Joseph Barney, M.D., Crystal Stephens, CRNP, Kevin Dsouza, M.D., and Dhaval Raval, M.D.

Joseph Barney, M.D., Kevin Dsouza, M.D., Dhaval Raval, M.D., and Crystal Stephens, CRNP have launched a new ELD clinic at UAB. Their goal is to provide "comprehensive evaluations for patients from Alabama and the Southeast with respiratory conditions related to work exposures, environmental hazards at home and in workplace settings, and geographic areas of heightened risk."

This practice includes increasing access to care for the state's 3,600 coal workers. They also aim to provide treatment for exposure to other environmental toxins (cadmium, etc.) as the clinical extension of the Superfund Research Center.

Clinic will be every Friday afternoon. The clinic will staff at least two providers each week, so will see between 12 to 14 patients depending on complexity.

The clinic staff expects to see patients with occupational and environmental exposures like coal mine dust, silica, beryllium, and asbestos. These providers decided to start this clinic because there is no similar clinic dedicated to lung disease in the state. Their goal is to help patients with these exposures and to partner with the UAB School of Public Health to expand and improve environmental health research in Alabama.