The UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine has created an impact that spans beyond our institution’s city, state, and country through clinical care initiatives, international rotations, and participation in global conferences. Here are just a few of the ways our department has improved patient outcomes and advanced medical knowledge on a global scale during the last year.
Rotation in Zambia
In August 2023, our department embarked on an international rotation at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. Led by Associate Professor and Residency Program Director Tekuila Carter, M.D., along with Assistant Professor Adam McKinney, M.D., and senior residents Ben Fortson, M.D., and Tyler Abarca, M.D., this endeavor was part of the Global Anesthesia Program in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin. Lusaka, Zambia’s largest city, faces challenges typical of low-resource environments, including shortages of basic medical supplies and medications.
The quality of care performed by Zambian anesthesiologists is challenging, yet our physicians found the resilience and ingenuity of the anesthesia residents in Zambia amazing, and the trip had a profound impact on all who were involved. “The gratitude and resilience of the patients stuck with me," Fortson says. “In the future, the department will continue to be part of this coalition to provide training for our residents and faculty as well as support the training of physicians in Zambia.”
Pediatric Cardiac Care in Peru
UAB anesthesiologists, including Jack Crawford, M.D., and Patrick Hussey, M.D., joined interdisciplinary teams to provide expertise in complex pediatric cardiac care in Peru in November 2023. Partnering with Heart Care International, these missions aimed to improve surgical outcomes and build local capacity in treating complex pediatric heart conditions.
Their involvement in updating pediatric cardiology practices in Peru exemplifies the impact of our department’s outreach efforts. Despite facing challenges such as limited resources and time constraints, our team made significant strides, leaving a lasting impression on both patients and local health care providers. Their dedication reflects our department’s mission for compassionate care and cross-cultural collaboration.
“I think what had the biggest impact on our counterparts in Peru
is seeing how small, interdisciplinary teams can coordinate care
on complex cases,” Hussey says. “And that’s what I feel like we
do so well here at UAB Medicine and Children’s of Alabama
among our pediatric surgeons, cardiologists, perfusionists,
nurses, ICU physicians, and anesthesiologists.”
International Academic Presence
Our department’s global reach extends beyond clinical care and into academic settings. In October 2023, Distinguished Professor and Alice McNeil Endowed Chair Sadis Matalon, Ph.D., Dr.Sc. (Hon.), FAPS, organized a joint meeting of the American Psychological Society and the Hellenic Physiological Society at the National Academy of Greece, facilitating dialogue on cutting-edge topics in physiology. Erin Blanchard, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CHSE, CMQ, led a team to the International Meeting for Simulation in Healthcare in February 2023, where she received recognition for her contributions to interprofessional education and simulation-based training.
Additionally, our department’s recent membership in the Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group (MPOG) exemplifies the commitment to advance perioperative research and quality improvement initiatives. Contributed to by more than 50 centers across the United States and Europe, MPOG provides access to an extensive multicenter database to advance knowledge and improve patient care. Through MPOG, we leverage a vast database to drive evidence-based practices and enhance patient care standards on a national and international scale. Whether through clinical outreach, academic collaborations, or quality improvement initiatives, we remain steadfast in our mission to improve patient outcomes and advance the field of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine worldwide.