Mark Your Calendar: Pediatric Resident Research Day

The USA Health Pediatric Resident Research Day will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at the Strada Patient Care Center in the first-floor conference room.

At the event, senior residents in the pediatrics residency program will present their scholarly work to fellow residents, faculty and students. Lunch will be provided.

For more information, contact LaTasha Williams at latashawilliams@health.southalabama.edu or (251) 415-1087.

Heather Crisler named April Employee of the Month

Colleagues congratulate Heather Crisler, center, on her Employee of the Month Award. 

Heather Crisler, a billing/ insurance clerk in the department of maternal-fetal medicine, has been awarded the USA Health Physicians Group Employee of the Month Award for April.

Crisler has worked at USA Health for almost three years. During this time, she has gone above and beyond to create a positive work environment.

Heather Crisler, left, is surprised by Kimberly Hale, Stacey
Wagner and Marion Long.

“She works well with all of the staff including the physicians and has gained the respect from all in getting the job done,” said Marion Long, a clinal nurse in maternal-fetal medicine who nominated Crisler for the honor. “Heather has always been our go-to person. She gets whatever done without worry with a good attitude. She has taken on tasks that were not required of her but did them to help ease the concern.”

Crisler is not only professional and a great communicator, she has an astounding ability to work and connect with people. Long added, “Heather has been a valuable asset to our group, and her sense of humor has kept us smiling. I feel this recognition is much deserved.”

The USA Health Physicians Group Employee of the Month Award recognizes employees who exhibit exceptional customer service, compassionate patient care, teamwork, and a willingness to go above and beyond their professional duties. To nominate an employee, fill out the USA Health Physicians Group Employee of the Month Nomination Form.

Pediatric Grand Rounds set for April 19

Dr. Tamera Coyne-Beasley, the Derrol Dawkins MD Endowed Chair in Adolescent Medicine and professor of pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, will present the next pediatric grand rounds.

Her lecture, "HPV Vaccination - Reducing Health Disparities and Cancer," is set for 8 a.m. Friday, April 19, in the Strada Patient Care Center first-floor conference room.

Dr. Coyne-Beasley will discuss the health disparities caused by human papillomavirus, the newest HPV vaccine recommendation, and strategies to increase HPV vaccination in their healthcare environments.

Pediatric grand rounds is every third Friday of the month. The event is open to USA faculty, staff and students. A light breakfast, coffee and beverages will be provided.

For more information, contact Nicole Laden at nladen@health.southalabama.edu or (251) 415-8688.

USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital Welcomes Hayley Chancey as Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Program Manager

With a goal of improving the lives of sick and injured children, the USA Health Office of Development recently promoted Hayley Chancey to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals program manager for USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital.

Her duties will include actively engaging community members, grateful patients and business leaders to advance the mission and health care services provided by Mobile, Ala.-based USA Health and its support for sick and injured children on the Alabama Gulf Coast and beyond.

“We are delighted to welcome Hayley to this new role,” said Beth Mattei, Director of Development for USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital and USA Health Initiatives. “Her enthusiasm and experience make her a great fit as we strive to improve the lives of young patients and their families through everything from life-saving equipment purchases to expanded services at our hospital.”  

Chancey, a 2015 graduate of the University of Alabama, worked in Medical Affairs Development and Health Sciences Development at the University of South Alabama prior to her promotion.  

How to prevent or detect oral cancer? ‘Watch Your Mouth!’

The Mobile skyline was lit in red for Oral Cancer Awareness Month as part of a campaign led by USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute. Organizations across Alabama are urging people to get screened by their dentist and make sure to get adolescents vaccinated against humanpapillomavirus, which causes 70 percent of oral cancers.

Oral cancer is preventable and treatable if detected early. That’s the takeaway from “Watch Your Mouth!” a statewide campaign launched this month to raise awareness about cancers of the mouth including the tongue, soft palate, tonsils or back of the throat.

“Talk to a dental healthcare professional about what you can do to prevent oral cancer at your next visit,” said state Dental Director Dr. Tommy Johnson of the Alabama Department of Public Health. ADPH and USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute are among the organizations spreading the word about oral cancer during April, Oral Cancer Awareness Month.

Alabama ranks fifth in the nation for oral cavity and pharynx cancer incidence and is seventh among the states for deaths from these cancers, according to the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Earlier this year, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey proclaimed April 2019 as Oral Cancer Awareness Month to draw attention to the need for regular oral cancer examinations performed by oral health professionals and other prevention efforts.

“Oral cancers may not receive as much attention as some other deadly cancers, but they need it,” said Dr. Casey L. Daniel, assistant professor of oncologic sciences at Mitchell Cancer Institute and chair of the Alabama Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition. “That’s why we are working with almost 20 collaborating organizations to raise awareness about how it can be prevented or detected early.”

Dentists are on the front lines of oral cancer detection, said Dr. Day Gates III, president of the Mobile Area Dental Society. “When you perform an exam on someone, you’re looking to make sure tissues are healthy and normal,” Gates said. “Regular checkups over time should document any changes.”

The following actions are recommended for prevention and early detection of oral cancers:

• Vaccinate yourself or your children against the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV infection is responsible for about 70 percent of oropharyngeal cancers.
• Stop tobacco use.
• Use alcohol only in moderation.
• Regularly check your mouth for unusual sores, swelling and areas of red or white lesions.
• Ask your dental provider to screen for oral cancers.

See your doctor if you have any of these symptoms:

• Persistent hoarseness or sore throat
• Earaches or enlarged lymph nodes of the neck
• Difficulty swallowing
• Unexplained weight loss

Football legend and cancer survivor Pat Sullivan, a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at Auburn University, was among the dignitaries present in February when Governor Ivey signed the proclamation declaring April to be Oral Cancer Awareness Month. Sullivan overcame throat cancer after being diagnosed 15 years ago.

In addition to the Mitchell Cancer Institute, ADPH and ACCCC, supporters of the “Watch Your Mouth!” campaign include the State Committee of Public Health, the UAB School of Dentistry and UAB Otolaryngology.