Why Choose the Birmingham VA Medical Center?

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Overview

The Birmingham VA Medical Center is a progressive teaching facility accredited by The Joint Commission and affiliated with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Medicine, Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy, and Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy. It serves as a referral center for Alabama and surrounding states to provide acute tertiary medical and surgical care, including a Coronary Care Unit, Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, Medical Intensive Care Unit, and Surgical intensive Care Unit. The extensive ambulatory care program covers over 50 general and specialty clinics, including pharmacist-run clinics. The pharmacy department is staffed by over 80 professionals to provide unit dose medications, IV admixtures, TPN, chemotherapy, and comprehensive clinical pharmacy services to both inpatients and over 60,000 outpatients who are currently enrolled in Primary Care at the Birmingham VA Medical Center.

Pharmacy Services

The Pharmacy Service provides pharmaceutical services for a 131-bed acute tertiary care facility and nine community based outpatient clinics throughout Alabama. Pharmacy Services provided include selecting and procuring medications, compounding and the preparation of parenteral products, dispensing of medicinal agents, participating in investigational drug studies, managing emergency preparedness efforts, and verifying medication orders. Clinical pharmacy specialists round with inpatient medicine teams, critical care unit teams and support multiple specialty services while providing inpatient clinical pharmacy oversight. Within the sector of primary care, clinical pharmacy specialists provide medical management for a variety of patients within the patient aligned care team model. A few of the major disease states managed within the PACT model include hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and chronic anticoagulation. Additional pharmacy services include the provision of drug information to clinical practitioners, the education of patients regarding the proper use of their medications and the optimization of patients’ drug regimens to provide the best possible therapy at the lowest possible risk and at the lowest possible cost.

Birmingham City Life

The greater Birmingham area boasts a population of over one million people, yet the feel of southern hospitality and charm abounds. World-famous dining, local boutiques, and plentiful shopping surround the downtown Birmingham area. Birmingham’s culinary scene is superb, with nationally known chefs and restaurants. The city’s minor league baseball team recently relocated from the suburbs to a new downtown stadium that opens to Birmingham’s skyline. The night-life scene is thriving, with new craft breweries and an expanding entertainment district. The downtown area itself is rich in civil landmarks, historic churches, and beautiful parks. Birmingham houses multiple attractions for lovers of arts and science, including the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, the Alabama Ballet, the McWane Science Center, and the Birmingham Zoo. In addition, a convenient drive to both beaches and mountains, affordable housing close to the VA, and ethnic diversity all make Birmingham a great city to live in!