UAMS Remains in Forefront of Pandemic Challenge

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

The state and national numbers have been daunting, but the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has continued to fight the good fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

From employees serving as social distancing role models to awareness campaigns to budget issues, UAMS was maintaining its efforts on all fronts, which of course included its front-line work in fighting the virus and caring for patients.

Steppe Mette, senior vice chancellor of UAMS Health and CEO of the Medical Center, credited the physicians, nurses and staff for their work on COVID-19 at UAMS.

“For the past nine months, UAMS has risen to the occasion by being able to treat every patient who has come to us for help,” Mette said. “Thank you to all of the front-line workers who have been instrumental in this fight.”

At the outset of December, Arkansas had more than 16,000 active cases of COVID-19, with 1,088 in the hospital and 186 on ventilators. UAMS had 54 confirmed COVID patients, 17 of whom were in the ICU.

UAMS had also cared for and discharged more than 800 patients while opening up 12 new ICU beds and two COVID units and adding adult ventilators for a total count of close to 100.

In key clinical volume indicators, UAMS was ahead of estimates in total inpatient discharges, Emergency Department visits and total surgical cases. UAMS also completed more than 32,000 COVID screening visits during the fiscal year.

With cases and deaths expected to continue to spike for the foreseeable future, UAMS was nonetheless poised to provide the best care possible.

“The overall capacity to care for patients is being challenged across the state,” Mette said, but added that UAMS is in “pretty good shape.”

During the last monthly town hall of the year, UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson urged employees to continue to be role models at work and in the community by wearing masks, practicing social distancing and washing their hands frequently.

“I also urge you to take one other step,” Patterson said. “I know the holidays are a time for gathering with loved ones. Unfortunately, large gatherings and travel increase your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19. Our senior leadership team has pledged not to travel over the holidays and to stay home. I hope you too will take that pledge.”

According to Amanda George, vice chancellor for finance and CFO, UAMS continued to beat budget estimates, which were set conservatively because of the pandemic, she said. In the 2021 fiscal year, officials budgeted a $32.8 million deficit by early December, but UAMS was running a $15.6 million surplus, thanks in part to help from federal CARES funding.

In June, UAMS received $940,000 from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for digital health technology to treat patients for COVID-19 and deliver medical information to patients and providers across the state.

The funds helped compensate UAMS for past and ongoing health care costs related to COVID-19 and allowed for the purchase of a smartphone application to allow UAMS staff to self-screen before starting work each day, including temperature checks.

The app has enabled UAMS to provide access to digital health consultations to more than 300 medical facilities on COVID-19 best practices in the delivery of patient care.

In addition to treating COVID-19 patients, UAMS uses the money for virtual visits for patients who require multiple trips to a clinic such as pregnant women who have 12 to 17 prenatal visits to a UAMS hospital or clinic.

The self-screening app also allowed UAMS’ more than 10,000 employees to more quickly and safely pass through points of entry when reporting to work.

“As the state’s only academic medical center, UAMS is the epicenter of clinical response for COVID-19 in Arkansas,” Mette said. “Since March, UAMS has incurred a number of digital health equipment and software expenses to respond to statewide needs. Many of these expenses had to be shouldered quickly with near instantaneous deployments to respond to our rural, medically underserved areas.”

UAMS has also partnered with the Arkansas Department of Health and the governor’s office to create a marketing campaign to raise awareness about the power everyone has to fight COVID-19. The first video spot featured UAMS nurse practitioner Barbara McDonald.

And through it all UAMS continued to grow, improve and expand with its ongoing energy plant project and rerouting of Pine and Cedar Streets.

UAMS received the first generator for the new energy plant Nov. 30 with the rest expected by the end of December. The installation of LED lights in all buildings and parking decks on campus was 70% completed, by December. Upgrades in the Medical Center were delayed because of the elevated patient census.

The Neighborhood Fitness Court, supported by a National Fitness Campaign grant, was also completed and opened to employees and students.