August is National Immunization Awareness Month, a time to recognize the role vaccines play in protecting public health. Vaccines help the body’s immune system produce antibodies that fight off harmful viruses and bacteria, preventing serious illness. Common vaccinations protect against flu, hepatitis a and b, measles, human papillomavirus (HPV), tuberculosis, smallpox and COVID-19. To learn…
Capstone Hospitalist Group provides hospital care for patients from admission through discharge at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa and Northport Medical Center. The group’s physicians and nurse practitioners care for patients after emergency room visits or doctor referrals, coordinate with patients’ primary-care doctors, and provide consultations. Capstone Hospitalist Group cared for 102,446 patients in…
Dr. William Brooks Burns, a psychiatrist, joined UMC in Tuscaloosa in its Betty Shirley Clinic where he will care for patients. He is also an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the College of Community Health Sciences and will teach the College’s medical students, resident physicians and fellows. CCHS operates…
University Medical Center partnered with the Birmingham-based Flourish Alabama to host Art and Healing: Stories of the Black Belt, a free community event open to the public to raise health awareness through storytelling and art. The Art and Healing event featured music, poetry performances, storytelling sessions where attendees could share their health journeys, and free…
The University of Alabama is once again helping its campus community stay healthy this fall with free flu shots for students, faculty and staff. The 14th annual UA Flu Shot Campaign, led by the University’s College of Community Health Sciences, starts Sept. 3 and runs through mid-November. During the campaign, free flu vaccines are provided…
Vaccine-preventable diseases are on the rise, making it essential for people to stay up to date on immunizations, said Dr. Jane Weida, a family medicine physician at University Medical Center. She presented “Staying Sharp on Shots: Immunization and Infectious Disease Update” at a College of Community Health Sciences academic conference to residents, medical students, faculty…
Juvenile arthritis affects nearly 220,000 children and teens in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This autoimmune disease causes joint pain, swelling, stiffness and fatigue, and can lead to long-term joint damage if left untreated. Although the exact cause is unknown, early diagnosis and treatment can help manage…
The College of Community Health Sciences welcomed a new fellow to its Behavioral Health Fellowship – Dr. Ijeoma Okeke. She began her training in July. The Behavioral Health Fellowship trains family medicine physicians, particularly those planning to practice in rural communities, to better care for patients with mental health issues. Fellows receive training in evaluation…
Traumatic experiences, such as exposure to violence, sexual trauma and medical complications, can impact a person’s health and how they engage in their care, said Dr. Mallory Scogin, an obstetrician-gynecologist with University Medical Center. Scogin, also an assistant professor with UA’s College of Community Health Sciences, said a trauma-informed care approach can help. During a…
Three new sports medicine fellows started their year of training at University Medical Center in Tuscaloosa and will care for University of Alabama athletes and patients at UMC’s Dr. Bill deShazo Sports Medicine Center. The new fellows, who began the Sports Medicine Fellowship for Family Medicine Physicians July 1, are Drs. Dana Hutton, Leroy Jemison…
