Children’s of Alabama has modified its visitation policies for its inpatient units during respiratory illness season beginning Oct. 1 and running through April 1, 2018.
Beginning Oct. 1, visitors to the hospital’s inpatient units must be at least 12 years of age and symptom-free to visit. In the past Children’s seasonal child-visitor policy applied only to critical care units like the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) and Stem Cell Transplant Unit. The policy now applies to all inpatient units.
“We are taking this action for the benefit of our patients during respiratory illness season,” said Delphene Hobby-Noland, director of Infection Control at Children’s. “We are literately talking life and death in some cases and the well-being of the children in our care is our highest priority.
“That’s why we’re asking parents and other visitors to make plans to have siblings and other children safely stay with another adult while they are visiting Children’s or staying with their children in the hospital.”
Children’s generally allows visitation daily from 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. All visitors must register and wear hospital-issued identification before visiting any area. As always, any visitor experiencing the following symptoms are asked to postpone their visit:
Beginning Oct. 1, visitors to the hospital’s inpatient units must be at least 12 years of age and symptom-free to visit. In the past Children’s seasonal child-visitor policy applied only to critical care units like the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) and Stem Cell Transplant Unit. The policy now applies to all inpatient units.
“We are taking this action for the benefit of our patients during respiratory illness season,” said Delphene Hobby-Noland, director of Infection Control at Children’s. “We are literately talking life and death in some cases and the well-being of the children in our care is our highest priority.
“That’s why we’re asking parents and other visitors to make plans to have siblings and other children safely stay with another adult while they are visiting Children’s or staying with their children in the hospital.”
Children’s generally allows visitation daily from 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. All visitors must register and wear hospital-issued identification before visiting any area. As always, any visitor experiencing the following symptoms are asked to postpone their visit:
- fever in the last 24 hours
- runny nose
- cough
- sore throat
- been exposed to anyone with flu like symptoms
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Civitan Rett Syndrome Clinic has received the Center of Excellence award from Rettsyndrome.org, a leading advocacy organization for patients and families affected by Rett syndrome.The award was presented at a reception Friday, Sept. 8 at Children’s of Alabama, which was well represented by both Children's of Alabama and UAB leadership.
“We are so grateful for this designation and what it means for the present and future of our Rett syndrome program here at UAB and Children’s of Alabama,” said Mitch B. Cohen, M.D., Chair, UAB Department of Pediatrics and Physician-In-Chief, Children’s of Alabama. “This award sends a message to families that they have a place close to home where they can seek out expert care and cutting edge research.”
UAB Medicine strives to provide the best care and support to our patients by having healthy employees and to encourage a healthy community. For these reasons, UAB Medicine will implement a new policy effective Oct. 1, 2017, which makes flu vaccines mandatory for all UAB Medicine employees. This decision, made by the Medical Executive Committee, is for the safety of our patients.All employees in the UAB Health System, UAB Hospital/LLC, UAHSF, The Kirklin Clinic of UAB Hospital, The Kirklin Clinic at Acton Road, UAB Callahan Eye Hospital, OSF, UAB Health Centers and UAB School of Medicine Clinical Departments will be required to take the flu vaccine each year prior to December 15. Children's of Alabama, among other local and national hospitals across the country, have already taken this step to require flu vaccinations each year.
Check the One website for Frequently Asked Questions about this new requirement. In the meantime, please contact your human resources department with questions or comments about the new flu policy
Susan Walley, M.D., CTTS, FAAP, has been selected as CME Chair and Board member of the Alabama Chapter-American Academy of Pediatrics (AL-AAP). Dr. Walley’s term begins Oct. 1 and will last for three years, during which time she will be responsible for the CME activities of the AL-AAP. She is assuming the position from David Gremse, M.D., FAAP, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of South Alabama in Mobile.“We are very excited to have Dr. Walley join our board and assume this role,” said Wes Stubblefield, M.D., FAAP, incoming AL-AAP president. “She brings a wealth of experience in this area and tenacity, which will make her a tremendous addition to our team.”
Trent Tipple, M.D., Neonatology, has been asked to serve as an editorial board member of Life Sciences. As an editorial board member, Dr. Tipple will help maintain and improve journal standards by monitoring the editorial policy of the journal in terms of scope and the level and quality of papers published. Life Sciences is an international journal publishing articles that emphasize the molecular, cellular, and functional basis of therapy.More information.
Ambika Ashraf, M.D., Pediatric Endocrinology, has been invited to Co-chair the Pediatric Endocrine Society (PES) Education Committee. The PES has over 1,300 members representing the multiple disciplines of Pediatric Endocrinology. The members are dedicated to research and treatment of children with endocrine disorders; reproductive, bone, thyroid, diabetes, obesity, growth, pituitary and adrenal. The Society works to promote the continuing education of its membership. The Education Committee is charged with organization and execution of educational opportunities such as developing patient and provider education materials, boards review courses, clinical updates and the Fellows Retreat for the members of the society.More information.
Your Teen Magazine for Parents turned to Candice Dye, M.D., General Pediatrics, to provide guidance on teens and caffeine.
Read the story on Your Teen Magazine for Parents.
Read the story on Your Teen Magazine for Parents.
Gillian Noel, M.D., Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, and Brandi Pernell, DNP, PNP-BC, PCNS-BC, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, have been selected to participate as scholars in the 2017 Health Disparities Research Training Award Certificate Program (HDRTP).The interdisciplinary professional development program is sponsored by Morehouse School of Medicine, Tuskegee University, University of Alabama, Alabama State University, Creighton University, Jackson State University, University of South Alabama, and the UAB Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Center for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research and Education, and the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center. It is funded by grants from NIH.
More information.
Health care providers play a key role in recommending the human papillomavirus vaccination for survivors of childhood cancer, according to a study from UAB and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.“Survivors of childhood cancer are at increased risk for developing HPV-related second cancers,” said Wendy Landier, Ph.D., co-principal investigator of the National Institutes of Health-funded study and associate professor in the UAB Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology. “The HPV vaccine is effective in preventing infection with the oncogenic HPV types responsible for the large majority of HPV-related cancers in this high-risk population.”The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, highlights the low rate of vaccine initiation among 13- to 26-year-old cancer survivors at 23.8 percent, compared with age-matched peers in the U.S. population, who have a vaccination rate of 40.5 percent.
Over half of the survivors or parents who reported receiving a recommendation for the HPV vaccine from a health care provider had received the vaccine. Among survivors who did not receive a provider recommendation, only one in 20 initiated the vaccine.
Read the story on UAB News.
Last year more than 190 children in Alabama were diagnosed with cancer and blood diseases. Most were treated at The Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s of Alabama and UAB Pediatrics.In September, these young warriors and their battles will be spotlighted through a number of special events to commemorate both National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month.
Children’s invites the public to learn more about its clinical and research programs and to be involved in raising awareness and funding.
Read the story on Childrensal.org.