Forty Under 40: Catherine Womack, M.D.

Most every kid at some point says he or she wants to be a doctor when they grow up.

Catherine Womack, 39, actually did it.

She knew by age 8 she wanted to be a doctor, a goal she carried through University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and a residency at Baylor
College of Medicine.

Not every kid plans on changing the medical industry, but Womack is doing that as well through IMWell Health, a company she started three years ago following seven years as the staff medical director at Sparks Regional Medical Center.

What started as wellness counseling has turned into a thriving business that sets up on-site health clinics for employers to cut down on health care costs and lost productivity from absences and doctor visits.

Womack started with two employees — herself and her nurse — and is now up to 30 employees serving seven large employers. Five are in the Fort Smith region, one in Oklahoma and another is in Hot Springs. Her goal is to control growth and take on one new company per quarter and no more than six in a year.

She considers opening IMWell Health her career highlight and is encouraged by studies that show 32 percent of employers will be offering on-site care in the next three years.

“We feel in lots of ways we become a family and more accountable,” she said. “It’s a win-win for everybody.”