Mainline Health Systems, Inc. is proud to announce its selection as a 2026-2027 Buckle Up for Life Gift of Safety Partner, joining a national effort to improve child passenger safety and help families travel safely througheducation, resources, and access to life-saving car seats.

Buckle Up for Life is a national child passenger safety education program created by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Toyota. The program works with community organizations across the country to reduce child passenger injuries by
providing education and access to proper car seat equipment for families in need.

This year’s application process was highly competitive, with only a 36% acceptance rate for Gift of Safety partners. MHSI was selected as one of the organizations best positioned to successfully implement the program and make a meaningful impact within its service area.

The grant period runs from August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2027. During that time, Mainline will receive 50 free car seats to distribute to eligible patients and families. In addition, the organization has committed to providing child passenger safety education to at least 110 individuals throughout the communities it serves.

Jefferson Regional is pleased to announce that Ashok Akula, MD has joined the physician team at Jefferson Regional Cardiology Associates. Dr. Akula is a member of the Jefferson Regional medical staff and will be providing specialized care in interventional cardiology.

Dr. Akula received his Bachelor of Medicine from Kakatiya Medical College in Warangal, India, and completed his internal medicine degree at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Las Vegas. Dr. Akula went on to complete a fellowship in cardiovascular disease at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, as well as an interventional cardiology fellowship at Michigan State
University.

He is currently accepting patients at Jefferson Regional Cardiology Associates, located
at 1609 West 40th Ave., Ste. 403. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Akula, call 870-
541-4285.

Jefferson Regional is proud to welcome back Dr. Meer Akbar Ali, who has rejoined the physician group and is now seeing patients at Jefferson Regional GI Associates.

Dr. Ali received his medical degree at the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences in
Dehradun, India. He then completed an Internal Medicine residency at the University of
Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN, as well as fellowships in both
Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Advanced Endoscopy at the University Hospitals
Case Medical Center in Cleveland, OH. He is board certified in Gastroenterology.

Before returning to Jefferson Regional, Dr. Ali worked as Associate Professor of Internal
Medicine, Associate Fellowship Program Director, and was a member of the Graduate
Medical Education Executive Committee at the University of Arkansas for Medical
Sciences in Little Rock.

He is currently accepting patients at Jefferson Regional GI Associates, located at 1801
West 40th Ave., Ste. 7B. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Ali, call 870-541-7201.

DePaul Community Health Centers welcomes Dutton Day, DMD as a dentist serving patients at DePaul’s Gould location (407 South Gould Avenue, Gould, AR  71643). Starting Monday, July 6, Dr. Day will provide comprehensive dental care for patients of all ages.

A native of White Hall, Arkansas, Dr. Day earned a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry with minors in Business Administration and Chemistry from Mississippi State University before receiving his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry. Throughout his academic career, he remained actively involved in leadership, research, and community service, including conducting biomaterials research and participating in outreach initiatives focused on expanding access to care for underserved populations. His dedication to rural health care was recognized through his selection as a Mississippi Rural Dentist Scholar.

James Atkins

39
Pediatrician & Owner
SEARK Children’s Clinic
Monticello

Professional achievements

• American Board of Pediatrics, board-certified pediatrician.
• Chief of staff, Baptist Health Drew County.

Community involvement

Board member, SEARK Concert Association; board member, Arkansas chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics; member, First United Methodist Church Monticello; Little League baseball coach.

Baptist Health is proud to welcome board-certified general surgeon Jason Gault, DO, MBA, to Baptist Health Medical Center-Drew County, expanding access to high-quality surgical care for patients in Monticello and surrounding rural communities.

With 15 years of experience in general surgery, Dr. Gault brings a deep commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care. He has spent most of his career serving patients in Missouri and is now excited to care for Arkansans in a close-knit, rural setting.
Dr. Gault earned his Doctor of Osteopathy from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences and completed his general surgery residency at Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center in Michigan.

Dr. Gault performs a wide range of surgical procedures, including laparoscopic surgeries for gallbladder disease, appendicitis, hernias and bowel conditions, as well as open abdominal surgeries, breast biopsies, wound and skin procedures, vasectomies, colonoscopies and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD).

His goal is to offer advanced surgical care close to home—so patients don’t have to travel far to receive the treatment they need. Understanding that surgery can often bring fear or uncertainty, Dr. Gault is known for his calming presence and collaborative approach.

“My goal as a general surgeon is always, while working supportively with their primary care physician, to realistically address those fears while offering accurate diagnosis within a relaxed, comfortable environment,” he said.

In addition to his medical experience, Dr. Gault is a U.S. Army veteran, having served as a combat medic specialist—reinforcing his dedication to service and care under pressure.

Baptist Health Medical Center-Drew County, located at 778 Scogin Drive in Monticello, continues to grow its range of services to meet the needs of rural families. To learn more about surgical services or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Gault, call (870) 460-3515 or visit Baptist-Health.com.

About Baptist Health
For more than a century, Baptist Health has delivered all our best in health care through Christian compassion and innovative services. Baptist Health, Arkansas’ most comprehensive health care organization, is here For You. For Life. – with more than 250 points of access that include 12 hospitals; urgent care centers; a senior living community; over 100 primary and specialty care clinics; a college with studies in nursing and allied health; and a graduate residency program. It is also the largest private not-for-profit health care organization based in Arkansas, providing care through the support of approximately 11,000 employees, groundbreaking treatments, renowned physicians and community outreach programs. For more information about Baptist Health, visit Baptist-Health.com, call Baptist Health HealthLine at 1-888-BAPTIST or download the myBaptistHealth app.

MHSI’s two new maternal health research
coordinators, Cyndy Woods and Pam Leeper, traveled to Little Rock this week for training
at the Community Health Centers of Arkansas headquarters. The University of Arkansas for
Medical Sciences (UAMS) is partnering with the Community Health Centers of Arkansas
(CHCA) for a maternal health research program, Delivering HOPE (Helping Women
Optimize Prenatal Equity).

(more…)

Geriatric psychiatry provider John Cherry, APRN, recently joined Baptist Health Medical Center-Drew County.

Cherry, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, earned his Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University. He is a board certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

“When it comes to my patients, I believe in treating everyone as if they are a family member; with compassion and respect,” Cherry said. (more…)

Mainline Health Systems, Inc. has partnered with the Blue & You Foundation for Healthier Arkansas to improve patient outcomes using remote patient monitoring.

The MHSI program implemented in early 2024, Breaking Barriers, provided remote monitoring equipment to 780 patients already enrolled in Chronic Care Management. Since the program’s initiation, 98% of patients surveyed reported an increased sense of control over their chronic illness and 32% of patients reported improved med compliance. These improvements also contributed to the prevention of ER visits and hospital stays, as MHSI staff were able to identify arising issues more quickly. Other improvements noted by the program were lower glucose and blood pressure levels, as well as a decline in Chronic Heart Failure exacerbations and a decrease in admissions for COPD. (more…)

Baptist Health mailed notification letters to Baptist Health Medical Center-Drew County. (“Drew County”) patients, employees, and dependents whose information may have been involved in a data security incident that occurred in July 2024. (more…)

(more…)

(more…)

Mainline Health Systems Inc. (MHSI) recently received a grant from the Pine Bluff Area Community Foundation. The Pine Bluff Community Foundation is part of the Arkansas Community Foundation Program. (more…)

Baptist Health has reached a definitive agreement to add Drew Memorial Health System in Monticello to the Baptist Health system. The acquisition will be subject to customary regulatory approvals, and in the interim, Baptist Health will immediately begin managing Drew Memorial Health System’s general operations.

In December, Baptist Health will officially add Drew Memorial Health System, which includes a 60-bed hospital, two clinics and home health. That same month, the Monticello hospital will become Baptist Health’s 12th hospital and will be named “Baptist Health Medical Center-Drew County.” (more…)

Mainline Health Systems Inc. (MHSI) recently received a $1,500 grant from the Giving Tree program through Arkansas Community Foundation. Giving Tree is Arkansas Community Foundation’s signature grant program. Giving Tree endowments are pooled charitable funds at the local and state levels that make annual grants through two competitive grant cycles. These funds support a variety of causes based on changing community needs. (more…)