encourage community providers to offer PrEP to those at risk for HIV infection . The ADH has the expertise to train community providers interested in providing PrEP services in their practices . The ADH currently has an Integrated HIV Prevention & Care Plan for Arkansas and an Ending the Epidemic Plan . All of Arkansas ’ s prevention , care , and treatment efforts are being enhanced within the state to end this epidemic by 2030 .
Drug overdose deaths , due largely to opioid use disorder , increased during the pandemic claiming over 500 lives in 2021 alone in Arkansas . The Substance Misuse and Injury Prevention branch continues to expand its impact by enhancing the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program ( PDMP ), substance misuse education and prevention , and the suicide prevention program in the state . In preparation for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline ’ s telephone number switch to “ 988 ” this summer , the branch is working with stakeholders on in-state capacity building and expansion to include answering chat and texts . Additionally , the branch has maintained a leadership role in the state ’ s Governor ’ s Challenge — a technical assistance opportunity from the Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Administration and the U . S . Department of Veterans Affairs that supports states to prevent suicide among service members , veterans , and their families . A grant from the CDC has enabled the PDMP to be integrated with all electronic health records in the state , making the utilization of the PDMP easier for providers , and has expanded the branch ’ s Academic Detailing project — offering one-on-one training on topics like safer prescribing . With the training and distribution of naloxone a continued priority , the program supported the development and passing of Act 651 of 2021 , which mandates providers to prescribe naloxone when prescribing opioids ; the Medical Board recently posted rules applicable to the law .
These are challenging times for the medical and public health community in the state and the nation . The ADH is working tirelessly with the physician and health care community in the state to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and promote the health and well-being of all Arkansans .
AMS Benefits : 2021 Annual Report
BY STEPHEN MAGIE , MD CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
AMS Benefits is a for-profit subsidiary of the Arkansas Medical Society established in 1991 to provide insurance benefits to AMS members . The company operates as a licensed insurance agency that markets life , health , dental , vison and disability products .
AMS Benefits currently services 92 group and individual life insurance policies covering 484 lives , 85 group and individual health insurance policies covering 782 lives , 42 group and individual dental policies covering 406 lives , 36 group and individual vision policies covering 315 lives , and 51 group and individual disability policies covering 138 lives . I would like to encourage all Arkansas Medical Society members to take advantage of this specialized service that was created by request from you to meet the needs of Arkansas physicians , their staff and their families .
AMS Benefits provides support at all AMS meetings as well as at specialty society meetings , clinic manager meetings and educational workshops . AMS Benefits contracts with Farris Agency to provide property and casualty products to AMS members and refers all medical malpractice leads to State Volunteer
Mutual Insurance Company , the Arkansas Medical Society endorsed medical malpractice carrier .
AMS Benefits staff includes a full-time licensed employee agent and one part-time licensed support staff . They also contract with four independent sales agents .
I would like to give a special thanks to the AMS Benefits for their service to the Arkansas Medical Society and its members by providing the best service available for those products they provide .
AMS BENEFITS STAFF Alanna Scheffer Marissa Shuffield Alan White ( contract agent ) Travis Mulhearn ( contract agent ) John Gillenwater ( contract agent ) David M Coussens , M . D . ( contract agent )
BOARD MEMBERS Stephen Magie , M . D . ( Little Rock ) Danny Wilkerson , M . D . ( Little Rock ) Seth Barnes , M . D . ( Hot Springs ) Brenda Powell , M . D . ( Hot Springs )
Jacob Dickerson , M . D . ( Mountain Home ) Barry Pierce , M . D . ( Mountain View ) David Wroten ( AMS ) Jan Hundley , ( Little Rock )
SPRING 2022 | VOLUME 118 | NUMBER 9 191