Medical School Graduates Participate in Honors Convocation Ceremony

The University of South Alabama held commencement ceremonies for the 2011 College of Medicine graduates on May 12, 2012, marking the 37th class to earn medical degrees from USA.

The day before, the 78 graduates participated in an honors convocation where they were “hooded” by an individual of their choice, signifying the awarding of a doctoral-level degree. During the honors convocation ceremony, students were also recognized for their academic achievements. Both ceremonies took place at the USA Mitchell Center.

To view all photos from this year's event, click here.

To view local news coverage of commencement ceremonies, click the following links:
Press-Register
WKRG

Med School Café - Expert Advice for the Community

Last week, Dr. Clara Massey, professor of internal medicine and director of the division of cardiology, and Dr. Steve Cordina, assistant professor of neurology and medical director of the USA Stroke Center, presented the May Med School Café lecture.

The lecture, “A Mother's Heart,” had a total of 64 attendees.

During the talk, Dr. Massey provided information on the latest research involving cardiovascular care and the latest news on heart disease prevention. In addition, Dr. Cordina discussed new treatments and interventions available for stroke victims, as well as prevention strategies.

At the lecture, the American Heart Association announced that Dr. Massey would be honored at the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women symposium next year. As part of the "Go Red for Women" campaign against heart disease, the event educates and inspires women to take action against the number one killer of women in the United States. To see Dr. Massey's reaction to the announcement, click here.

To view the May Med School Café lecture in its entirety, click here.

The next Med School Café lecture will feature Dr. Frederick Meyer, professor and chair of orthopaedics at the USA College of Medicine. The event will take place June 18, 2012, at the Via! Health, Fitness & Enrichment Center in Mobile.

If you are interested in attending, email kepartridge@usouthal.edu for more details. To learn more about the lectures, click here.

Med Student Life: A Day with Russ Terry

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a medical student?  Follow this link or click here to see a typical day in the life of a third-year medical student as we follow USA medical student Russ Terry.

Snapshots: Children's & Women's Hospital Day

The University of South Alabama Children's & Women's Hospital held its "Hospital Day" on May 11, 2012. Photos from the event are shown below.

USA Health System Implements EMR System

The University of South Alabama Health System – including USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital, the USA Medical Center, and the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute – implemented Electronic Health/Medical Record software on May 1, 2012.

At the same time, the USA Physicians Group implemented an enhancement in their Electronic Medical Record system to include billing.

An EHR/EMR (Electronic Health/Medical Record) is an alternative to paper charts, where physicians document encounters with patients.

“The new system approach will have particular benefit to patients who use the USA Health System for all their medical care,” said David Blough, chief information officer for USA Hospitals. “It will provide more efficient and effective delivery of care.”

According to Beth Anderson, hospital administrator at the USA Medical Center and Mary Lou Bowers, associate director of operations and finance at the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute, the EMR concept is important for several reasons.

“The new system will assist in capturing patient information and will improve efficiencies for both staff and patients alike,” said Anderson.

According to Bowers, benefits of the EMR software include immediate access to patient records in multiple locations and to multiple members of the care team simultaneously; organization of data; and accountability of work product.

“The system provides improved access to patient data and allows the care team the opportunity to create flow sheets and tables to manage data for decision-making,” Bowers said. “It benefits patients by minimizing wait time and ensuring that the latest data is accessible.”

In addition, the new EMR system will eliminate duplicate testing due to lack of information and will eventually interact with the Next Gen outpatient system to integrate all patient information in clinical areas.

“The go live event on May 1 went well with some minor issues, which is to be expected,” said Anderson. “Overall, comments from end users have been very positive.”

Susan Gulledge, director of business services for the USA Health Services Foundation, said the success of this project is based on intensive planning and the commitment of all employees. “As we bring this new system online, we are improving our workflow processes and improving the care that we provide to our patients.”

Golf Tournament Proceeds Benefit USA Regional Burn Center

The University of South Alabama team (above) participates in the golf invitational to benefit the USA Regional Burn Center. From left: Robert Thomas of Birmingham; Travis Grantham, director of hospital development at USA; Mark Scott, director of admissions at the USA College of Medicine; and Harvey Ikner, chief of practice operations with the USA Health Services Foundation.

The University of South Alabama Regional Burn Center held its 19th annual Alabama Fire Sprinkler Association Tony Bice Memorial Burn Center’s Golf Invitational last week at Pine Tree Country Club in Birmingham, Ala.

Proceeds from the golf tournament benefit the USA Regional Burn Center along with the Children’s Hospital Burn Center in Birmingham, Ala., and the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital Burn Center.

The USA Regional Burn Center has been one of the beneficiaries of the event since 2005. As a result, the center has received more than $95,000 in funds raised from golfers and sponsors at the event. The funds help the USA Regional Burn Center provide specialized care to burn victims from our region who have suffered as a result of industrial, residential, and recreational fires.

The USA Regional Burn Center is located at the USA Medical Center and is the only facility in our region that provides comprehensive burn care from injury through recovery. The burn center admits on average more than 500 adult burn patients per year.