Arkansas Rheumatology Association Tackles Rural Health Issues

Dr. Magar

Swosti Roka Magar, MD, a rheumatology fellow at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, serves as this year’s fellow on the ARA’s board of directors. In her role, she participates in the board’s monthly conference call and adds a fellow’s perspective on issues pertaining to the ARA.

“I’ve learned about legislative and regulatory healthcare policies that have an impact on academic and community practices,” Dr. Magar says. “This has helped me look at issues differently and increased my knowledge of health policy and advocacy.”

Streamlining the Legislation Process

Last year, Dr. Saitta notes that Arkansas was one of several states to pass legislation to hold pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) accountable and crack down on the secretive practices that drive up costs for consumers.

“As a group, the ARA is also working with several non-rheumatology state groups on legislation that cuts across specialty lines,” Dr. Saitta says. “I think it’s important for us to work together and educate legislators on issues that affect our patients, in order to ensure better outcomes.”

Dr. Saitta also praises Arkansas Sen. John Boozman, a former optometrist, who wants Congress to pay for more residency slots for medical school graduates to increase the number of doctors within the state. Currently, Arkansas and other rural states lose medical school graduates who move to other states to complete their residencies.

Along with other senators, Sen. Boozman has co-sponsored the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act that would increase the number of residency slots by 3,000 each year from 2021 to 2025, for a total of 15,000 residency positions by 2025.²

“We also plan to meet with other state medical groups within the next couple of weeks to coordinate legislation that cuts across medical specialties,” Dr. Saitta says. “We believe that by working together as a group we can better educate legislators and advocate for better outcomes.” 

Linda Childers is a health writer located in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Reference

1. Arthritis Foundation. Advocacy in Arkansas.
2. S.348—Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019.