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 Dunlop 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.

AMA Issues Checklist for the Transition to E/M Office Visit Changes

The American Medical Association is helping physician practices integrate fundamental changes to the coding and documentation of evaluation and management (E/M) office visit services that account for nearly $23 billion in Medicare spending.

UAB Academy Aims to Reinvigorate Educational Curriculum through Mentorship

In September, the UAB School of Medicine opened the UAB Healthcare Educators Academy.

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.

CDC Issues Guidelines for Patients with Suspected Vaping-Related Illness

The CDC recently released clinical guidelines for treating vaping-related illness, recommending hospitalization for suspected cases when patients have oxygen levels below 95 percent.

Could Having Colonoscopies at a Younger Age Save Lives?

It's a rite of passage that people turning 50 tend to look forward to with about as much enthusiasm as finding their first invitation to join AARP in the mail.

CMS Pilot Program Not Popular But Not Wrong

Only about half of eligible Medicare beneficiaries in 2017 were enrolled in hospice care at their time of death, and most accessed this specialized care (40 percent) for only the last two weeks, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.

UAB Undiagnosed Diseases Program Finds New Genetic Variant

For most of her life, a young woman had been a medical mystery. At age five, her lower limbs began to show impairment. The cause eluded physicians.

Scan Brings Critical Tool to Fight Lung Cancer Deaths

David Franco, MD, a pulmonary specialist with Pulmonary Associates of the Southeast, is on a mission to prevent deaths from lung cancer through early detection by making screening a priority for patients at high-risk for the disease.

Reducing Readmissions through Transitional Care Management

Reducing hospital readmissions has been a focus of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS") for some time now and particularly since the enactment of the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program ("HRRP") in 2012.

Infertility: The Male Component

While infertility is still often perceived as a predominantly female disorder, the reality is that a male component is present in about half the cases where there is failure to achieve pregnancy.

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.

Jackson Thornton Technologies Expands Birmingham Presence

Mike Taylor has joined Jackson Thornton Technologies (JTT), an IT solutions provider. Taylor is a Birmingham area based Technology Consultant who has extensive IT systems administration and engineering experience in both the managed services and education sectors.

Princeton and Walker Nationally Recognized

Princeton Baptist Medical Center and Walker Baptist Medical Center have both earned an 'A' for the fall 2019 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a national distinction, recognizing the hospital's achievements protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care.

Shelby Baptist Announces 2020 Medical Staff Officers and Department Chairs

Shelby Baptist Medical Center has announced the hospital's 2020 Medical Staff officers and department chairpersons. Along with Daniel Gosdin, MD, who was elected Chief of Staff to represent more than 150 of his peers, the list includes:

Local Hospital Volunteer Honored

Aimee Lesley, a volunteer at St. Vincent's East, was honored this week with the 2019 Outstanding Auxilian Award for outstanding service, compassion, and kindness.

Landmark National trial to Examine How Exercise Affects the Body

What happens at the molecular level after exercise? Scientists, physicians and clinical exercise specialists from across the country are embarking on a landmark National Institutes of Health effort to find out.