Advocacy in Action: What You Can Do Now
Over and over, surveys and focus groups reaffirm that AMS members see “advocacy” as the main reason for being a member. It is job #1 for AMS, no doubt … but what does advocacy really mean for you? For AMS, advocacy comes in different forms. Whether it’s at…
Update from ADH on Coronavirus
The Arkansas Department of Health has issued an update and guidance for providers on the outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. Below is their statement: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to closely monitor an outbreak of a 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan…
Arkansas Health and Wellness STAT Lab Policy Rescinded
The Arkansas Medical Society was made aware of an issue regarding a new policy with the Arkansas Health and Wellness called Short Turnaround Time (STAT) laboratory that was originally designed to limit in-office laboratory procedures to specific codes. Since it's implementation on December 1, 2019, many member physicians…
2020 Brings Changes to the Journal
For 140 years, the monthly Journal of the Arkansas Medical Society has served Arkansas physicians with education and information covering numerous topics. Published by the Arkansas Medical Society, its purpose is to share independent, peer-reviewed scientific research articles written by Arkansas physicians, residents, medical students, and other healthcare…
Are You Trauma Informed? Find out in the January edition of the Journal.
Trauma early in life can have lasting impacts on health, and in Arkansas, the statistics are even more alarming. Over 54% of Arkansas children have one or more Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE), and research is now showing that ACEs can be a root cause of many adult health…
Arkansas Supreme Court Rules Ballot Signatures Must Be Counted
Today the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that the Arkansas Secretary of State must continue to count the ballot referendum signatures that were collected earlier this year to place Act 579 (optometric surgery) on next year’s ballot. The lawsuit, brought by Safe Surgery Arkansas, challenged the Secretary of State’s…
Walmart to Continue Accepting Paper Prescriptions
Walmart has announced they are delaying a January 1, 2020 policy on requiring electronic prescriptions for controlled substances and would continue to receive paper prescriptions for opioids and anti-depressants at all their locations. The planned move to e-prescribing was part of the retailer’s efforts to reduce the opioid…
Geriatrics: A Challenging and Rewarding Subspecialty
In our December edition of the Journal, we highlight the challenges and rewards of physicians who specialize in geriatrics. "I think a lot of people aren’t interested in older folks, but it’s a treat to me to care for them and honor them,” said Geriatrician Homer Brooks, MD,…
Nominating Committee for 2020
Members of the AMS Nominating Committee will be meeting soon to prepare the 2020-2021 slate of officers to be elected at the annual meeting on May 1, 2020. The committee is required to submit the slate of officers to AMS no later than February 1, 2020. Positions to…
Jenkins, Chance Join AMS Board of Trustees
The Arkansas Medical Society Board of Trustees welcomes two board members to the group. Parker Jenkins, MD, serves as District 4 Trustee in southeast Arkansas, and Joshua Chance, MD, rejoins the board, serving as District 8 Trustee in Pulaski County. Dr. Parker, family practice physician, joined Family Health…
Reform of Arkansas Medicaid’s Drug Utilization Review Board
In recent years, physicians treating Medicaid patients have experienced significant challenges with the prior authorization and re-authorization process in Medicaid. The Arkansas Medicaid Drug Utilization Review (DUR) board is responsible for making clinical recommendations to the Arkansas Medicaid Pharmacy Program regarding the use of restrictions including prior authorization…