The Department is delighted to report that our Tinsley Teams made significant progress in writing discharge orders before 10:00 a.m. In June, only 15% of discharge orders were written before 10:00 a.m. In July, the number increased to 40%. Kudos to everyone involved in decreasing our patients’ wait times for beds: R.J. Blackburn, MD (Chief Medical Resident), Martin Rodriguez, MD, (Director of the Tinsley Harrison Service) and all our outstanding residents.

Francine Montgomery, Financial Officer in the Department of Medicine Chair’s Office, was selected as 2015 Employee of the Year. Francine handles a variety of financial and grant-related responsibilities. Her dedication to the Department of Medicine and her knowledge of both UAB and HSF processes and procedures is legendary across campus. She is a shining example of what makes our Department great!

Angelo Gaffo, MD, MSPH (Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology) has been selected Chief of the Section of Rheumatology at the Birmingham VA Medical Center. 

Caroline Harada, MD (Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care) has been named Assistant Dean for Community Engaged Scholarship for the School of Medicine. Dr. Harada will lead a team of ten faculty mentors in developing and teaching new curricula to help students engage as a community both within and outside the UAB School of Medicine.

The Department of Medicine received the Argus Award for Best Clinical Department this year. We owe a special thanks to Nicholas Van Wagoner, MD, and James Willig, MD, for their tremendous leadership in the Clerkship Program and to Donna Myers who tirelessly helps them keep everything on track.

Many of our DOM educators also won individual Argus Awards. Congratulations!

• Lisa Willett, MD won the Caduceus Club Award for Best Clinical Educator.
• Harish Doppalapudi, MD (Cardiovascular) won for Best MS1 Organ Module.
• Shawn Galin, MD (Endocrine) won for Best MS2 Organ Module. He also won the Dale J. Benos Award for Best MS2 Organ Module Director.

 Best Educators:

• Patient, Doctor, Society: Michael Saag, MD
• Fundamentals 1: Martin Young, MD
• Cardiovascular Module: Harish Doppalapudi, MD
• Pulmonary Module: Kevin Leon, MD
• Gastrointestinal Module: Brendan McGuire, MD
• Renal Module: Vineeta Kumar, MD
• Endocrine Module: Shawn Galin, MD

Coming Next Week: Loring Rue, MD, UABHS Chief Medical Officer and Professor of Surgery will present “Improving Care at UAB. Triumphs and Challenges.”

View this week's slides here.

Do you have Good News to share? If so, please email the Department of Medicine's Director of Communications, Carolyn Walsh.