USA College of Medicine Welcomes Dr. Sarathi Kalra

Dr. Sarathi Kalra recently was appointed assistant professor and research director of emergency medicine at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine.

Dr. Kalra received his medical degree from the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan, Nepal, and a Master of Public Health from the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston. He completed a leadership and advocacy fellowship at the Texas College of Emergency Physicians in Austin, and his residency training in emergency medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Dr. Kalra has been published in numerous publications. He also is a member of the Research Committee and the Young Physicians Section Committee for the American College of Emergency Physicians.

USA Health Opens First Pediatrics Complex Care Clinic in Alabama

Dr. LaDonna Crews, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and a general pediatrician with USA Physicians Group, examines a patient at the USA Pediatrics Complex Care Clinic.

Children with medical complexity are a growing population, as more infants and children are surviving with congenital anomalies, genetic syndromes, and other medical conditions that previously would have been fatal in the first year of life. Early identification of disease, advancement in treatment modalities, and improvement in neonatal care have resulted in higher survival rates.

According to the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, children with medical complexity (CMC) are defined as children with congenital or acquired multisystem disease, marked functional impairment, and/or technology dependence for activities of daily living. This population is the most medically fragile and has more intensive health care needs requiring a great amount of resources.

While survivorship has increased, children with medical complexity still face significant obstacles regarding their care. "One of the main needs is finding a provider and clinical staff that have comfort assessing these patients and addressing their needs," said Dr. LaDonna Crews, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and a general pediatrician with USA Physicians Group.

To meet this need, Dr. Crews has led the establishment of the first Pediatrics Complex Care Clinic (PCCC) in the state of Alabama. Located at the Strada Patient Care Center, the USA Pediatrics Complex Care Clinic officially opens Jan. 8; and clinic hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Dr. Crews said the clinic's current patients are technology- and device-dependent children, including those with gastrostomy tubes, tracheostomies, ventilator dependence and wheelchair dependence.

The USA Pediatrics Clinic, which achieved Level 3 Patient Center Medical Home recognition in 2017, has had the ability to take care of many children in the area including healthy children, children with special health care needs, and children with medical complexity.

The basis for opening the new clinic, Dr. Crews said, is "to provide more dedicated time and resource coordination for this patient population. Our ultimate goal is to establish and maintain a family-centered medical home with care coordination among all providers in these children’s lives, including sub-specialists, home health providers, educational providers, specialty pharmacies, medical equipment companies and specialized therapists."

The USA Pediatrics Complex Care Clinic has already received recognition as Alabama’s primary site for the Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network to Advance Care for Children with Medical Complexity, a national quality improvement project with the purpose of improving the quality of life for children with medical complexity, the well-being of their families, and the cost-effectiveness of their care.

To make an appointment at the USA Pediatrics Complex Care Clinic, call (251) 410-5437 or (251) 434-3917. The Strada Patient Care Center is located at 1601 Center St., and the clinic is located in suite 1A.

USA College of Medicine and USA Health Represented in Mobile Bay’s 2018 Class of 40 Under 40

Three representatives from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and USA Health were named to Mobile Bay’s 2018 class of 40 Under 40. Through a nomination process, the annual awards identify 40 of the area’s young professionals who have made a significant impact in their respective careers while also giving back to their communities through volunteer work.

Dr. Lee Grimm Jr. 
Dr. Grimm is associate professor of surgery in the division of colon and rectal surgery and serves as program director of general surgery residency at the USA College of Medicine. One of three colorectal surgeons at USA Health, Dr. Grimm began the region’s only tumor board dedicated to colorectal cancer.

The USA College of Medicine has honored him with nominations to the USA chapter of the Arnold P. Gold Humanism in Medicine Honor Society and the USA chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He also serves on the board of the Christian Medical Ministry of South Alabama, where he leads a month-long medical mission trip in Rwanda, Africa.

Dr. Grimm earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He completed a general surgery residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a colon and rectal surgery residency at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.

Dr. Moh’d Khushman
Dr. Khushman is assistant professor of interdisciplinary clinical oncology and serves as a hematologist and oncologist at USA Mitchell Cancer Institute.

Dr. Khushman is especially committed to outreach for cancer patients in rural areas. He sees patients at a USA Mitchell Cancer Institute office at Monroe County Hospital, allowing patients in Monroeville to receive quality care closer to home. His work has expanded the hepato-pancreato-biliary and colorectal groups at USA Mitchell Cancer Institute and helped reach the goal of developing disease-specific teams for cancer care.

He earned his medical degree from the University of Jordan in Amman, Jordan. He completed his residency training in internal medicine at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and a fellowship in hematology-oncology at University of Miami Leonard Miller School of Medicine/Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Melanie Rose
Dr. Rose is a vascular and endovascular surgeon at Cardio-Thoracic and Vascular Surgical Associates, PC. An alumna of the USA College of Medicine, she serves as an adjunct assistant professor in the department of surgery and a clinical mentor for first- and second-year medical students.

Board certified in general and vascular surgery, Dr. Rose is the first female vascular surgeon in Alabama and the only female vascular surgeon along the Gulf Coast. She serves on the peer review committee for both Mobile Infirmary and Thomas Hospital and is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the Vascular and Endovascular Surgical Society, the Alabama Vascular Society and the Association of Women Surgeons.

After earning her medical degree, Dr. Rose completed her residency training in surgery at USA, followed by a two-year vascular surgery and endovascular therapy fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Visit Mobile Bay Magazine to learn more about the 2018 class of 40 Under 40. 

Pecita Wright Retires from USA Neurosurgery

The University of South Alabama Department of Neurosurgery recently honored Pecita Wright, supervisor of clinical operations for neurosurgery.

Wright retired after 28 years of service to USA.

Making a Difference: USA Health Leadership Focus on What Matters Most

Owen Bailey, chief executive officer and senior associate vice president for medical affairs at USA Health, and Ashton Hennig, manager of outreach for USA Health, visit with a resident of Mulherin Home.

The executive leadership team at USA Health – led by Owen Bailey, chief executive officer and senior associate vice president for medical affairs at USA Health – recently visited the Mulherin Home as part of the institution’s commitment to community service projects.

According to Bailey, one of the top priorities for USA is University-community engagement. “Our team at USA Health believes in giving back to the community and connecting in a very real way with other organizations who are making a difference in people’s lives,” he said. “Our team has a heart for serving others.”

According to Ashton Hennig, manager of outreach for USA Health, this service project had perfect timing, as it was in lieu of an administrative Christmas party. Several times a year, Hennig plans these outings as a way to connect with the community.

“These efforts speak to Owen’s philosophy of servant leadership and the importance of understanding the community in which we serve through hands-on experience,” Hennig said.

Housing 34 individuals at a time, Mulherin Home provides meals, routine medical care, transportation and activities for individuals with developmental disabilities. While visiting the home, the leadership team served snacks to the residents and participated in Christmas crafts. “In addition to spending time with the residents, we each brought an item from their wish list,” Hennig said. “Three of our administrators have loved ones in the home, so that made our visit even more special.”

Earlier this year, the team also visited the Feeding the Gulf Coast and picked up litter along USA Medical Center Drive.

View more photos from their visit to Mulherin Home.