Category Newsletter


Need to Know:

All University Medical Center locations – Tuscaloosa, Northport, Demopolis, Fayette, Carrollton and Livingston are accepting new patients. Visit UMC for more information. Annual Medicare Wellness Visits help patients develop or update their personalized health plan so to help prevent disease and disability. These yearly visits are at no cost to you. Schedule a visit at…


A Message from Dr. Richard Friend, Dean of the College of Community Health Sciences 

I am excited to share that our efforts at University Medical Center to increase access to prenatal and obstetrics care in rural Pickens County was featured in March on PBS NewsHour. For the segment, a PBS reporter and film crew spent a day in the county – at the home of a UMC-Carrollton patient and traveling…


Nutrition Awareness Month

Eating healthy can help people reduce the risk of chronic illnesses and improve their overall health. Eating unhealthy foods, those high in saturated fat, sugar and salt, can put people at risk for obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other health problems. Cherie Simpson, a nutritionist and dietitian with the UA Student Health Center and Pharmacy,…


HIV

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) attacks the body’s immune system and can be transmitted through sexual contact, sharing needles, and during pregnancy, birth or breast feeding. Symptoms can include fever, sore throat, muscle aches and fatigue; some people have no symptoms. Left untreated, HIV could lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). The only way to know…


Health Matters Podcast – Digital Patient Monitoring with Dr. Richard Friend

The Health Matters Podcast is a series created in collaboration with WVUA-23 and Alabama Public Radio that features University Medical Center physicians and providers who bring awareness of important health issues and relevant and timely health information to the public. Digital devices can help provide better care to patients because they monitor vital signs and…


Need to Know

Don’t forget to schedule an Annual Medicare Wellness visit to update your personalized health plan. Most insurance plans cover these yearly visits at no cost to you. Schedule your visit today. All UMC locations will have reduced hours during The University of Alabama Spring Break March 13-17, 2023. There will be no evening clinic that…


Dean’s Message

Improving the patient experience University Medical Center is steadfastly committed to enhancing the patient experience. Studies show, and we know, that better patient experiences ultimately lead to better patient health outcomes. To this end, we are currently engaged in two major projects – upgrading our telephone service, particularly at UMC in Tuscaloosa, and elevating our…


Vaccines and travel

Routine vaccinations can help protect against infectious diseases when traveling. Before you travel, make sure you are up to date on all your vaccines. Make an appointment with your health care provider or travel health specialist to discuss health information about destination-specific vaccinations and medications. Examples of possible vaccines needed before travel include COVID-19, chickenpox,…


February is American Heart Month

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Reducing hypertension, a risk factor for heart disease, can prevent heart attacks, strokes and kidney damage said Dr. Louanne Friend, associate professor in the Department of Community Medicine and Population Health for CCHS and assistant residency director for Research and Quality Improvement for…


Patients, community members, dignitaries attend grand opening of new UMC-Northport

University Medical Center in Northport, Ala., held a grand opening and open house Jan. 19 that was attended by patients, community members, and University of Alabama and City of Northport dignitaries. Guests received a tour of the new facility and had an opportunity to meet the providers. “We are very excited to have this grand…