “The people of Arkansas have come to expect the very best for their children. We are poised to continue to deliver just that.” UAMS Receives 5-Year $3.29Million Grant from CDC to Reduce Obesity The Department of Family and Preventive Med- icine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sci- ences (UAMS) has received $3.29 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a five-year project to reduce obesity, increase physical activity and improve nutrition in Arkansas, especially in the Delta. The State Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) project funding began October 1 and was One in four American teenagers report frequent or severe headaches and Arkansas teens and chil- dren are no exception. In addition to the impact on their health and well-being, serious or recur- ring headaches can impact a child’s education, social activities, and mood, and even make it dif- ficult to participate in normal activities over time. The new pediatric headache clinic location is on the West Little Rock campus within the CHI St. Vincent Primary and Convenient Care facility located across from the Promenade at Chenal. Arkansas Children’s, UAMS Update Research Collaborative, Affiliation Agreements Arkansas’ children have a healthier tomorrow before them, after the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and Arkansas Children’s signed updated research collaborative and affili- ation agreements. The agreements, which took effect October 1, continue the strategic partnership of the state’s only medical university and the state’s only chil- dren’s health system. UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, MD, MBA, and Arkansas Children’s President & CEO Marcy Doderer, FACHE, called the agreements “a vital step and the next milestone” in the more than 40-year relationship of the two institutions. The two describe the agreements as enhanced stra- tegic partnerships between UAMS and Arkan- sas Children’s. The institutions agreed last year to explore a closer relationship. These agreements have met the due diligence and regulatory approvals of both institutions. “The 720,000 children of Arkansas are at the center of every decision we make at Arkan- sas Children’s, and never more so than today,” Doderer said. “These updated agreements empower us and our strategic partner to con- tinue blanketing the state with pediatric services aimed at improving the health of children where they live, learn, and play.” “The affiliation between our two institutions is good for Arkansas Children’s and UAMS, but most importantly, for children all across our state,” said Patterson. By working together, UAMS and Arkan- sas Children’s are able to provide better health and healthcare for the youngest Arkansans who Joe Elser, MD