Category: Newsletter


Emergency Room Care

From the time you get within 600 feet of the emergency room, the hospital is responsible for your care, said Dr. Richard Friend, dean of the College of Community Health Sciences, during a January Mini Medical School Presentation to The University of Alabama OLLI program. Friend is also a family medicine physician and has extensive…


Mini Medical School with Drs. Weidas

Mini Medical School, a series of lectures provided by University Medical Center health-care providers to The University of Alabama Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, started its spring semester with speakers Drs. Jane Weida, a family medicine physician at UMC, and Tom Weida, chief medical officer at UMC. The physicians provided a presentation called “Ask the Docs,”…


January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

Cervical cancer mostly affects women over the age of 30 and an estimated 4,000 annually in the U.S. die from this cancer. Symptoms include pelvic pain as well as bleeding during menstrual cycles, menopause or intercourse. Regular screenings with your doctor can help reduce the risk of cervical cancer, along with getting vaccinated against HPV,…


University Medical Center participates in GivingTuesday Campaign

With the help of generous donors, University Medical Center raised $3,450 for its Reach Out and Read Program during The University of Alabama’s first Giving Tuesday fundraising campaign on Nov. 28. Twenty-nine donors contributed to the Reach Out and Read Program Support Fund. GivingTuesday is a global movement that seeks to empower nonprofit organizations UMC’s…


UMC-Livingston celebrates ribbon cutting with Sumter County community

University Medical Center in Livingston, Ala., hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Nov. 13 to celebrate its presence as a primary health-care provider for the city, the University of West Alabama and Sumter County. In attendance were patients, city and county officials, representatives of UWA and local residents. “I am pleased to see such a great…


Need to Know November 2023

University Medical Center clinics in Tuscaloosa, Northport, Demopolis, Carrollton, Fayette and Livingston, are accepting new patients. Visit https://umc.ua.edu for more information. A Medicare Annual Wellness Visit can help you and your doctor catch disease and illness early and help keep you healthy. Schedule your free Medicare Annual Wellness Visit at UMC by calling (205) 348-1770.…


Deans Message

A message from Dr. Richard Friend, Dean of the College of Community Health Sciences As we near the end of 2023 and I look back over the year, I am pleased with what we have accomplished for University Medical Center patients, particularly our efforts to increase access to health care in West Alabama communities. We…


November is National Diabetes Awareness Month

According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately 14.4% of adults in Alabama are diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic health condition that limits the body from making insulin, which releases the sugar in your blood into your body’s cells to be used for energy. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1, in which…


Nursing students learn about outpatient primary care at University Medical Center

Nursing students at Shelton State Community College now have the opportunity to learn about outpatient primary care and complete some of their clinical education at the College of Community Health Sciences as part of a new program launched by the two institutions. In October, five students in Shelton State’s LPN to RN program began their…


New Faces

Dr. Joy Ge, a family medicine physician with additional training in behavioral health, joined University Medical Center and will care for patients at UMC clinics in Tuscaloosa and Demopolis. Ge earned her bachelor’s degree in anthropology and master’s degree in psychology from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. She received her medical degree from Lewis…