[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 205 (Monday, December 8, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8546-S8547]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO DR. JOSEPH THOMPSON

 Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and 
congratulate Joseph W. Thompson, M.D., M.P.H., on his election to the 
National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in health, 
medicine, and public health research. This recognition reflects Dr. 
Thompson's decades of leadership and his enduring commitment to 
improving health outcomes for families across Arkansas and the Nation.
  Dr. Thompson serves as president emeritus of the Arkansas Center for 
Health Improvement and as a professor in the College of Medicine and 
Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health at the University of Arkansas 
for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. Throughout his career, he has been 
a driving force behind innovative, evidence-based improvements to the 
healthcare system. As Arkansas' former surgeon general, he helped shape 
our State's public health priorities and strengthened the foundation 
for statewide, data-driven health reform.
  Among his many contributions, Dr. Thompson pioneered the design, 
implementation, and evaluation of episode-based and primary-care 
payment models that placed Arkansas at the forefront of value-based 
care. These efforts not only improved the quality and efficiency of 
healthcare delivery within our State but also served as a model for 
similar reforms at the Federal level. His work has helped public policy 
to reflect the realities of patient needs and provider challenges as 
well as prioritize accountable, high-value care.
  Dr. Thompson is also a national leader in health data integration, 
guiding efforts to connect and analyze information in ways that advance 
a continuously learning health system. His vision has strengthened 
Arkansas' capacity to use data to improve population health, respond to 
emerging challenges, and support better decision-making across sectors. 
This work continues to serve as a benchmark for other States and 
organizations seeking to modernize health infrastructure. Additionally, 
he has been a dedicated mentor and collaborator whose passion for 
service, integrity, and innovation have earned him deep respect and 
gratitude.
  Dr. Thompson's election to the National Academy of Medicine is a 
well-deserved honor and positive reflection on UAMS, the Arkansas 
Center for

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Health Improvement, and the people of the Natural State. I ask my 
colleagues to join me in celebrating his distinguished service and this 
recognition of his lifetime contributions to public health and 
medicine.

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