UAMS to Open Driving Assessment Clinic on July 6
| LITTLE ROCK — In an effort to ensure aging Arkansas motorists are safe and competent behind the wheel, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is offering a driving assessment clinic.
The clinic will open July 6 on the first floor of the UAMS Family Medical Center at 521 Jack Stephens Drive. The clinic will be open Mondays with appointment times at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., and driving assessment times at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. To make an appointment or patient referral, call (501) 686-6565. Initially, the appointment times will be limited to assess for need and community support of this new venture.
Mark T. Jansen, M.D., an associate professor in the Family Medicine Center who has overseen the implementation of the clinic, said it will initially serve the state’s aging population but hopes to expand to patients who have had a stroke, spinal cord injuries or congenital health challenges, among other conditions.
“We will not be a legal authority, but instead a resource for families to approach the sensitive issue of a loved one who wants to continue to operate a vehicle,” said Jansen.
The entire assessment will cost $600 — $400 for a physical exam by a physician and $200 for a driving evaluation by Thompson Driving of Little Rock. The cost will not be covered by insurance.
For the clinical assessment, the patient will undergo a detailed medical history, a comprehensive physical exam with emphasis on hearing, vision and cognitive function testing to assess the ability of the subject to safely perform the complex activity of driving. The clinical assessment will be completed by Bruce Randolph, M.D., an associate professor in the UAMS Family Medical Center.
If the patient passes the physical portion, the same day, an instructor from Thompson Driving, which has partnered with UAMS, will take the patient for the driving segment of the assessment.
Once both evaluations are reviewed, the patient will receive a pass or fail grade for each part. If further evaluation is needed regarding the patient’s vision, hearing or cognitive function, the clinic will refer the individual to the proper specialist.