Saw palmetto not effective for urinary issues in men with BPH

The fruit extract of the saw palmetto plant has been sold for years over the counter to men as a way to relieve urinary problems caused by an enlarged prostate. But according to a study in the September 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, co-authored by UAB researchers, it works no better than a placebo in reducing these symptoms.

“There have been a number of small studies recently that offered either conflicting or inconclusive results,” says JAMA study co-author Alan Cantor, PhD, professor in the UAB Division of Preventive Medicine. “This study is distinguished from the others because it was a large, doubled-blinded study and utilized three different doses of saw palmetto to allow for the possibility that the dosage made a difference in its effectiveness. In the end, we found saw palmetto is not effective for this purpose.”

St. Vincent’s Birmingham Named One of the Nation’s Most Wired Hospitals

St. Vincent’s Birmingham was the only hospital in Alabama named to Hospitals and Health Networks’ Most Wired List for 2011. The hospital has received the award nine times over the last ten years.

Each year, Hospitals and Health Networks names the Most Wired hospitals based on the results from its Most Wired Survey. Participants are judged on their progress in adopting, implementing and utilizing information technology in four areas: business and administrative management, infrastructure, care continuum, and clinical quality and safety. St. Vincent’s Birmingham was selected for meeting all requirements in each area.

Three BHS Hospitals Earn Top Performer Recognition

Citizens, Princeton and Walker Baptist Medical Centers were named among the nation’s top performers on key quality measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America. The hospitals were recognized based on data reported about evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care and children’s asthma.

 The Baptist Health System hospitals are three of only ten hospitals in Alabama to earn the distinction of top performer on key quality measures for attaining excellence in accountability measure performance.

Stroud Earns Fellowship

Richard E. Stroud, MBA, FACMPE, Practice Manager of UAB Eye Care, has become a Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives (ACMPE), the certification body of the Medical Group Management Association. Fellowship in the ACMPE is the highest distinction in the medical group practice management profession.

To achieve Fellowship, Stroud first earned the Certified Medical Practice Executive designation by passing rigorous essay and objective examinations that access knowledge on the broad scope of medical practice management. As part of the process, Stroud submitted a professional paper, Changing a Culture: Moving an Academic Clinic From Education Oriented to Patient Oriented.

Baptist Vein Center Opens

The Baptist Vein Center at BHC-Hoover opened in September with James H. Isobe, MD, FACS, RVT serving as Medical Director. Isobe is a board certified General Surgeon who practiced at Princeton Baptist Medical Center for 30 years and is a Diplomate of the American College of Phlebology. He has specialized in the treatment of venous disease for the past six years.

Trinity Medical Center First In State Recognized By Leading Gastrointestinal Medical Society

The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), a leading gastrointestinal medical society, has recognized Trinity Medical Center’s Gastrointestinal (GI) Laboratory for Digestive Diseases as part of its program specifically dedicated to promoting quality in endoscopy. The Trinity GI Lab is the only facility in the state of Alabama to receive this distinction and one of only 363 endoscopy units to be granted the recognition since 2009. The ASGE Endoscopy Unit Recognition Program honors endoscopy units that follow the ASGE guidelines on privileging, quality assurance, endoscope reprocessing and CDC infection control guidelines and have completed specialized training on principles in quality and safety in endoscopy.

Cohn Joins Grotting Plastic Surgery

Alvin B. Cohn, MD has joined Grotting Plastic Surgery where he will practice with James Grotting, MD. Cohn graduated cum laude from Duke University, prior to attending medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. While in medical school, Cohn was one of five students inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honor society, and went on to serve as president of the honor society during his senior year.

Both Grotting and Cohn are members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and are Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.