Through acquisitions completed in 2025 and 2026, University Medical Center broadened access for its patients and the West Alabama community to obstetrics-gynecology and neurology care, and it expanded its healthcare portfolio with the addition of sleep medicine services.
A leading medical group for women’s health care in Tuscaloosa, Partlow, Harbin & Poist OBGYN, joined UMC in May 2026.
The group, which now practices as UMC-OBGYN Associates, has three board-certified physicians who provide both routine and specialized care for women. They are fellows of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, recognized for their high professional standing and expertise in women’s health care.
“They are very experienced and well respected in the community, and we are fortunate to have them join UMC and to continue to provide high-quality women’s health services in Tuscaloosa and the surrounding area,” said Dr. John McDonald, an ob-gyn at UMC and clinical professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the College of Community Health Sciences, which operates UMC.
UMC has long provided OB-GYN and other women’s health services, and this acquisition expands access to that care, said Dr. Richard Friend, dean of the College. “This will provide much-needed access to these services for the community, and it will provide additional learning and training experiences for the College’s medical students, resident physicians and fellows,” he said.
Alabama Neurology and Sleep Medicine in Tuscaloosa, one of the state’s largest private neurology groups, joined UMC in December 2025.
“Our neurologists, advanced providers, technologists and nesting staff bring a wealth of experience to patient care, medical education and clinical research,” said Dr. James Geyer, a neurologist and professor with CCHS and a longtime practitioner at Alabama Neurology and Sleep Medicine.
Geyer said the group has experience and expertise in neuromuscular diseases, epilepsy and neurophysiology, and provides procedures and lab services used to evaluate electrical activity of muscles and their associated nerves, measure brain electrical activity in response to stimuli, and assess nerve damage or injury through nerve conduction studies.
Neurology is a medical specialty that focuses on the various nervous systems in the body. Neurologists are highly trained specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the brain and spinal cord diseases, as well as peripheral nerve and muscle diseases.
UMC-Neurology and Sleep Medicine also adds sleep medicine care to UMC’s portfolio of services through the availability of a large sleep center in Northport, Ala., of which Geyer is the director. The DCH Sleep Center reached a national milestone in 2026 – maintaining 25 years of continuous accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The recognition places the center among just 28 programs nationwide to reach the 25-year mark, out of more than 2,300 accredited sleep centers.
“This milestone reflects our team’s dedication to delivering high-quality, patient-centered sleep medicine services,” Geyer said.
Sleep disorders are associated with heart disease, stroke cognitive disorders, depression, obesity and lower life expectancy.
Sleep medicine provides care and treatment for sleep disorders, which can include sleep related breathing disorders (sleep apnea), difficulty sleeping at night, problems with excessive daytime sleepiness, or medical programs that might occur or be exacerbated during sleep.
Click to view the next section in Patient Care