University of Alabama at Birmingham hopes to turn health care expertise in consulting business
Published: Monday, February 14, 2011, 6:00 PM
By Stan Diel -- The Birmingham News
The university has appointed an associate dean for clinical affairs, who will try to leverage the School of Health Professions' expertise into deals helping businesses and nonprofits solve health care-related problems, UAB said Monday.
The effort ultimately will include faculty and students in each of the schools' five departments: clinical and diagnostic sciences, health services administration, nutrition sciences, occupational therapy and physical therapy.
Dr. Jamy Ard, the newly appointed dean who will head the effort, said the number and variety of opportunities for consulting and community service deals is nearly limitless.
"It's a wide open field," he said.
Among the likely results are consulting deals under which UAB faculty and students would design and implement wellness programs for private businesses, helping them cut or minimize the costs associated with obesity and diabetes. Faculty and students also could design occupational therapy or nutrition programs for businesses, nonprofits or schools, he said.