NEW MEMBER SOCIAL

The Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce welcomed members who joined over the past six months to a New Member Social hosted by Trustmark bank. Attendees enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and drinks, and they had an opportunity to enter to win several door prizes.

USA Health unveils new Mother/Baby Unit at Children's & Women's Hospital

[MOBILE, AL] — USA Health today unveiled a new Mother/Baby Unit designed to promote comfort and bonding for families and their newborns. The 20-suite postpartum unit is located on the fifth floor of the women’s tower at Children’s & Women’s Hospital, the area’s leader in births.

“This beautiful new unit is another example of how Children’s & Women’s Hospital focuses on providing high-quality care that is patient-centered,” said Deborah Browning, M.S.N., R.N., C.E.N.P., interim administrator for the hospital.

The new unit is designed to facilitate couplet care, a family-centered approach in which mother and baby are cared for in the same room by the same nurse from the time a baby is born until both are ready to go home. Research has shown that couplet care creates a stronger bond between parents and their newborns, builds a baby’s immunity and increases success rates for breastfeeding.

“We want to provide care for both mom and baby at the bedside,” said Vicki Curtis, M.S.N., R.N., director of women’s services at USA Health. “The unit will have the amenities in the rooms that allow the babies to stay comfortable with mom.”

The new unit features soft lighting and soothing colors of deep grays, golds and blues. Stylish birds-in-flight wallpaper adorns the foyer ceiling, and beach images are incorporated into the signage and wall art.

Each of the 20 suites includes a spacious bedroom, a recliner, couch and private bath with luxury amenities such as bidets. Each suite also incorporates a baby bath and scale, and a height-adjustable bassinet for the newborn so that assessments and other procedures can be completed at the bedside.

In addition, a new lactation space will be located within the unit, staffed by an expanded team of lactation consultants. Two private rooms for breast pumping will be available for patients, visitors and staff to use.

“We want our approach to be family-centered,” said Teneshia Edwards, R.N., nurse manager for the new unit. “This is a life-changing experience for families, and we only have them for a few days, so we want to make sure that their experience during those few days is great.”

Eastern Shore Alabama Lemonade Day Registration is NOW OPEN! Lemonade Day will be April 22, 2023!

Our mission is to help today's youth become the business leaders, social advocates, community volunteers and forward-thinking citizens of tomorrow...one lemonade stand at a time! Experience Lemonade Day with photos, videos, news and more. events Learn about Lemonade Day events happening in Eastern Shore AL.

lemonadeday.org

Infirmary Surgical Specialists Welcomes Darren Rowan, M.D., FACS

[FAIRHOPE, AL] — Darren Rowan, M.D., FACS, boardcertified general surgeon, joins Infirmary Surgical Specialists at their location in Fairhope, AL. Infirmary Surgical Specialists is one of the Gulf Coast Region’s most comprehensive surgical teams encompassing more than 200 years of experience. Their specialties include the most advanced surgical treatments for bariatric, pancreas, hepatobiliary, breast, surgical oncology, gastrointestinal, colorectal, endocrine reconstructive plastic and general surgery as well as wound care.

For more than 30 years, Dr. Rowan has provided advanced surgical care to patients in Alabama and Louisiana. He is board-certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery. Dr. Rowan earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University Medical Center in New Orleans. Dr. Rowan went on to complete his residency at the University of South Alabama where he also served as a clinical instructor.

Mobile Infirmary one of two hospitals in Alabama awarded Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement Certification by The Joint Commission

[MOBILE, AL] — Mobile Infirmary has earned the prestigious Gold Seal of Approval® for Total Knee Replacement and Total Hip Replacement Certification by The Joint Commission, making it one of two hospitals in Alabama to achieve this distinction. The certification recognizes Mobile Infirmary's unwavering dedication to providing safe and top-quality care to individuals undergoing joint replacement procedures.

"We are very proud of our orthopaedics and total joint programs here at Mobile Infirmary,” said Susan Boudreau, FACHE, Mobile Infirmary President. “This certification from The Joint Commission highlights our physicians’ and staff’s commitment to excellence and to providing exceptional care to our patients.”

The Joint Commission’s review process included interviews with team members and an evaluation of compliance with certification standards developed in consultation with healthcare experts, providers and patients. Mobile Infirmary’s orthopaedic services include orthopaedic surgery, inpatient rehabilitation, sports medicine, inpatient and outpatient physical therapy, total joint replacement classes and more.

Shea joins department of microbiology and immunology

[MOBILE, AL] — A lifelong interest in science led Allyson E. Shea, Ph.D., to study marine science before switching gears to pursue a doctoral degree in biomedical sciences.

Shea recently joined the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, where she will further her research into the pathogens associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs), one of the most common types of infections worldwide.

Urinary tract infections occur when microbes such as bacteria from the skin or rectum infect the urethra, then ascend to the bladder and/or kidneys. If left untreated, a UTI can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening condition.

Women are more likely to develop urinary tract infections because their urethra is shorter, making it easier for bacteria to reach the bladder.

“Dr. Shea brings to our university a distinct but complementary area of research in a field with a recognized need for advancement of scientific knowledge,” said Kevin R. Macaluso, Ph.D., professor and Locke Distinguished Chair of Microbiology and Immunology at the Whiddon College of Medicine.

Shea said she was attracted to the Whiddon College of Medicine by the department’s capability to conduct single-cell sorting and gene expression analyses, and the expertise in that field held by researcher Robert A. Barrington, Ph.D., who has more than 20 years of experience in flow cytometry.

Shea earned her doctoral degree in biomedical sciences at the University of Florida, with an emphasis in cellular and molecular biology. She then completed her postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Michigan under Harry Mobley, Ph.D., an expert in Gram-negative bacterial pathogenesis research. “Now, the goal is a combination of the two – looking at both the host and bacterial response in urinary tract infections, to understand mechanisms at the host-pathogen interface,” she said.

Infirmary Health hospitals earn recognition in multiple 2023 Women’s Choice Award®

“America’s Best” categories

[MOBILE, AL] — Infirmary Health is pleased to announce Mobile Infirmary, Thomas Hospital and North Baldwin Infirmary have earned recognition in multiple 2023 Women’s Choice Award categories. This marks the sixth year in a row the hospitals have been recognized. Infirmary Health provides comprehensive women's health services that focus on all stages of a women's life across the continuum of care. Its teams and facilities ensure that patients are given the tools and resources necessary to preserve health and wellness in fulfillment of its vision to be the FIRST CHOICE for women's healthcare services in the Gulf Coast region.

Mobile Infirmary Best Hospitals for Cancer Care

Thomas Hospital

Best Mammogram Imaging Center

Best Hospitals for Obstetrics

Best Hospitals for Orthopedics

Best Hospitals for Patient Safety

North Baldwin Infirmary

Best Hospitals for Obstetrics

The Best HospitalsTM designations are the only evidence-based designation which identifies the country’s best healthcare institutions based on robust criteria that consider patient satisfaction, patient recommendation rating and what women say they want from a hospital.