September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB is working with survivors to raise awareness about the importance of screening. Three men are sharing their personal experience with screening, diagnosis, and treatment, how this disease impacted their family and friends, and life as a cancer survivor. UAB experts are concerned that the pandemic may have interrupted regularly scheduled health care. They urge patients to reach out to health care providers about age-appropriate cancer screening.

More Good News for September 10, 2021

Kelly Godby, M.D., (Associate Professor, Hematology & Oncology) will serve as the Interim Director for the Division of Hematology and Oncology, effective October 1. In this role, she will provide continuity of leadership for division faculty, staff and trainees while the national search for a permanent Division Director continues.

Erin Snyder, M.D., (Associate Professor, General Internal Medicine) will serve as the first Physician Director for Ambulatory Care in the Department of Medicine. She will work with the DOM Vice Chair for Clinical Programs and stakeholders across the enterprise to improve access to care for patients, enhance use of ambulatory clinics, and increase ambulatory practice revenue relative to costs.

Surya Bhatt, M.D., (Associate Professor, Pulmonary, Allergy, & Critical Care Medicine) and colleagues will investigate whether video telehealth pulmonary rehabilitation can reduce hospital readmission and morbidity in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. They believe that delivering rehab via video could overcome socioeconomic and medical barriers to treatment.

Louis J. Dell’Italia, M.D., (Professor Emeritus, Cardiovascular Disease) is the recipient of the 2021 John B. Barnwell Award for outstanding achievement in clinical science research. He is recognized for his service to the Department of Veteran Affairs, contributions to clinical science, and clinical management of veterans with cardiovascular disease. Congratulations, Dr. Dell’Italia for this prestigious honor.

Eric Wallace, M.D., (Associate Professor, Nephrology) has received the 2021 Community Star Award for the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health. This honor recognizes his telehealth efforts through UAB and our rural hospital partners, especially during the pandemic. He will represent Alabama in the official book of Community Stars on National Rural Health Day, November 18.

Under the direction of Firas Al Solaiman, M.D., (Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Disease) UAB has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval, designating the Cardiovascular Institute as an Advanced Primary Heart Attack Center. The accreditation reflects UAB's commitment and compliance to quality cardiac care for heart attack patients.

The Department is delighted to welcome Dr. Bryan Garcia as Assistant Professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Garcia specializes in the treatment of nontuberculous mycobacterial lung infections. He also sees patients with cystic fibrosis and non-CF related bronchiectasis.

Drs. Sonya Heath and Nathan Erdmann from the Division of Infectious Diseases and Drs. Daniel Kelmenson and Sheetal Gandotra from the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine will present "COVID: From Outpatient to Inpatient to the Future" at noon on Wednesday, September 15, via Zoom. The presentation will be recorded and shared the following week.