UAMS Reservists Ready To Serve
by Charles W. Smith, M.D., medical director, UAMS Medical Center

While many of us listened to the radio, read the newspapers, stayed glued to the TV set — wondering what could be done to respond to the terrible events in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania — scores of UAMS employees waited for “the call.”

They are ready to serve their country in a more direct and personal way. As members of armed forces reserve units, they are wondering if they will be among the 50,000 who may be called to action in the coming days. They continue to perform their UAMS jobs daily as physicians, nurses and other staff roles; not knowing for sure whether they will continue their campus routines or must prepare to leave friends, family and colleagues, travel to remote regions of the earth, and join a team in a global fight against terrorism.

One such reservist is Harritte Townsend, L.P.N., a nurse at the Family Medical Center. Townsend, the mother of a young son and an active member of a local church, is the patient flow coordinator who makes sure that patient care in the clinics is properly coordinated with the front office, the telephone staff, and the inpatient staff. She belongs to the Army Reserves, and says she will be surprised if she doesn’t get “the call” soon. “I’m ready to go, if needed,” she says. “In fact, I sort of hope that I do get called. This is why I joined the reserves in the first place, so that I could get a chance to do my part when the time comes,” she said.

Departments like Family and Community Medicine are making contingency plans in order to adjust to the possibility of temporarily losing key staff such as Townsend. Because reservists serving on UAMS staff tend to exemplify discipline and flexibility, they often hold key positions in our institution.

Another example is Kathy Karr, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserves. She is one of the key analysts on the Clinical Information Systems team at University Hospital. She currently heads the recently formed Document Imaging System (DIS) team. “I hate to face the prospect of leaving such an important project at this stage,” she says, “but I know that everyone here at UAMS will be supportive, understanding, and will be able to make the necessary adjustments.” Compared to the greater need she and other staff members may be called to meet, DIS does seem like a minor issue.

Several of our medical staff are also on rosters as military reservists. They have expressed their eagerness to help, if necessary, to defend against this terrible blow to the soul of our nation. As of Sept. 24, the total list of UAMS reservists totaled 52 persons.

The institutional family deeply appreciates the commitment, patriotic service, and willingness to serve demonstrated by reservists who are employed here. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you as well as with the families of the victims of the recent terrorist attacks.