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Emphasis on primary, preventive care has improved health outcomes in Cuba

“It all starts in the neighborhood.” That’s how Dr. Richard Streiffer, dean of CCHS and a family medicine physician, described the Cuban healthcare system to faculty, residents and medical students during a presentation November 29 as part of the College’s global health curriculum. While there are hospitals and specialty care centers in Cuba, most care…


College part of national efforts to advance precision medicine

The College of Community Health Sciences is participating in a nationwide network of academic and health-care institutions charged with implementing the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program, an effort to advance research into precision medicine. The overall project seeks to enroll one million individuals living in the US and gather their health…


The challenges of rural health care

The College of Community Health Sciences hosted a panel discussion focused on rural health care challenges in Alabama during its October Board of Visitors meeting to share perspectives, brainstorm ideas and build collaborations. Panel members included: James Cowan, administrator of Choctaw General Hospital in Butler; W.O. Buddy Kirk, a retired district judge from Pickens County;…


UMC-Demopolis hosts open house

In August, University Medical Center added a permanent location in Demopolis, Alabama, adjacent to the Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital, within the hospital’s outpatient facility. The establishment of UMC-Demopolis is a way that the College of Community Health Sciences, which also operates UMC locations in Tuscaloosa and Northport, can help that community directly and support…


UMC to join IMPLICIT family medicine network

Dr. Heidi Knoll, from Mountain Area Health Education Center in North Carolina, visited the College October 17 to present the IMPLICIT Interconception Care program. IMPLICIT stands for Interventions to Minimize Preterm and Low birthweight Infants through Continuous Improvement Techniques. The infant mortality rate in Alabama is 7.8 deaths per 1,000 births, compared to the US…


Celiac Disease

During a presentation for the Mini Medical School Program, a lecture series the College of Community Health Sciences provides in collaboration with UA’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Dr. Ed Geno spoke about the identification and treatment of celiac disease. “What I’m going to do is take you on a journey of gluten through the body,”…


Pickens County Heart Walk

The annual Pickens County Heart Walk took place in Gordo, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 28. The walk was organized by members of the Pickens County community and sponsored by the American Heart Association. The walk started and ended at Gordo City Hall and despite the cold and rain, attendance was good. As part of the…


Increasing the primary care physician workforce in Alabama, region

More than a dozen prospective medical students interested in becoming primary-care physicians will visit the College of Community Health Sciences in November. The 16 students have expressed interest in a new track that is part of the University of Alabama School of Medicine’s four-year medical degree program. The Primary Care Track is being offered at…


Integrating mental health care in primary care

Behavioral health issues such as depression and anxiety are debilitating conditions and, unfortunately, common. But the integration of behavioral health and primary care services is proving successful in improving patient outcomes. The College is exploring such an integrated model of care for University Medical Center, which it operates. In September, the College hosted a group…


College welcomes new Behavioral Health Fellow

The College of Community Health Sciences welcomes Dr. Danielle Andrews to the Behavioral Health Fellowship. The Behavioral Health fellowship along with Obstetrics, Sports Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, Hospital Medicine, and Rural Public Psychiatry comprise the seven fellowships offered by the College. Each fellowship is a year-long program designed to offer additional, specialized training to…