Starting in the 1960s Birmingham began transforming into the world-class healthcare hub it is today. Many of the nation’s—even the world’s—best doctors call Birmingham home, and many of them are products of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Medicine. The school offers medical education in one of the most technologically advanced medical facilities in the country—the vast medical complex extends to more than 80 city blocks in downtown Birmingham. In 2010 11 UAB medical specialties were listed among the nation’s top 50 evaluated at 4,852 US hospitals by US News & World Report. Nearby downtown, the Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center at St. Vincent’s Hospital is recognized around the country for its treatment of sports-related injuries. Athletes such as Jack Nicklaus, Troy Aikman, Charles Barkley, Roger Clemens, Allen Iverson, Bo Jackson, Michael Jordan, John Smoltz, and Doug Williams—as well as your average high school football star—receive treatment at St. Vincent’s. Birmingham is also known for its cardiovascular specialists. Pioneers in the field of cardiovascular medicine established UAB’s prestigious Cardiovascular Center. Additionally, UAB’s trauma center is the only Level I Trauma Center in the state of Alabama and is equipped to handle any emergency.
As the two largest healthcare systems in the area, UAB and St. Vincent’s may have their own rivalry issues, but the two receive considerable additional competition from Brookwood Medical Center in Homewood as well as the Baptist Health System, which operates a number of hospitals and clinics in the area. Each of these systems has specialties in which it excels. They all provide quality care and adhere to high standards of service. Competition among these four healthcare systems has, in fact, resulted in better quality of care for all of Birmingham’s residents and the thousands of patients from around the world that come to these hospitals each year in seeking the best possible care and treatment. In addition, HealthSouth, the nation’s largest provider of inpatient rehabilitative healthcare services, is headquartered in Birmingham. Through its rehabilitation hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, and outpatient rehabilitation clinics, HealthSouth improves the level of rehabilitation for those recovering from strokes, brain and spinal cord injuries, cardiac conditions, orthopedic problems, and amputations. Between UAB and Samford University, Birmingham has major colleges of medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, law, and nursing.
Overview
Staying well, however, is not just about hospitals: It is often about avoiding a hospital in the first place. Accordingly, Birmingham contains a number of clinics and wellness centers, many of which are operated by one of the larger hospital systems. In addition to clinics that offer traditional medicine, there are also quite a few clinics that take a holistic approach. Though many of these serve their patients very well, it is always best to consider a licensed physician or nurse and to inquire about the certifications of the individuals operating holistic clinics before entrusting them with your health.