Is the CON Physician Office Exemption in Jeopardy?

There is an ongoing discussion among healthcare provider associations regarding the appropriateness of the Physician Office Exemption ("POE") under the Certificate of Need ("CON") Program.

What You Need to Know About Selling Your Practice to Private Equity

Physicians across specialties are facing mounting legal and operational risks at the same time as health systems and private equity (PE) investors are hungry to buy practices and take that risk off physicians' hands - at unprecedented valuations.

Hospital Price Transparency Rule

Co-management Agreements

The absorption of physician practices by hospitals and health systems has soared the past decade. According to the Physicians Advocacy Institute, hospital acquisition of practices has increased 128 percent since 2012, jumping from 35,700 to 80,000 practices over five years.

Retroactive DIR Fees Threaten Pharmacy Survival

Page Dunlap enjoyed owning Fowler Pharmacy in Hartselle. Her customers were her neighbors. They trusted her, and they knew that she was happy to take the time to answer any questions they might have.

AI's Future Potential Hinges on Consensus: NAM Report

The role of artificial intelligence, or machine learning, will be pivotal as the healthcare industry wrestles with a gargantuan amount of data that could improve - or muddle - health and cost priorities, according to a National Academy of Medicine Special Publication on the use of AI in healthcare.

Diversion from Life's Path Leads Physicians on a New Journey

UAB emergency room physician Julian Maha, MD and his wife, UAB Pediatric Critical Care physician Michele Kong, MD were living their dream as successful physicians starting a family with endless opportunities ahead on the path of life.

Meal Timing Strategies Appear to Lower Appetite, Improve Fat Burning

Researchers at UAB have discovered that meal timing strategies -- like intermittent fasting or eating earlier in the daytime -- appear to help people lose weight.

New Trial of Long-Acting HIV Medication

A new clinical trial led by the National Institutes of Health will evaluate the effectiveness of a long-acting antiretroviral therapy, or ART, combined with conditional economic incentives for patients living with HIV who have had a history of non-adherence to daily oral medication and treatment.

Using Bag-Mask Ventilation During Intubation Improves Outcomes

New research published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that using bag-mask ventilation during intubation improves outcomes and could potentially change the standard of care.

Study: Low-carb Diet Provides Relief from Knee Osteoarthritis

A study conducted at UAB, published in Pain Medicine, shows a low-carbohydrate diet was more effective in reducing pain intensity than a low-fat diet in adults ages 65-75 suffering from osteoarthritis.

HHS Moves Forward with Prescription Drug Import Plan

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a proposed rule that would allow states to pursue pilot programs to import drugs from Canada and a draft guidance that would allow drugmakers to import their own products and sell them under different drug codes.

Proposed Stark Law Changes May Impact Physician Compensation Models

On October 9, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS") proposed sweeping changes to the federal Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly referred to as the Stark Law.

Discussions among Physician Groups - Avoiding Antitrust Issues

Driven by Federal Health Care Reform and a desire to remain independent of hospitals and health care systems, physician groups are actively exploring different collaborative and alignment options, including the formation of independent practice associations (IPAs), integrated care networks (ICNs), and participation in accountable care organizations (ACOs).

HHS Issues Final Rule on Conscience Protections

On May 21, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the final regulations referred to as the Federal conscience and anti-discrimination laws.

Birmingham Physician Develops Revolutionary Protective Device

Interventional cardiology is ranked as the occupation with the highest level of radiation exposure in the world, with providers facing levels that are typically three times higher than those faced by workers in nuclear power plants.

Statewide Collaborative Works to Prevent Premature Births

Alabama has earned an "F" on the 2019 March of Dimes Report Card for its pre-term birth rate, a key indicator of maternal and infant health.

Birmingham Heart Clinic Adopts Pedal First Approach to Arteriograms

When performing an arteriogram for treating peripheral artery disease (PAD), the cardiologists at Birmingham Heart Clinic have adopted a "pedal first" approach, in which the pedal vessels are entered around the ankle.

In a Specialty of Mostly Men, Sarah Sandberg is Rare

When you look at the class picture from almost any medical school, you can see how far women have come as physicians.

Enhanced Bioprinter Engineers Tissue to Prevent Heart Failure

An innovative bioprinter designed by a University of Alabama at Birmingham student is speeding tissue engineering and the manufacturing of human tissue for organ regeneration and replacement.

Ifetroban for Treating DMD-Associated Cardiomyopathy

Following successful preclinical trials and FDA funding, Cumberland Pharmaceuticals is preparing to launch a new Phase II trial of ifetroban to treat cardiomyopathy in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy patients.

Pathways Improve Patient Care while Increasing the Bottom Line for UCA

When Urology Centers of Alabama started a data analytics program last year, they discovered that over 50 percent of their overactive bladder (OAB) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients never showed back up for a second visit. That was clearly a problem, both from a patient care perspective as well as the practice's bottom line.

Mickey Trimm, PhD Joins Kolbe Clinic

J.M. "Mickey" Trimm, PhD has been named Executive Director of Kolbe Clinic. He will lead the clinic's plan to expand its services from its current five locations in Alabama and Florida to a large footprint that will cover the south and midwest over the next five years.

Brookwood Baptist Medical Center Staff Honored

The Medical Staff of Brookwood Baptist Medical Center recently honored five members of hospital staff with the distinguished Melissa Cole Award.

CON Approves Cullman Regional Expansion

The Health Care Authority of Cullman County/ Cullman Regional Board of Directors announced today that the Alabama State Health Planning & Development Agency has approved the Certificate of Need (CON) for the $30 million expansion project announced by Cullman Regional in June of 2019.

Carnel Joins Andrews Sports Medicine

Charles T. Carnel, MD has joined Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center.

Saag Named Editor of Journal of the International AIDS Society

Michael Saag, MD, director of the UAB Center for AIDS Research and professor in the School of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases, has been named an editor of the Journal of the International AIDS Society, also known as AIDS.

Atomic Force Microscope Awarded to UAB

The National Science Foundation has awarded the University of Alabama at Birmingham a major research instrumentation grant of $314,912 to acquire an atomic force microscope for interdisciplinary materials research and education.

Sharma Named Brookwood Baptist Medical Center Physician of the Year

The medical staff of Brookwood Baptist Medical Center named Jitendra Sharma, MD the 2019 Physician of the Year. This honor recognizes physicians who exemplify the core values of Brookwood Baptist Medical Center - integrity, service, quality, transparency and innovation.

Taylor Joins Brookwood Diagnostic

Kendra Taylor has joined Brookwood Diagnostic Center and Brookwood Women's Diagnostic Center where she will serve as the Imaging Administrator.

Heart South and Shelby Baptist Reach Milestone

Heart South Cardiovascular Group and Shelby Baptist Medical Center recently celebrated a milestone of having performed 200 procedures within the hospital's structural heart program, including Trans Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), MitraClip and WATCHMAN.

Pediatric Brain Tumor Treatment at UAB Awarded FDA Grant

Gregory Friedman, MD has been awarded a three-year, $750,000 R01 grant from the FDA for a Phase 1 immunotherapy clinical trial of engineered cold-sore (herpes) virus G207 for the treatment of malignant cerebellar brain tumors in children.

Study Yields New Information about Dementia's Genetic Risk Factors

Researchers at UAB and HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville have learned new information about genetic risk factors that may contribute to dementia, potentially pushing the medical field closer to early detection.

Netto Named Editor of Modern Pathology

George J. Netto, MD, professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, will assume the role of editor in chief of Modern Pathology, the scientific journal of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology in 2020.