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

February 1, 2023

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 opening for our new University Medical Center (Northport),” said Dr. Richard Friend, dean of UA’s College of Community Health Sciences, which operates UMC. “We are very excited to provide excellent primary health care services to this community.”

UMC-Northport first opened in the city in 2015 in the Fitness One Building on McFarland Boulevard, with 11 exam rooms in 6,000 square feet of space. The clinic provided family medicine, obstetrics, prenatal and pediatric care.

Work began in 2022 to expand and relocate the facility, and to add to the health-care services offered. The new UMC-Northport is 15,000 square feet with 28 exam rooms and now also provides care in internal medicine, women’s health, geriatrics, neurology, behavioral health and sports medicine. Social work and nutrition services are offered, and there is on-site lab, X-ray and ultrasound.

UMC is the largest multispecialty medical practice in West Alabama with additional locations in Demopolis, Fayette, Carrollton and Livingston, along with a main location in Tuscaloosa.

“We are very appreciative of what Dr. Richard Friend does with the medical center,” said Dr. Stuart Bell, UA’s president. “He has a heart for this community, our students and our faculty. Facilities like this, programs like this, don’t just happen. It takes a lot of vision and hard work.”

“Certainly, at The University of Alabama, we look at our mission as serving our community and those around us,” Bell continued. “There’s not another important community than the community of Northport and we’re excited to be a part of that.”

Added Northport Mayor Dr. John Hinton: “We thank you for choosing Northport as a location for the new University Medical Center. I know you could have moved to other places, but you chose here and we’re so pleased.”

New patients are welcome at UMC-Northport. To schedule an appointment, call (205) 348-6700. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:45 pm.