USA College of Medicine Welcomes Back Dr. Antonio Pacheco

Dr. Antonio Pacheco recently was appointed assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine. Dr. Pacheco is also an emergency room physician at USA Medical Center and USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital.

Dr. Pacheco received his medical degree from the University of East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, Philippines. He completed his residency at the University of Tennessee in Memphis.

During his career, Dr. Pacheco has received multiple awards including the Honored Faculty award with USA College of Medicine. He also received Resident of the Year Award and Chief Resident Award from the University of Tennessee.

USA Welcomes New Physician-Scientist

Dr. Ji Young Lee recently was appointed assistant professor of physiology and cell biology at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine. She also serves as assistant professor of internal medicine at the USA College of Medicine and as a pulmonary and critical care physician with USA Health.

Dr. Lee earned her medical degree from Pusan National University in Pusan, South Korea. After completing an internship at Daedong Hospital in Pusan, South Korea, she moved to New York and finished her residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in Bronx, N.Y. Dr. Lee received her Ph.D. in molecular medicine from Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine in Manhasset, N.Y.

She then completed her fellowship training in pulmonary and critical care medicine and completed her postdoctoral research in lung biology at USA, where she focused her research on investigating fundamental mechanisms of pulmonary endothelial cell heterogeneity.

“Being a physician-scientist motivates me to look for potential research questions at the bedside and guides me to refine my bench research for efficient translation back to bedside,” Dr. Lee said.

Dr. Lee currently is doing translational research on the effect of acidosis on pulmonary endothelial cells in the context of pathologic conditions, such as infection and hypoxia. She looks forward to facilitating collaborative research between scientific and clinical departments, and to passing down the great teaching and support from her mentors at USA to students.

USA Mobile Diagnostic Center Diabetes Education Program Merits ADA Recognition

The USA Mobile Diagnostic Center diabetes self-management education program has been awarded continued recognition from the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The program offers outstanding education services to patients living with diabetes and their families.

“Our mission is to ensure that every individual with diabetes, or at risk for diabetes, receives the best possible care,” said Phyllus Justice, diabetes resource coordinator for USA Mobile Diagnostic Center. “Our approach offers an experienced, patient-focused team of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, dietitians and certified diabetes educators to achieve positive outcomes for our patients and the community.”

According to Justice, self-management education is an essential component of diabetes treatment. “Diabetes is a condition that is largely self-managed with approximately 99 percent of care becoming the responsibility of the patients and those involved in the daily management,” she said.

One benefit of compliance with the national standards is greater consistency in the quality and quantity of education offered to people with diabetes. The patients in an ADA-recognized program are taught self-care skills that will promote better management of his or her diabetes treatment regimen. “In the recent past, research has shown that patients who have a full diabetes care team have improved knowledge and self-care behaviors, lower A1c, lower weight, improved quality of life, reduced all-cause mortality risk, healthy coping, reduced health care costs and better outcomes,” Justice added.

All approved education programs cover the following topics as needed: diabetes overview; nutritional management; physical activity; medications; monitoring; preventing, detecting, and treating acute complications; preventing, detecting and treating chronic complications through risk reduction; goal setting and problem solving; psychological adjustment; and preconception care, management during pregnancy and gestational management.

Assuring high-quality education for patient self-care is one of the primary goals of the Education Recognition program. Through the support of the health care team and increased knowledge and awareness of diabetes, the patient can assume a major part of the responsibility for his or her diabetes management. Unnecessary hospital admissions and some of the acute and chronic complications of diabetes may be prevented through self-management education.

Justice said the target of diabetes education recently has grown to include individuals with pre-diabetes for the purpose of preventing progression to Type 2 diabetes. “Pre-diabetes is a condition of elevated glucose, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes,” she said. “It is clear that the onset of Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or significantly delayed, with the most impressive results for doing so coming from lifestyle changes rather than pharmacologic intervention.”

Founded in 1986, the ADA Education Recognition effort is a voluntary process which assures that approved education programs have met the National Standard for Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs. Programs that achieve recognition status have a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide state-of-the-art information about diabetes management for participants.

For more information, contact USA Mobile Diagnostic Clinic at (251) 633-8880.

USA Welcomes Dr. Ralph Lee Irvin

Dr. Ralph Lee Irvin recently joined the University of South Alabama as a pain management physician with USA Physicians Group.

Dr. Irvin received his medical degree from the USA College of Medicine. He completed his residency training in anesthesiology with the Medical University of South Carolina and served as chief resident. Prior to his position at USA, he was in private practice in Mobile since 1983.

He is a member of the Medical Society of Mobile County, Medical Association of the State of Alabama, North American Neuromodulation Society, the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, and the Society of Pain Practice Management. He is also a diplomate with the American Board of Anesthesiology.

He was the 2018 recipient of the Samuel Buford Word Award, the highest honor given by the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, in recognition of service to humanity beyond the usual scope of medical practice.

Dr. Irvin sees patients at the Strada Patient Care Center. To make an appointment, call (251) 665-8200.

Pediatrics Hosting Grand Rounds June 15

Dr. Frederick Goldman, professor of pediatric hematology oncology and director of the Lowder & Bone Marrow Transplant Program at the University of Alabama, will present "Sickle Cell Disease: Innovative and Curative Therapies" for June's pediatric grand rounds.

The lecture is set for 8 a.m. June 15 in the conference room on the first floor of the Strada Patient Care Center.

Dr. Goldman will discuss common presentations and pathogenesis of sickle cell disease, as well as gene therapy and bone marrow transplantation as it relates to the disease.

The event is open to USA faculty, staff and students. A light breakfast, coffee and beverages will be provided.

For more information, contact Dr. Haidee Custodio at hcustodio@health.southalabama.edu or (251) 405-5126.