Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center Surgeons James Andrews, MD, Lyle Cain, MD, and Jeffrey Dugas, MD, have been named to the list of Best Doctors in America.
Founded by Harvard Medical School physicians, Best Doctors conducts an impartial peer review process to find the top five percent of doctors in the nation.
Andrews is one of the founding members of Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center. He is also a founder of the American Sports Medicine Institute, a non-profit institute dedicated to injury prevention and education in sports medicine.
Andrews is internationally known for his skills as a sports medicine surgeon, as well as his scientific research contributions, having authored numerous scientific articles and books.
Andrews graduated from Louisiana State University and earned his medical degree from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine. He completed his orthopaedic residency at Tulane Medical School. He completed surgical fellowships in sports medicine at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and the University of Lyon in France.
Cain is the team physician for University of Alabama, University of West Alabama, Jacksonville State University and several Birmingham-area high schools. He also participates in spring training activities with the Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds and Birmingham Barons.
Cain earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at the University of Alabama and his medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine. He completed an internship at the University of Tennessee in Memphis followed by an orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship with the American Sports Medicine Institute.
Dugas graduated from North Carolina State University with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. He earned his medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, followed by a fellowship in sports medicine at the American Sports Medicine Institute.
Dugas is the team physician for Troy University, Vestavia Hills High School, Hoover High School, Calera High School, Cordova High School and Bessemer Academy. He also provides sports medicine assistance for the Birmingham Barons and the Alabama Ballet. He serves as Medical Director for USA Cheer and is on the National Concussion Task Force.
Trinity Receives Blue Distinction
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama has namedTrinity Medical Center as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Knee and Hip ReplacementSM. Blue Distinction Centers+ are hospitals recognized for their expertise in delivering specialty care.
“It is an honor for Trinity Medical Center to be identified as a facility that demonstrates expertise in knee and hip replacement by Blue Cross and Blue Shield,” says L. Keith Granger, President and CEO of Trinity Medical Center.
Harris Named DSP of the Year
Shaunte Harris, who works with ResCare Residential Services, a home care provider for seniors and people with disabilities, has been named the state of Alabama’s Direct Support Professional of the Year by ANCOR, the American Network of Community Options and Resources, a national providers association. Harris has encouraged her clients to participate in the Special Olympics.
Uppala Among First to Complete Certification in Obesity Medicine
Saritha Uppala, MD, has become the first physician in Alabama to receive the Achievement of Diplomate from the American Board of Obesity Medicine. Uppala, a member of The Obesity Society, is now among the first physicians in the United States to become certified in treating people for the disease.
“Many Americans are struggling to find the adequate support and interventions they need to lose weight,” said Uppala. “A medical specialty in obesity allows me to focus my efforts on helping people identify the right combination of diet, exercise, behavior change and medical treatments to get down to a healthy weight.”
Uppala is board certified in internal medicine and is a member of Trinity Medical Center’s medical staff. She has been in private practice with Medicine Montclair since 2011, specializing in the evaluation and treatment of obesity and related medical complications, nutrition and metabolism.
State Volunteer Declares Dividend
The Board of Directors of State Volunteer Mutual Insurance Company has declared a dividend of $10 million to be returned to all policyholders renewing in the twelve-month period following May 15, 2013.
This is the sixth consecutive year SVMIC has declared dividends for its physician policyholders. Policyholders will receive the dividend in the form of a credit on the renewal premium. Additionally, no adjustments were made for rates on policies renewing during this time.
Since SVMIC’s inception, a total of $328 million has been returned to physician policyholders.
St. Vincent’s East Expanding
St. Vincent’s East is expanding this summer with the opening of new Birth Suites and additions to its Behavioral Health Services Unit.
In a $2.8 million expansion of its Birth Suites, opening in May, St. Vincent’s East will add nine new labor and delivery rooms to its existing 10 rooms, as well as a new waiting room. The 8,000 square-foot project will replace an existing medical/surgical unit. The new rooms will include a flat screen TV, a full-size sleeper, a heated toilet, a private bathroom, and amenities designed for comfort. The rooms will be private and spacious Labor Delivery Recovery Postpartum suites with the mother and baby remaining together throughout their stay.
St. Vincent’s East is also adding 34 adult beds to its Behavioral Health Services unit under a previously approved Certificate of Need. The $2.7 million behavioral health expansion project will build out a second floor to the existing 46-bed unit, which includes 30 adult beds and 16 geriatric beds. The project also includes an Electroconvulsive Therapy suite. The new rooms will be completed this July.
National Center for Sports Safety Offers Free AEDs to Parks
The National Center for Sports Safety (NCSS), a non-profit organization founded by Lawrence Lemak, MD in 2001, has received a grant from the Alpha Foundation, to provide automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) and fully stocked emergency first aid kits to selected park and recreation facilities in Central and North Alabama, free of charge.
In April, NCSS staff, along with volunteers and members of the Alabama Parks and Recreation Association, distributed the AEDs and first aid kits to parks and recreation facilities around the state.
“While involvement in youth sports promotes physical fitness, it also leads to a risk of injury. Our goal with this opportunity is to create awareness in the local communities and prevent as many injuries as possible,” said NCSS Executive Director, Kathryn Gwaltney.
Huntsville Surgeon Performs 100th Robotic Gallbladder Surgery
In April, Dennis Fernandez, MD performed his 100th robotic cholecystectomy using Crestwood Medical Center’s da Vinci® Si™ robot. Fernandez is the first surgeon in Alabama to reach this milestone.
“When I remove a gallbladder using the robot, I only need to make one incision but I am able to visualize and manipulate tissue as if it were an open operation,” Fernandez says. “Robotic surgery is certainly the wave of the future.”
Fernandez is proctoring other Alabama surgeons in use of the da Vinci® Si™ robot to foster their development so they can begin offering robotic cholecystectomy at their hospitals.
Crestwood Receives Blue Distinction
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama has named Crestwood Medical Center as a Blue Distinction Center+ in the areas of Spine Surgery and Knee and Hip Replacement. The Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care® program is a national designation awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality specialty care.
“We are honored to once again be identified by Blue Cross and Blue Shield as a facility that demonstrates expertise in knee and hip replacement and spine surgery,” says Susan Bryce, Crestwood’s Assistant Chief Nursing Officer.
Lutz Joins Medical West
Meredith Lutz has joined Medical West as our Chief Quality Officer. Lutz received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Birmingham Southern.
Lutz received her Master of Public Health degree from UAB and her Master in Business Administration degree from Webster University. She is certified in Infection Control, Epidemiology and Healthcare Quality and is a licensed Healthcare Risk Manager. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Prevention and Control, the Association for Healthcare Quality and a Senior Member of the American Society for Quality.
Before joining Medical West, Lutz was the Director of Performance Improvement, Infection Control Officer, Patient Safety Officer, and Community Benefit Manager for Florida Hospital Heartland Division.
Mag Mutual Distributing Dividends
MAG Mutual Insurance Company will distribute $15 million in dividends to its policyholders this year. In addition, its board of directors approved a potential further $40 million to be earmarked for its Owners’ Circle® loyalty program, which provides distributions to qualifying insured physicians when they cease practicing medicine.
Since its founding, MAG Mutual has returned more than $120 million in dividend payouts to its policyholders. In the last five years, the organization has paid more dividends than any other medical professional liability carrier in the Southeast.
