The following was sent on behalf of Dan E. Berkowitz, M.D.

Dear Colleagues,

As you well know, our department’s Division of Multispecialty Anesthesia (MSA) is a massive enterprise—administering more than 90,000 anesthetics annually in the UAB coverage sites, including UAB Hospital, UAB Hospital-Highlands, UAB Callahan Eye Hospital, and UAB Medical West.

Since 2002, Bert Pierce, M.D., has held leadership roles within the MSA, most recently serving as vice chair and division director. As he transitions into the role of associate vice chair for the division, I am pleased to announce that Justin Routman, M.D., MSHA, will assume the role of vice chair and division director for the Division of Multispecialty Anesthesia.

Dr. Routman received his Doctor of Medicine from UAB in 2010, followed by an anesthesia residency at the University of Michigan Health System. He most recently completed his Master of Science in Health Administration in 2022 at UAB and is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.

Dr. Routman has shown a breadth of leadership qualities in all areas of our mission. As an associate professor, he mentors residents in many capacities and was recognized as a Top 10 Faculty Educator in 2020. His research interests include non-operating room anesthesia (NORA), maximizing provider engagement and satisfaction, and operations management. In the clinical setting, Dr. Routman most recently served as the medical director of NORA and associate vice chair for the MSA. He is a member of multiple national societies, including the American Society of Anesthesiologists, American College of Healthcare Executives, and Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia (where he serves on two committees). He was also nominated for the Dean’s Excellence Award in Service in 2022.

Words cannot express the gratitude I have for Dr. Pierce and his contributions of service and leadership during his time as vice chair. With more than 25 years at UAB, he has helped to mold our department’s culture and clinical operations. Always looking out for his fellow physicians and other members of our anesthesia care teams, Dr. Pierce will continue to influence and educate the next generation of anesthesia providers. As I articulated to him personally, he is absolutely committed, unimaginably reliable, infinitely helpful, perfectly humble, and foundationally ethical and unshakeable!

I am fully confident that Dr. Routman will continue to lead the MSA with grace and commitment to our teams. Please join me in congratulating him on this accomplishment.

Sincerely,

Dan E. Berkowitz, M.D.
Alfred Habeeb Professor and Chair
UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine
Heersink School of Medicine