Michael Manley
Class of 1981
Michael Manley has more than 10 years of successful experience as an outreach liaison, including
work as a lobbyist with the Arkansas Legislature, first as the executive director for the Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency (ARORA) and now in his role with UAMS ANGELS
Traveling throughout Arkansas, Michael Manley, R.N.P., sees a lot of exciting things –
like the way the ANGELS program continues to expand across the state. In fact, Manley’s
work is one of the primary reasons for ANGELS’ phenomenal growth.
As the program’s outreach liaison, Manley visits physicians, hospital staff and the public
in various communities in the state to tell them about ANGELS and the benefits that can
be had through its telemedicine program.
“My message to physicians and hospitals details the clinical side of ANGELS, as well as
its educational aspects,” Manley said. “I tell the public about the overall goals and aims
of the program, as well as its Call Center and smoking cessation program. It’s also
important that we understand their needs so we can match resources. This is truly a
two-way street.”
Manley said that ANGELS is selective about where it will establish new sites and specifically targets areas that are medically underserved. “For example, I often hear that family
practice physicians are quitting delivery – it’s just not affordable due to the need to
keep medical malpractice insurance,” Manley said. “That leaves a lot of our communities
vulnerable in a very important area.”
By establishing ANGELS telemedicine sites in these and other regions with a demonstrated
need, physicians can consult with University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)
maternal fetal medicine specialists and also have quick access to emergency services, if
needed. In addition, patients who experience difficulties during pregnancy can remain in
their communities longer – perhaps throughout the entire pregnancy – and still receive
state-of-the-art care that would ordinarily be available only at major medical centers.
Manley said that most hospitals and communities that he visits welcome the opportunity to
access the ANGELS program.
“When I first began outreach for ANGELS about a year and a half ago, I think people were
sort of leery of the new telemedicine technology,” Manley said. “But, now, everyone is
familiar with the technology, as well as our program, and they know that our ultimate goal
is to provide patients with the best possible care without requiring them to leave their
hometowns.”
Manley has more than 10 years of successful experience as an outreach liaison, including
work as a lobbyist with the Arkansas Legislature, first as the executive director for
the Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency (ARORA) and now in his role with ANGELS.
“I absolutely love my job, and I’m very lucky to be working with Dr. Curtis Lowery, who
directs the UAMS Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and initiated ANGELS,” he said.
“It’s exciting to help build this program, and I feel that I’m doing something that’s good
for the state. I think the obstetrics aspect of telemedicine is just the tip of the
iceberg. Telemedicine is the next paradigm shift in health care, and it’s going to give
people across the state access to health care that’s never been seen before.”