To assist those in Tuscaloosa working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, University Medical Center is offering free mental health services to first responders and health-care providers. “First responders and health-care providers are often functioning at a high level of (stress), which may negatively impact their thinking and emotional responses to situations,” said…
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and while caring for our mental wellbeing is always important, it is particularly so now, during the COVID-19 pandemic. What is mental health awareness? Dr. Martha Crowther, a clinical psychologist at University Medical Center, said it’s about “making sure the public understands the importance of thinking about not just…
The University of Alabama’s Parenting Assistance Line, also called PAL, is a free, confidential and anonymous statewide resource for parents and caregivers seeking advice and help on how to deal with their children. Parents can reach out through telephone, text, online chat or the PAL Facebook page. Currently, the primary topics PAL is receiving questions…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded its list of possible symptoms of COVID-19. Previously, the federal agency had listed three symptoms: fever, cough and shortness of breath. As of April 26, that list was expanded to include those three symptoms as possible indicators of COVID-19, as well as chills, repeating shaking with…
The COVID-19 crisis has required all of us to adapt to changes in our day-to-day lives. There have been tremendous changes in workplaces and in our homes. We find ourselves glued to the news, uncertain about the future and our financial stability. We are concerned about loved ones, coping with isolation and unable to move…
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing stress for many people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Thad Ulzen is professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at The University of…
University Medical Center pediatricians stress that parents should keep well-child doctor appointments for their children and make sure their children are getting the required vaccinations. “The last thing we want in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic is to have an outbreak of measles or pertussis (whooping cough),” said Dr. Karen Burgess, associate professor and…
University Medical Center is continuing to see patients in person and via telemedicine appointments for sick, urgent care and follow-up visits. At our main location in Tuscaloosa, we have implemented procedures with the goal of keeping our patients and our employees safe. As always, please call before coming in as a telemedicine visit might be…
Caring for West Alabama. It’s the mission of University Medical Center, and even more important and meaningful during this COVID-19 pandemic. All of our locations (Tuscaloosa, Northport and Demopolis) are open and are here for you. Our doctors and other health-care providers are currently seeing existing patients and accepting new patients. UMC can care for…
Data suggests that COVID-19 cases in children might be less severe than those in adults, and in the United States, relatively few children with the virus are hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “One of the things we’ve noticed is that children do not seem to be getting as sick and…
