Donna Malone
| Meet Donna Malone, the MVP for January 2026. Malone is a registered nurse in Utilization Review. In the course of her work, she puts into practice the UAMS culture of being polite, friendly, respectful, thoughtful, optimistic and compassionate. Here’s what her nominator wrote about what she did in previous position in case management:
When my elderly cousin —also a UAMS employee—was ready for discharge after a hospital stay here, every rehab facility declined him. Our assigned social worker and even her supervisor said, “That’s how it is.” He was stuck in discharge limbo, losing strength and hope. We were frustrated and in tears when we knocked on Donna Malone’s door. What happened next is why she deserves to be an MVP.
Donna had no obligation to help us. It was after hours, and she was not assigned to our case. But she listened with compassion and immediately began thinking outside the box. Drawing on her experience and creativity, she explored nontraditional options and guided us through complex requirements others had dismissed. She never gave up until he had a safe, appropriate placement where he could regain strength and quality of life.
Donna’s actions didn’t just help one patient—they supported UAMS’ mission to improve health and well-being, freed up a hospital bed (impacting our pocketbooks and the hospital bottom line), and demonstrated why employees can trust UAMS for their own care. She modeled integrity, teamwork, and excellence, serving as a role model for colleagues by showing persistence, resourcefulness and kindness.
UAMS will recognize Malone in several ways as this month’s MVP. Look for her photo on the Employee Appreciation Wall outside the Chancellor’s Suite in the Central Building. A Faces of UAMS video will feature her, and UAMS will honor her and other awardees at the year-end MVP luncheon.
Do you know someone who should be the next MVP? If you have someone you’d like to nominate, please visit go.uams.edu/mvp/ and fill out the form.
Please congratulate Donna for being the MVP of the Month!