The University of Alabama at Birmingham has received the "Center of Excellence" designation from the Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP). 

The SOAP Center of Excellence (COE) designation recognizes outstanding obstetric anesthesia care across a diverse range of health care facilities, including low- to high-volume centers, community hospitals, academic institutions, and tertiary-referral centers. Established in 2018, the COE program serves as both an acknowledgment of excellence and a benchmark to elevate care standards nationally and internationally. This designation demonstrates a commitment to high-quality obstetric anesthesia care, reinforcing our dedication to patient safety and well-being.

“Our division was designated as a center of excellence by SOAP in 2021, a four-year designation. In 2024, we began the re-designation application process with results announced in 2025,” shares Yasser Sakawi, M.D., professor of anesthesiology and interim vice chair for the Division of Obstetric Anesthesia. “A collaborative effort between anesthesia, obstetrics, nursing, informatics, and pediatrics was initiated to provide all of the detailed elements that were requested for the rigorous process.”

The COE criteria encompass key aspects of obstetric anesthesia care, such as staffing, equipment, protocols, team training, emergency management, labor analgesia, and quality assurance. These criteria are reviewed and updated annually by the COE Subcommittee to ensure that they remain aligned with the latest standards and best practices in the field.

“Leaders from labor and delivery and postpartum nursing, obstetrics and anesthesia physicians, and HSIS banded together to not only make this happen, but also make it patient centered,” says Fran Burgan, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology.