Milburn Stone Wouldn't Come to UAB Now

 

If you don't know who Milburn Stone was, we feel sorry for you. Once a leading man, Stone aged into character roles and for years was universally loved as Doc Adams on Gunsmoke. He also aged into some serious heart problems.

In 1971, Stone had a heart attack and was told by his Los Angeles physicians that he needed coronary artery bypass surgery. He was also told to travel to Birmingham to have the procedure at UAB.  Just over 50 years ago, UAB was considered the best hospital for cardiac care in the nation. Stone made a full recovery, worked on Gunsmoke until the series ended in 1975, and passed away in 1980. 

If an affluent actor needed sophisticated heart surgery today, he wouldn't be sent to UAB. Why? Its cardiac department now ranks 50th in the United States.

Don't despair too much; UAB is still ranked as the number one hospital in the state. You do the math on how far down the rankings Huntsville Hospital or North Alabama Medical Center may lie.

If the above rankings don't put the fear of Dr. Auschlander into you, consider the state's OB/GYN programs. As of two years ago, many medical school graduates stopped applying for internships at Alabama hospitals. Applications are down 21.1% and still dropping. Four labor & delivery units have closed or announced plans for closure since January.

What is our state legislature doing to improve medical care for its citizens? Is arresting librarians that much more important?

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We solicit articles from NAMC, Keller, Shoals, Russellvile, and Red Bay Hospital physicians on the local state of healthcare. All will be published anonymously.