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For the third year in a row, UAB Medicine has recognized the “Top-Performing Providers” whose patients consistently scored them as exceptional communicators on satisfaction surveys. More than 150 DOM physicians and APPs rank in the top 20 percent of providers across UAB Medicine in the Physician Communication domain, despite the challenge of providing care during a pandemic. We salute each of them for their commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care!

Pictured above: Dr. Dhaval Raval (Assistant Professor, Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care) reviews a patient's scans at TKC.

A new interdisciplinary program now offers specialized care for patients who experience long-lasting symptoms following COVID-19. Appointments will span multiple clinics across pulmonary, cardiology, rheumatology, neurology, psychiatry and other specialties. This will enable physicians to treat the broad range of issues that frequently follow COVID infection, from fatigue and shortness of breath to brain fog and PTSD. Turner Overton, MD (Professor, Infectious Diseases) is medical director for the Post COVID Treatment Program, which is now accepting patients via self-referral, physician referral, and UAB Outreach.

After eight months of COVID, COVID, and more COVID, many of us are growing weary. Add to that the dwindling daylight and colder temperatures, and our mental health can take a serious hit. Checking in on our overall energy, engagement, and attitudes during the pandemic is the first step toward safeguarding our well-being. And take heart, there are simple tactics that experts recommend that can help you identify and address the burnout brought on by pandemic stress.

Above: Dr. Iyer and Music Therapist Hannah Oakes, facilitate a recital for a patient in the MICU using a telehealth cart. Photo by University Relations/Steve Wood.

Since June, six ASO musicians have performed roughly 70 live, private, solo and virtual recitals for patients in the MICU who have respiratory failure due to COVID-19. The innovative musical therapy is a collaborative effort between Anand Iyer, MD, MSPH, (Assistant Professor, Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care), and Maria Wilson, educational initiatives manager for the ASO, who were high-school classmates. Together, they have managed to bring a bit of musical respite to these critically ill patients and boost morale for the health care team at the same time. They use the secure UAB eMedicine platform and telehealth carts — the same secure UAB eMedicine platform used for family meetings for ICU patients — for the virtual concerts.

Pictured above: Research staff Kathryn Monroe, Katie Slaten, Sue Ellen Binkley and Heather Hawthorne (seated) will coordinate outpatient visits at the new facility.As DOM investigators aggressively search for new insights and treatments to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the demand for space to safely and effectively carry out clinical trials has grown. Thanks to a collaborative effort involving UAB Medicine, the School of Medicine and the Department, we have renovated the 820 Building to provide six outpatient exam rooms and sufficient office space to safely cohort our patients and providers. The clinic will be home to new investigations across several sub-specialties, as well as follow up care from prior studies. If you would like to learn more about the clinic and how you can access the space for research, please contact Dr. Cindy Joiner, Associate Vice Chair.