Lawmakers Hail UAMS West as Best Regional Center
| April 27, 2015 | State Rep. Justin Boyd surprised UAMS West director Don Heard, Ed.D., and staff April 21 with a surprise legislative citation congratulating them on being named Best Regional Center by the UAMS Regional Programs office, the fourth time in six years it has earned the award.
The citation, framed courtesy of the Arkansas secretary of state’s office, was signed by Boyd of Fort Smith and fellow state Reps. George B. McGill of Fort Smith and Charlotte Vining Douglas of Alma.
The Regional Programs office, headed by Mark Mengel, M.D., M.P.H., conducts annual reviews of the six UAMS regional centers that operate family medicine clinics. The other centers are in Fayetteville, Jonesboro, Pine Bluff, Texarkana and Magnolia.
All the programs are assessed on 55 performance measures, including clinical, financial and educational goals and patient, student and employee satisfaction. UAMS West has consistently excelled in these areas.
UAMS West was the first UAMS regional center to achieve Level 3 recognition (the highest level) as a Patient-Centered Medical Home from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). It has a system-wide standard for patient care goals and for implementing evidence-based clinical protocols related to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic heart failure. Heard credited his staff for their interprofessional teamwork, communication and leadership that allowed UAMS West to provide exceptional training to medical residents and excellent patient care.