February 1, 2023
University Medical Center has been part of the Northport, Ala., community since 2015, when we opened a clinic in the Fitness One building on McFarland Boulevard. It was our first expansion outside of our main location in Tuscaloosa.
As we outgrew the space, we began planning for a new, larger clinic in Northport. Those plans were delayed by COVID-19, but last year, construction began on a new facility located at 6205 Jemison Lane.
The original UMC-Northport included 6,000 square feet of space, 11 exam rooms and offered family medicine, prenatal care, obstetrics and pediatric care. The new UMC-Northport also provides these services, as well as internal medicine, women’s health, geriatrics, neurology, behavioral health and sports medicine – from 28 exam rooms in 15,000 square feet of space. There is also on-site social work and nutrition services, as well as lab, X-ray and ultrasound services. We are excited that we can provide these health care services to the Northport community.
UMC-Northport is also designed for learners. Six residents of The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency will provide care at the clinic each year. These residents are physicians receiving additional education and training in the specialty of family medicine, which means their patients are helping to launch the next generation of primary care physicians for Alabama and beyond. The UA College of Community Health Sciences operates the residency, which is one of the oldest and largest family medicine residencies in the United States.
In addition, our physicians and residents at UMC-Northport will be involved in research with a focus on improving the health of communities. Leading the way is Dr. Catherine Lavender, a family medicine obstetrician, who was recently awarded a $1.5 million federal grant to study maternal health, particularly in rural communities. Dr. Lavender practiced for a decade in rural Pickens County before she joined CCHS and UMC. She practices at both UMC-Northport and UMC-Carrollton.
In addition to Northport and Carrollton, there are also UMC clinics in Demopolis, Fayette and Livingston, along with our main location in Tuscaloosa
The expansion of UMC-Northport is another step in our efforts at University Medical Center to improve the health of individuals and communities in Alabama and to expand access to health care. That is our mission and at the heart of everything we do.
The College of Community Health Sciences operates University Medical Center, the UA Student Health Center and Pharmacy, Brewer-Porch Children’s Center and Capstone Hospitalist Group
