A new report finds that 38.7% of Arkansas adults are obese, making Arkansas the sixth-worst state in the nation for obesity. The report by Trust for America’s Health, “State of Obesity 2022: Better Policies for a Healthier America,” released Tuesday, Sept. …
Arkansas physicians were more likely to accept new Medicaid patients between 2014 and 2017 than physicians in most other states, according to an analysis of National Electronic Health Records Survey data by the State Health Access Data Assistance Center ( …
Sadly, mass shootings have become common in the U.S., and parents should recognize that at least some information about these events is likely to reach their children. In his latest column for the Healthcare Journal of Arkansas, ACHI President and CEO Dr. …
Arkansas has begun receiving part of its $216 million share of a $26 billion national settlement with drug distributors McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, and Cardinal Health and drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson over their roles in the opioid epidemic. …
LITTLE ROCK ― Arkansas has made progress in addressing the opioid overdose epidemic by expanding access to the overdose-reversal drug naloxone, the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement said Wednesday. “The opioid overdose epidemic has had a devastating …
Pfizer and Moderna’s newly authorized COVID-19 booster vaccines, now available in Arkansas, are formulated to target the currently dominant strains of the omicron variant as well as the original strain of the virus that causes COVID-19. ACHI President and …
On Aug. 31, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule that would streamline the application and renewal processes for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Arkansas currently has 962,380 Medicaid …
Over the past two school years, school nurses and counselors have been on the front lines alongside teachers in responding to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the mental distress experienced by students and their families. In a new guest …
On Tuesday, Aug. 16, President Joe Biden signed The Inflation Reduction Act into law. As we highlighted in a previous blog post, the act contains notable healthcare provisions, including the continuation of Affordable Care Act (ACA) monthly premium …
In response to the opioid epidemic, policies to expand access to the overdose-reversal drug naloxone have emerged across the country. In recent years, Arkansas has made progress on this front by requiring prescribers in 2021 to co-prescribe naloxone in …
On Friday, Aug. 12, the U.S. House of Representatives passed The Inflation Reduction Act, marking the passage of the most substantial climate legislation ever passed in Congress. The bill also contains notable healthcare provisions, including the …
ACHI Health Policy Director Craig Wilson’s many talents — which include not only analyzing and developing public health policy but also acting, singing, and dancing — are spotlighted in a profile in the Sunday, Aug. 7, issue of the Arkansas Democrat- …
As a new school year approaches, this is a good time to review some principles of pedestrian and bicycle safety. Walking or biking to school is fun, encourages physical activity, and helps form healthy habits that could last a lifetime. The Centers for …
On Thursday, Aug. 4, the Biden administration declared the monkeypox outbreak in the United States to be a public health emergency. As of early this week, there were more than 8,900 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the U.S., including 12 confirmed cases in …
More than 1 in 3 American adults reported in 2020 that they had recently experienced poor mental health days, and people don’t check their mental health issues at the door when they come to work, ACHI President and CEO Dr. Joe Thompson writes in a guest …
One factor many may not consider in preventing heat-related illnesses is how medication use can affect how the body responds to heat, as well as the effectiveness of some medications. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some …
As families prepare for the start of school this month, it is important to ensure that children’s vaccines are up to date to protect themselves, classmates, family members, and the community. Arkansas law requires that students who attend public or private …
With the start of a new school year approaching, parents face decisions about protecting their children from COVID-19. ACHI President and CEO Dr. Joe Thompson offers advice for parents in a story published Wednesday in the Eureka Springs Independent …
The Natural State offers plenty of opportunities for water activities, with more than 2,000 lakes and reservoirs as well as numerous rivers, creeks, swimming holes, and public swimming pools. Unfortunately, Arkansas also has one of the highest accidental …
ACHI President and CEO Dr. Joe Thompson, Baptist Health President and CEO Troy Wells, and UAMS Medical Center CEO Dr. Steppi Mette discuss the challenges Arkansas hospitals are facing in a recent Talk Business and Politics story. Staffing issues, inflation …
