UAMS Partners with Local Pharmacies to Provide Community Health Workers in Sebastian County
| FAYETTEVILLE – Four community health workers were hired recently through a partnership between the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and three local pharmacies to help people in Sebastian County navigate the health care system.
As embedded community health workers, Bobbi Evans, Harrison Hall, Mario Juarez, and Holleign Willis are available to answer basic health care questions and provide education and resources to the public. Evans is embedded with Prince Drug Store, while Hall is embedded with Health Depot Pharmacies. Both Juarez and Willis are located at Anderson’s Discount Pharmacy.
“This position gives us the opportunity to assist those with limited access to COVID-19 vaccines, and to be a reliable source of information to those who need help,” Evans said. “It’s important for community health workers to earn the trust of their community, and I hope to do that by giving the most accurate and reliable information available.”
Community health workers work within their communities to help the public get the care they need and answer essential health care-related questions, such as when someone should see a doctor. They can also provide valuable information about vaccines.
“We are so pleased to work with Bobbi, Harrison, Mario and Holleign to provide the people of Sebastian County with a new resource as we enter the next, and hopefully final, stage of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Stephanie Kruger, associate director of Community Programs in the UAMS Office of Community Health & Research. “We’re also excited to work with Prince Drug Store, Health Depot Pharmacies and Anderson’s Discount Pharmacy, as well as the Sebastian County community as we work to create a better state of health for all people in Arkansas.”
Prince Drug Store is located at 1112 Towson Ave., in Fort Smith. Evans can be contacted with health- or vaccine-related questions at 479-782-9210.
Health Depot Pharmacies is located at 7700 Highway 271 South in Fort Smith. To contact Hall with questions, call 479-646-7875.
Anderson’s Discount Pharmacy is located at 700 Lexington Ave., in Fort Smith. To contact Willis or Juarez, call 479-782-2881.
For more information about the UAMS Community Health Worker project, visit nwa.uams.edu/chr/chw. For more information about COVID-19, including resources, mobile vaccine events and education, visit nwa.uams.edu/covid.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $9,892,799 with 0 percentage financed with non-governmental sources.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a 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. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. U.S. News & World Report recognized UAMS Medical Center as a Best Hospital for 2021-22; ranked its ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 nationwide for the third year; and named five areas as high performing — colon cancer surgery, diabetes, hip replacement, knee replacement and stroke. UAMS has 3,047 students, 873 medical residents and fellows, and six dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 11,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.
The UAMS Northwest Regional Campus includes 288 medical, pharmacy, nursing and health professions students, 64 medical and pharmacy residents, two sports medicine fellows, and 1,000 community-based faculty. The campus has nine clinics including a student-led clinic and physical, occupational and speech therapy. Faculty conduct research to reduce health disparities. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.