Health Care
Training Better Robotic Surgeons in Virtual Reality
Surgery today can look a lot different than it did 20 years ago. In addition to scalpels and forceps, many surgeons need to know how to operate using a robot. But learning to use the device can be a challenge.
Report: Well-Being of Alabama Children Still Lags Nationwide
Alabama’s teen birth rate has decreased dramatically in the last decade. That’s according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which has ranked the overall well-being of kids across the US for 30 years.
CDC Director Visits Alabama to Discuss Ending HIV
The director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Dr. Robert Redfield, visited Montgomery on Friday to discuss strategies to combat HIV.
$21 Million Study Will Research Health Disparities in the Rural South
People who live in the rural South are more likely to die sooner than people in other parts of the country. A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health tries to figure out why.
UAB Closing Residential Addiction Unit to Expand Other Services
UAB hospital recently announced it will close its residential addiction treatment unit, which has provided overnight care for patients with substance use disorder for more than 20 years. Some are criticizing the decision, but officials say the closure is part of a bigger plan.
Alabama Governor Signs Near-total Abortion Ban Into Law
Alabama’s Republican governor signed the most stringent abortion legislation in the nation Wednesday, making performing an abortion a felony in nearly all cases.
Alabama Lawmakers Pass Bill Banning Nearly All Abortions
The Alabama Senate passed a bill Tuesday evening to ban nearly all abortions. The state House had already overwhelmingly approved the legislation. It's part of a broader anti-abortion strategy to prompt the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider the right to abortion.
Alabama House Approves Near Total Abortion Ban
The Alabama House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to outlaw almost all abortions in the state as conservatives took aim at the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.
Birmingham Looks at Limiting Dollar Stores, Easing Restrictions on Other Food Vendors as Way to Battle Food Deserts
A new ordinance proposed by Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin looks to combat the city’s food deserts by loosening regulations on mobile grocers and farmers markets, while simultaneously limiting the spread of dollar stores in low-income neighborhoods.
Jeffco Commission Approves UAB-Led Authority for Cooper Green
The Jefferson County Commission approved a resolution Thursday to allow UAB to manage operations at the county's indigent care clinic.
Alabama Committee Advances Bill to Outlaw Abortion
Alabama lawmakers on Wednesday advanced one of the most stringent abortion restrictions in the nation, a measure that would make performing an abortion a felony with almost no exceptions.
Fed’s Report Condemning Alabama Prisons: State Vows Action
Alabama authorities vowed Thursday to begin the monumental task of fixing their troubling prison problems, responding to a U.S. Department of Justice report that condemned excessive violence, inmate deaths and a critical staffing shortage in the state correctional system.
UAB Launches Program to Improve Treatment of Opioid Overdose
UAB’s Emergency Department is starting a new program to better treat patients with opioid use disorder. The initiative focuses on increasing the use of a drug called Suboxone.
Jeffco Health Officials: Violence is a Public Health Issue
Violence is the newest strategic focus for the Jefferson County Department of Health. It was one of several topics discussed in Tuesday's annual State of Health in Jefferson County address.
Alabama is Offering Free Genetic Testing. Here’s Why.
Scientists in Alabama want to capture a statewide genetic footprint. Free testing, they say, can help residents detect their risk for disease and bolster future genomic research.
Report: Violence, Housing Costs Affect Health Outcomes
A report out Tuesday ranks the health of all 67 counties in Alabama. It found that things like violence and housing costs are important predictors of health outcomes.
175 Down; 3,701 to Go. Jefferson County Starts Chipping Away at Rape Kit Testing Backlog
With the help of a federal grant program, the Jefferson County District Attorney’s office has begun to chip away at the county’s massive backlog of untested sexual assault kits.
$25 Million Cyclotron Brings New Cancer Treatment to AL
A 90-ton cyclotron arrived Tuesday on the campus of UAB. The machine will be part of a new proton therapy center, bringing a specialized cancer treatment to Alabama.
Birmingham Airport Unveils Sensory Room
The Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport unveiled its new sensory room today. It’s for travelers who are easily overstimulated.
Drummond to Pay $775,000 Penalty to EPA, Jefferson County Health Department
Drummond Company has agreed to pay a $775,000 civil penalty as part of a settlement contained in a consent decree relating to alleged violations of environmental laws at its ABC Coke Plant in Tarrant.
Flu Activity Widespread in Alabama
Rates of flu-like activity are on the rise throughout Alabama. They've been increasing for a few weeks now, and a number of schools have closed because of the virus.
Pig Hearts Could Keep Babies Awaiting Transplants Alive
Scientists hope in the future, pig hearts can be a temporary solution for babies who need a transplant. UAB researchers recently presented their findings about this, and early results seem promising.
At Children’s Hospital, a Note with Lunch
Patients at Children’s Hospital of Alabama now get a little extra pick-me-up. Every day at lunch, kids there receive a note, called a napkinism.
Alabama Licenses Midwives for the First Time in Decades
For the first time in more than 40 years, Alabama has licensed professional midwives. Last week, the newly formed Alabama State Board of Midwifery issued credentials to five women.
With $30 Million Gift, UAB Says Cancer Research is the Future of Birmingham
Leaders of the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB have big plans to use the recently announced $30 million gift from O’Neal Industries. They want to triple the number of clinical trials.
State Attorney General Asks Supreme Court to Rule on Banning Abortion Procedure
Alabama’s attorney general Steve Marshall wants the US Supreme Court to weigh in on restricting a certain abortion procedure.
Gun Violence Through the Eyes of a Trauma Surgeon
The recent shooting at the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover has renewed attention on the issue of gun violence. Dr. Jeff Kerby, head of trauma services at UAB, says to curb gun-related deaths and injuries, health officials must have a seat at the table.
As Alabama’s Unemployment Rate Decreases, Medicaid Enrollment Does Not
Alabama’s unemployment rate hit record lows in the past year, falling below 4 percent, but the number of people enrolled in Medicaid hasn’t decreased.
Alabama Has Nation’s Highest Rate of Cervical Cancer Death
Alabama has the highest rate of cervical cancer death in the country. Black women in the state die from the disease at nearly twice the rate of white women. That is according to a report released today by Human Rights Watch, an international nonprofit.
A Flu Shot, a Letter and an Unexpected Response
Every fall, doctors beg the public to get a flu shot. It might not be a big deal to an adult, but for a kid, that needle can be intimidating. WBHM’s Andrew Yeager recently found the story of a girl, a vaccine, a letter and an unexpected response.
Recovery Resource Center Bridges Gaps in Addiction Treatment
For someone with addiction, deciding to get help is often the first step to recovery. But finding that help is not always easy. State-funded treatment facilities can have complicated requirements and long waiting lists.
UAB Medical Center West to Remain Near Bessemer
Officials in west Jefferson County at a press conference Monday welcomed UAB Medical Center West’s decision to build a new facility there. Prior to that announcement, UAB also considered moving the facility to Hoover.
