UAB One of Five Centers Chosen for Safra Fellowship
UAB has been chosen by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research as one of five academic centers to host the inaugural class of the Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders.
By increasing resources for specialized training for clinician-researcher neurologists, the program aims to grow the global base of movement disorder specialists treating people with Parkinson’s and contributing to research about the disease.
“There is a growing need for neurologists with additional training in movement disorders,” said David Standaert, MD, PhD, chair of the UAB Department of Neurology. “We are honored to have been selected by The Michael J. Fox Foundation to grow the number of clinician-researchers equipped to provide care to Parkinson’s patients.”
UAB is now recruiting a neurology resident for the 2016-2018 Edmond J. Safra Fellowship in Movement Disorders class.
The other centers selected for the Fellowship are Columbia University Medical Center in New York; Emory University in Atlanta; Northwestern University in Chicago; and Toronto Western Hospital in Ontario, Canada.
Courtney of BHS Appointed to Team Hospitalist
Lisa Courtney, MBA, MSHA has been appointed to Team Hospitalist, the Society of Hospital Medicine editorial board, consisting of physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and administrators working in hospitalist groups across the United States. Now in its seventh year, the group meets monthly to discuss hot topics in hospital medicine.
Courtney serves as Director of Operations for the Hospitalist program at Baptist Health Systems where she is responsible for accounts receivable management across a multi-hospital hospitalist program; develops and attains budget objectives; and works with the medical directors and hospital staff on quality initiatives.
Nursing Homes in Project to Lower Urinary Tract Infections
Three Birmingham nursing homes, Arlington Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, Cherry Hill Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, and Eastview Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, are participating in a project to reduce catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) in nursing home residents.
Between one to three million nursing home residents get a healthcare-acquired infection each year, contributing to nearly 400,000 deaths annually. This program emphasizes infection prevention practice and antibiotic stewardship to help eliminate CAUTIs.
This national, three –year project is funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and is being led in Alabama by AQAF, the Quality Improvement Network-Quality Improvement Organization for the state.
Comprehensive Cancer Center Approved by CON Board
The Alabama Certificate of Need Board has unanimously approved Trinity Medical Center’s application for relocation and consolidation of cancer services to Grandview Medical Center. The project received a positive recommendation from the Administrative Law Judge before going to the CON board.
Construction of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, to be located on the Grandview campus, is estimated to cost $20 million. Accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, the Comprehensive Cancer Care Program will offer a multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis and treatment of each individual cancer patient. Services include radiation and medical oncology, surgery, pathology, diagnostic radiology, pain management, rehabilitation and nutrition services. The center continues to offer community cancer screenings, cancer prevention actives, cancer support groups and education.
UAB Opens the Third Transverse Myelitis Clinic in the World
Transverse myelitis (TM) is a rare inflammatory disease causing injury to the spinal cord with varying degrees of weakness, sensory alterations, and autonomic dysfunction. In the United States, up to 10,000 people will develop TM annually with the disease most often striking people in their early 20’s to 40’s. About half of all TM patients experience significant recovery, but the other half have profound loss of motor skills or experience some level of paralysis.
There were only two comprehensive clinics in the world for TM - at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Texas Southwestern – until UAB recently opened the multidisciplinary, comprehensive clinic for transverse myelitis at the Spain Rehabilitation Center.
UAB’s transverse myelitis research efforts are spearheaded by Tara DeSilva, PhD, a scientist in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, along with Chander Raman, PhD, a professor in the Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, and Hui Hu, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Microbiology. Their collaboration seeks to understand how inflammation can damage or destroy myelin, the fatty insulating substance that covers nerve cell fibers.
The Sanders Trust Acquires New York Cancer Center
The Sanders Trust (TST), based in Birmingham, has acquired a new $12 million cancer center located near Albany, New York. This property is the first New York acquisition for TST, which now has acquired or developed healthcare properties in 20 states.
The 33,000-square foot facility was completed in April of this year and is situated approximately 16 miles north of downtown Albany.
“This acquisition furthers TST’s investment strategy of adding $100 to $200 million each year to our portfolio by acquiring and developing strategic healthcare properties nationwide,” said Rance Sanders, President of TST.
UAB Named Comprehensive Stroke Center
UAB has been named a Comprehensive Stroke Center by the Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. The designation means UAB is part of an elite group of industry leaders in highly specialized stroke care.
Comprehensive Stroke Center certification recognizes hospitals that have the staff, training and infrastructure to treat patients with the most complex strokes. The Joint Commission recognized UAB’s advanced imaging capabilities and 24-hour availability of specialized treatments, along with staff who possess the unique education and competencies to care for complex stroke patients.
UAB, which is the first hospital with Comprehensive Stroke Center certification in Alabama, has eight expert stroke physicians and the most board-certified vascular neurologists in the state, along with 350 nurses specially trained in stroke care. UAB treats over 1,100 strokes a year.
SVMIC Completes Board Leadership Transition
State Volunteer Mutual Insurance Company (SVMIC) recently completed a planned leadership transition within its Board of Directors. Dr. Hugh Francis of Memphis, Tennessee, succeeds Dr. Paul McNabb of Nashville, Tennessee, as Chair of the Board. Francis has previously served as Vice Chair of the Board since 2006.
“This is a planned transition, and I am proud to assume leadership of our Board. We are grateful to Dr. McNabb for his 10 years of outstanding service as the Chair of our Board. I am pleased that Dr. McNabb will remain on the Board and continue to be engaged in our leadership,” Francis said.
Dr. John Lytle of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, steps into the role of Vice Chair. Lytle was elected to the Board in 2006 and most recently served as Secretary. In addition, he has served on SVMIC’s Arkansas Advisory Committee since its inception in 2003. Lytle’s election reinforces SVMIC’s position as the longest tenured writer of medical professional liability insurance in Arkansas, having written their first Arkansas policy 26 years ago.
The new slate of Board officers also includes Dr. Katrina Hood of Lexington, Kentucky, as Secretary and Dr. Matthew Perkins of Smyrna, Tennessee, as Treasurer.
SVMIC was founded by doctors in 1976 and provides medical professional liability insurance to 14,000 physicians in Tennessee, Arkansas, Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.
