USA Health to Offer Free Skin Cancer Screenings

USA Health will offer free skin cancer screenings for all USA Health and Dental Plan members on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016.  Appointments are available from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the University of South Alabama Plastic Surgery Center, located at 1 Medical Park.

Screenings will be performed by Dr. Curtis Harris, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon with USA Physicians Group, and Dr. Ron Brooks, a plastic surgeon with USA Physicians Group.

According to Dr. Harris, exposure to the sun is the most common precursor to skin cancer and it is important to limit your exposure to sunlight.

If you have a questionable area on your skin, Dr. Harris recommends having it checked by a physician. If cancer is found, treatment may include radiation or removal. “Early detection is important,” he said. “The smaller the lesion is, the easier it is to treat successfully.”

There are several risk factors to consider in a melanoma diagnosis including family history of melanoma, prior melanoma, multiple pigmented skin lesions and some rare genetic syndromes. In addition, a history of extensive or severe sun exposure or severe sunburns may also contribute to the development of this potentially fatal cancer.

To schedule your free skin cancer screening, call (251) 660-5763.

Symposium on Environment and Humanitarian Care November 4-6

USA medical students participate in a wilderness medicine course earlier this year.

The Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) will offer a continuing medical education course for medical professionals from all fields on Nov. 4-6, 2016, in Deer Park, Ala.

The event focuses on wilderness medicine, the practice of medicine where definitive care is more than one hour away, and often days to weeks away. Outdoor skills will be taught during the weekend event that can be helpful for those who respond to natural disasters.

Dr. Lynn Yonge, an assistant clinical professor for the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, membership chairman of the WMS, and faculty advisor for the USA Wilderness Medicine Student Interest Group, will host the event at Longleaf, his family tree farm in Deer Park, Ala. The property is a 340-acre, certified Alabama Treasure Forest.

Dr. Yonge is also asking those who can to make a contribution to the USA Wilderness Medicine Student Interest Group. “The group has been very popular with medical students,” Dr. Yonge said. “The planned Emergency Medicine residency at USA is highly interested in making this curriculum and activity their own.”

Dr. Sidney Brevard, associate professor of surgery at USA, will be one of the event's speakers. “Dr. Brevard gave one of the best lectures I've ever heard about a physician living in primitive conditions during a disaster, helping their patients survive third-world types of conditions,” Dr. Yonge said. “I think many of us are willing to help in the face of natural disasters, but we just might not know how. This course is designed to open the door to that knowledge.”

Dr. Yonge has been involved with WMS for more than 10 years. His role as chair of the organization prompted him to volunteer his property and time for the event. “I want WMS to be accessible to health professionals and students. This conference was designed to be an affordable way to get a taste of the organization,” Dr. Yonge said.

For more information about the Wilderness Medical Society and for registration information, click here.

USA Health Honors Employees at Jags Game

Benjamin Gumbs, lab technician supervisor II at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, waves to the crowd as he and several other employees of USA Health are recognized at the USA Health Game Day event on Oct. 20, 2016.

USA Health recently showed appreciation to its employees at the USA Jaguars vs. Troy University football game on Oct. 20, 2016.

Each USA Health employee who registered for the event received two complimentary tickets to the game. Prior to the game, employees also enjoyed a tailgate dinner provided by Sonny's BBQ.

Ten USA Health employees were selected to walk onto the field during the game to be recognized: Courtney Thomson, USA Children's & Women's Hospital; Jeff Terrell, USA Children's & Women's Hospital; Robert Schwan, USA Medical Center; Ellen Guy, USA Medical Center; Beverly Kellen, USA Physicians Group; Dr. Chris Jones, USA Physicians Group; Susan Sansing, USA College of Medicine; Benjamin Gumbs, USA College of Medicine; Lynn Collins, USA Mitchell Cancer Institute; and Aly Fernandez, USA Mitchell Cancer Institute.

Click here or watch the video below to view more photos from the event.

USAHealth Game Day 2016 from USA Health on Vimeo.

November Med School Cafe- Untold Stories of the ER

The November Med School Café lecture will feature Dr. Edward Panacek, professor and chair of emergency medicine at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine.

His lecture, titled “I’m an emergency physician and I play one on TV,” will be held on Nov. 4, 2016, at the USA Faculty Club on USA’s main campus. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m., and the presentation begins at noon.

Dr. Panacek’s presentation will focus on both his role in the Discovery Life Channel show, Untold Stories of the ER, and his role in the department of emergency medicine at USA.

Dr. Panacek earned his medical degree from USA. He completed both his residency and fellowship training at the University of California Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, Calif. He is recipient of multiple awards for excellence in emergency medicine and research.

The Med School Café lecture and lunch are provided free of charge, but reservations are required. For more information or to make reservations, call Kim Partridge at (251) 460-7770 or e-mail kepartridge@health.southalabama.edu.