UAMS HealthNow to Provide Free, Online Screening for COVID-19

By Ben Boulden

UAMS HealthNow is the 24-hour digital connection to health care professionals that the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) began in January.

People who have symptoms and who have been exposed to COVID-19 are urged not to visit a physician’s office, urgent care clinic, emergency room or hospital without first talking to the facility and getting instructions on how to prevent spreading the virus to health care providers and other patients.

Using a screening tool with a series of questions about their symptoms, age, overall health, travel and other potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus, UAMS HealthNow will guide patients regarding next steps, if any. This may include advice to contact their local physician for further evaluation and possible testing for the virus.

To access UAMS HealthNow, go to UAMSHealth.com/healthnow and click on the screening tool. This service will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to patients of all ages across the state of Arkansas and can be accessed from a smart phone, tablet, laptop or computer.

“UAMS is closely monitoring this evolving situation and taking precautionary steps to ensure there are no compromises in patient or employee safety at our hospital and clinics across the state and no interruptions in patient care,” said UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA. “UAMS HealthNow is a key part of this effort.”

UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise including its hospital, regional clinics and clinics it operates or staffs in cooperation with other providers. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. U.S. News & World Report named UAMS Medical Center the state’s Best Hospital; ranked its ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 nationwide; and named six areas as high performing — cancer, colon cancer surgery, heart failure, hip replacement, knee replacement and lung cancer surgery. UAMS has 2,727 students, 870 medical residents and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.