Every fall, as flu season collides with back-to-school events, Arkansas vaccination rates often dip where access is lowest, leaving entire communities vulnerable. In Sevier County, however, Dr. Randy Walker Family Practice & Allergy Clinic is flipping the narrative by meeting patients at schools, churches, and even grocery stores to ensure shots reach the arms that need them most.
About Walker Family Practice Clinic
The Walker Clinic operates four locations, staffed by nine nurse practitioners and two physicians. The main clinic in De Queen keeps doors open all week long from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and offers after-hours triage, home-based scheduling, and nursing home visits.
“We also operate a pediatric clinic in De Queen, a school-based Leopard Care Clinic, and a satellite clinic in Dierks,” says Angie Walker, office administrator at the Walker Clinic.
| Locations | Main Clinic | Dierks Clinic | Leapord Care Clinic |
| Address | 1553 W Colin Raye Dr De Queen, AR 71832 |
122 Main Ave Dierks, AR 71883 |
167 School Dr De Queen, AR 71832 |
| Contact Info | (870) 584-3000 Option 6 for after-hours triage |
(870) 584-3000 Option 6 for after-hours triage |
(870) 584-3000 Option 6 for after-hours triage |
| Hours of Operation | Daily 7 a.m.–7 p.m. After-hours triage |
M–F 8 a.m.–5 p.m. After-hours triage |
M–F 8 a.m.–5 p.m. After-hours triage |
Meeting Rural Health Challenges
The clinic serves a diverse patient population, including about 65% Hispanic and 300 Marshallese patients. Many face social determinants of health challenges, such as housing shortages, food insecurity, and unreliable transportation.
To overcome these barriers, the Walker Clinic uses innovative strategies like:
- Extended hours (including weekends and 12-hour days)
- School- and home-based care to reach children and families where they are
- Partnerships with schools and local organizations to increase access and trust
“Partnering with local schools has been key,” Walker explains. “We started with a quality improvement project to support school nurses, and it grew clinic-wide.”
Creative Engagement and Incentives
The clinic team goes beyond traditional outreach. They check immunizations at school registration events, set up at local Walmarts, and even partnered with a restaurant to offer mini pizza vouchers for kids who got their shots. At the same time, children can also receive vision or hearing screenings at these events to prepare them for school.
“We send patients reminders, but our biggest impact comes from being on-site at every school registration, kindergarten round-up, and sponsored event,” Walker says.
Through partnerships with Pilgrim’s Pride, CCCUA campuses, and local churches, the Walker Clinic hosts health fairs, providing flu shots, pneumonia vaccines, screenings, and more.
Patients in rural pockets of the state remain hesitant about vaccines. Learn more about local strategies for increasing HPV and RSV vaccination rates.
Through honest, up-to-date education and respecting personal choices, Walker and her team have helped increase acceptance, particularly for HPV vaccines.
Clinic and Staffing Strategies
Behind the scenes, the Walker Clinic ensures its staff is empowered and accountable. Their EHR system integrates with WebIZ, allowing for immediate documentation of vaccination status. Staff review immunization metrics monthly and earn biannual bonuses for meeting benchmarks.
During community health fairs, staff bring mobile technology to update records on site, reducing delays and improving accuracy.
WebIZ is the official immunization information system for the state of Arkansas. Image courtesy of https://adhimmreglive.arkansas.gov/webiznet/Login.aspx.
Lessons for Other Rural Clinics
Many patients face challenges that may keep them from scheduling appointments or opting to get their shots. For other rural clinics and any clinic that struggles to keep vaccine rates up, the Walker Clinic’s message is simple: meet patients where they are.
“Care must happen when and where patients need it, not just Monday through Friday, 8 to 5.”
