College of Medicine Circle of Excellence Comments

Every time I have visited your facility, I have been nothing but impressed with the concern and general desire to see to the patients’ welfare. I must add that this includes EVERYONE that I encounter, from my doctors to the student in the hall who had nothing to do with my visit other than that they were going my direction and insisted that I let them push me to my next destination. …  I have been nothing but impressed by your whole organization. Your people really make the difference. As we all have learned, money can buy the technology, yet technology in no way can replace personnel who are willing to go the extra distance to ensure patient welfare.

I believe UAMS to be a one of the best medical providers available. Your doctors and nurses are proficient, caring and concerned, and I know that you are working hard to make your clinics even better! I also want to thank you for giving your patients the opportunity to share their problems or frustrations. ...  We are blessed to have UAMS available to us.

Dr. Ann Riggs [Geriatrics] is always exceedingly knowledgeable, thorough and comprehensive.  She goes beyond what most doctors do. She is a great listener and doesn't immediately discount reported symptoms.  She also advises me how to help my child and grandchildren who also have inherited medical problems.  I would follow her anywhere she went to keep her as my physician.  Also, Melanie Pilcher and the lab staff are great and prompt.

I live 2 1/2 hours away, and unless it is an immediate emergency, I am coming to UAMS if at all possible. I have had life-saving surgery there and visited many of the clinics, and it is my preferred place for medical care. I have always been treated very nice by all the staff. I do recommend UAMS to my family and friends because of the wonderful treatment I have always gotten there, both medically and personally.

I was a UAMS employee prior to 1986 and returned in 2005.  Needless to say A LOT has changed over the past 20 years and I now realize we have EARNED the great reviews we receive!  I was definitely impressed with how my care was expedited with hardly any waiting time and how my care plan was implemented. All I had to do was answer my cell phone to see when procedures were scheduled for me! Thanks a million to the Orthopaedic Clinic staff, especially Teresa!

I live in Eastern Arkansas and have always gone to Memphis hospitals.  I will never go to Memphis again because your medical center is so superior to anything in this area. Everyone who worked with me, from checking in to having my weight and blood pressure taken to the nurse and then Dr. (Donald) Bodenner [Geriatrics], were so very, very nice, happy, helpful, kind, etc. Everywhere, it was clean as a pin. I commented to my sister that the best part was that all the employees were so HAPPY. You just don't see that much anymore.  But what was so very impressive is how very smart your doctors are. Top of the class. You never felt like they were there to make money, but were much more concerned with being a doctor and healing people.  Thank you for providing such a great place for the citizens of Arkansas.  

In my job related assignments with the federal government, I've had the opportunity to visit many medical facilities and educational institutions throughout the U.S., and without hesitation the UAMS complex meets and/or exceeds any that I am acquainted with. The Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and its staff are among the most professional care-giver in the country – and this comes from not only patients but subject matter experts.  This is something that should make all Arkansans PROUD!  On a personal note, I would like to commend both Dr. Daniel A. Davis and his attending RN, Kathy, for the outstanding professional care and attention provided me and that little 'extra' attention shown to my wife.  Without a doubt in my mind, this is the same level of professionalism and caring shown to all their patients and families. Though I had little exposure to other staff members in the department, all were extremely pleasant and offered assistance and interest throughout the visit.

I would like to recommend the services of Dr. Sara Tariq because I think she is the best health care provider. Dr. Tariq is an excellent physician. She professionally and kindly treats her patients with the ultimate care and respect. She takes the time necessary to listen to all her patients’ problems and she tries to help resolve all medical issues with professionalism that exceeds every patient’s expectation. In one word, she is outstanding.

I had a wonderful experience at UAMS. The medical staff was friendly and expedient, and the surgeon was thoughtful, educated, and took his time to answer our questions and concerns. I could not have had a better experience and will recommend UAMS to anyone I know in need of cancer treatment.

Dale couldn’t have received any better care anywhere else like he had at UAMS; the staff in Dr. Charles Davis’s office was so great.  Intern John was very friendly and very efficient.  Dr. Davis was the greatest.

I truly appreciate the kindness, cleanliness, and mostly the concentrated honesty shown to me at my appointments with Dr. Joseph Chacko.  Each time, the whole staff is very prompt and professional, and yet very warm and welcoming.  When I have brought a friend or neighbor along with me to the appointment,…every one of them has mentioned that if they ever had a problem with their eyes, they would certainly like Dr. Chacko as their selected doctor. 

My visit was a first in the Orthopaedics Clinic.  I was treated very kindly.  The staff was very professional.  The doctors were awesome in the way they made me feel very comfortable concerning my condition.  I left feeling that I received the V.I.P. treatment even though there were other patients.  I highly recommend the clinic to my co-workers.  I appreciate everything that the staff did for me that day.

UAMS is a great medical facility. Because it is a teaching facility, I feel the doctors and staff are continually searching for the best medical procedures and possible cures to offer patients. At the age of 16, I was diagnosed with Follicular Thyroid Cancer. Dr. James Suen and his colleagues saved my life. Three years ago, I found out it had returned. Dr. Donald Bodenner and his staff have done a wonderful job of treating and following my progress. I have nothing but high respect for all the staff at UAMS.

We came from Northern California to UAMS to be treated for Myeloma.  I can tell you that UAMS surpassed anything I have ever experienced and my doctor friends have never heard of such care anywhere.  I was most impressed with the speed of tests results, abilities to get appointments quickly, and most importantly the continuity of care.  It mattered not, day to day, which nurse or health care professional took care of my husband.  The standard was high, efficient and "standard" regardless of who was assigned to us on any given day.  … The support that UAMS receives and enjoys from the community in and around the hospital is equally unsurpassed to anything I have ever seen or enjoyed in a healthcare setting.  Wrap it all up with good old southern hospitality and you just can't imagine going anywhere else.  I felt that we were all a team and an extension of each other's efforts to keep him moving forward through difficult treatment to the end goal.  Never did I go to the various clinics with anxiety that something would go wrong or someone would be incompetent or uninterested.  As a caregiver this is tremendously reassuring. 

Dr. Peter Emanuel and his nurse Donna are excellent. They are both so personable and helpful.  Dr Emanuel is a brilliant physician.  My cancer is gone because of him.  I would recommend him to anyone.  UAMS is very fortunate to have him.  He always spends time explaining what he's doing and why. 

We were very pleased with the friendliness of all we came in contact with at UAMS (including those in valet parking)! We were also completely satisfied with the professionalism shown and the respect of our time in regard to our scheduled appointment.  Each visit we have had at UAMS has been a pleasant experience. Dr. John VanderSchilden, his nurse, Teresa, and all of his staff have been very kind, personable and helpful.  When our daughter had surgery, they were informative and caring. We were pleasantly surprised at how willing and prompt they were in returning our "post-surgery" phone calls (even over the holiday weekend!).We left Little Rock with a good feeling about UAMS!

1. From the moment we stepped into this scary and unknowing health issue, everyone at UAMS has been very helpful. We have been very pleased with every aspect. From the front desk to the labs to the hospital staff and recovery, all have been very warm, caring and thoughtful. … [Dr. Donald Bodenner] explained everything and had tests run to confirm, and then he explained all my options and together we chose the right option for me. He then referred me to Dr. [Brendan] Stack, and I was very pleased when I met him and his staff. I felt confident that my surgery would go well. … On my first visit after surgery I was very happy when Dr. Stack gave us his cell number and e-mail address in case I had any questions. To me that just tells you how caring these doctors are, and I wouldn't have asked for any better care. I would definitely recommend both Dr. Bodenner and Dr. Stack to anyone who needs a great doctor. Thank you to them both.

1. I feel that I had the best care at UAMS.  I have seen Dr. Graham Greene before and feel that he has gotten me on my way to getting back to normal with my bladder problem. I feel that all the staff is top notch. I could not have been treated any better anywhere else. Also, my wife had kidney surgery back in 1998. Dr. Graham Greene also performed that surgery. … I believe he saved her life. We are both very grateful that we had the opportunity to be treated at UAMS.

1. What amazes me the most about my visits to Dr. [Richard] Harper and his staff is how consistently patient, nice and professional they all seem to be. Dr. Harper instills a certain confidence into his work; he consistently shows he knows what he is doing and that he wants input from the patient. He always has time for any and all questions; he consistently answers the questions as they come up. He does not shirk questions. The person who sees me first on all my visits, Leora [Hansberry], has also consistently been professional, friendly and open to my concerns. She also consistently takes as much time as needed to deal with me. She is a credit to UAMS just as much as Dr. Harper is.

1. You have been more helpful, more informative and more respectful than any other doctor or hospital that I have been to, and I've seen plenty. Questions get answered and a smile or a simple hello can mean all the difference in the world to a patient. Thank you. Lynn Frazier and everyone at the GI clinic are fabulous.

1. The Myeloma Clinic improves each time we visit. We have been coming for 8 years, so have seen it through many transitions. This visit we found free parking added!  Our wait was long, but seeing Dr. [Frits] Van Rhee was certainly worth the wait. He had to double up his clinic load today, so the delays were not his fault. He gives each patient the time he or she needs, answers all questions and never makes you feel he is rushing you through. This is important for me, as I travel almost 5,000 miles (from Hawaii) to see him only two times a year!

1. The Breast Center, and in particular Dr. Suzanne Klimberg, made a negative time of my life bearable. It was the careful attentiveness shown by Dr. Klimberg and her staff that took away the fear of the uncertainties of breast cancer. I will forever be grateful to UAMS and the Breast Center. I will continue to drive to Little Rock whenever I have the choice for my medical care.

1. I have been going to your Prostate Screenings for several years and have been very impressed with Dr. Graham Greene. At the last screening, I was able to get an appointment with Dr. Greene. I left my visit with him for the first time feeling that I finally had a doctor that cared about my painful problem and seemed determined to fix it. I was very pleased with his patient empathy, his knowledge and his professionalism. I just wish all doctors were like him. I have been told by my daughter who graduated and worked for UAMS as a Nurse Practitioner that he was one of the best in the USA in his field. From I have experienced so far, I am very pleased with that assessment. … We have further steps to go to solve my problem, but I am confident that if there is anybody other than God that can fix me, Dr. Greene can. And I believe that he really cares about his patients! Thank you, Dr. Greene!!!!!!

1. The wait was nearly 2 hrs, and with 2 small children it seemed like all day. As my first visit, I thought it would be my last!  Then I met Dr Klimberg and her staff and changed my mind. They were fabulous, and I realized the wait was only because they care for the patients and spend the time needed with each one. I've spent a lot of time in health care facilities in the past 9 years, and it is a rare thing to find a doctor that actually takes the time needed without making you feel like a number. The staff went above and beyond with my family.

1. I feel very confident in all the staff at UAMS. They are always very professional, caring and efficient. Dr. [Mauricio] Pineda is a very comprehensive and wonderful doctor. My doctor at home said, “There nothing very effective that we can do to help you for this incurable cancer." At UAMS, Dr. Pineda said, "We are going to cure you," and the aggressive treatment put me in remission within 6 months and I am doing great. I owe it to GOD and UAMS. Please share this good news.