For more than 40 years, the UAB Department of Urology and Children’s of Alabama (COA) have worked together to provide urologic care to children and families across Alabama and the Southeast.
As the partnership has evolved, so has pediatric urology. The program has grown through expanded expertise and advances in care, while lasting relationships with families have remained at its heart.
The partnership dates back to an effort to establish dedicated pediatric urology care at COA. In July 1986, David Joseph, M.D., professor and vice chair of Academic Affairs in the UAB Department of Urology, became the first full-time pediatric urologist from UAB at Children’s. His chair at the time, Anthony “Tony” Bueschen, M.D., had previously provided care at COA alongside several community urologists and recognized the need for a full-time pediatric urologist.
Joseph, M.D. (left) and Kitchens, M.D. (right)Joseph and David Kitchens, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Urology, have witnessed that evolution firsthand. Together, they bring six decades of combined experience caring for children and families.
Building a foundation
The partnership between UAB and Children’s of Alabama has played an important role in the growth of pediatric urology. Joseph, who has spent 40 years with the program, credits pediatricians throughout Alabama with helping connect children with specialized care.
“Any success is credited to the support I received from the pediatricians within our community and throughout the state,” Joseph said. “The confidence they had in allowing me to participate in the care of their patients was influenced greatly by the confidence they already had in COA.”
Over time, additional pediatric urologists brought new expertise to the program, helping broaden the care available. For Joseph, that growth is an important part of its history.
“All of my partners, past and present, have brought their unique expertise to COA and UAB, making our program bigger and better,” Joseph said.
Caring across generations
For pediatric urologists, care often extends far beyond a single appointment or procedure. Some children remain in care for years, giving physicians the opportunity to be part of their lives as they grow.
“To be entrusted with the care of someone’s child is truly humbling,” Kitchens said. Some of our patients require long-term follow-up until adulthood, and we really get to know them and their families through that journey. As a parent, it is humbling for me to be entrusted with the care of others’ children.”
Over time, that connection can extend beyond one child. Families may return to the practice when another child needs care, creating a sense of continuity built over the years.
“I believe the continuity of care is equally valuable for us as physicians as well as the families,” Kitchens said. “On our end as physicians, it feels good to know that families continue to trust us and believe that we will take the best care of their children after we took excellent care of their other family members when they were younger. That bond is important for families, in my opinion.”
That same sense of responsibility has stayed with Joseph throughout his career. After 40 years in pediatric urology, he sees the trust placed in him by parents and guardians as one of the most meaningful parts of the work.
“It’s the honor received every day when a parent or guardian allows me to participate in the care of their child, regardless of the child’s age or complexity of their problem,” Joseph said.
Evolving care
Advances in pediatric urology have changed the way children can be treated. For Kitchens, the widespread use of robotic surgery for minimally invasive procedures has been one of the most significant developments of his career.
“The single greatest advancement in the care of pediatric urology patients has been the acceptance and widespread use of the robot for minimally invasive surgical procedures,” Kitchens said. “When COA purchased the robot, I felt like we had made the jump to modern care for the children of Alabama.”
The field continues to evolve, and Kitchens is particularly interested in the potential of combining fetal surgery and gene therapy to treat conditions such as spina bifida.
For Joseph, the future of pediatric urology is also tied to the people who will carry the work forward. In addition to Dr. Kitchens, he points to Stacy Tanaka, M.D., M.S., professor and chief of Pediatric Urology; Carmen Tong, D.O., associate professor, assistant program director for the Urology Residency, and Urology Clerkship director; Timothy Boswell, M.D., assistant professor and assistant program director for the Urology Residency; and Betsy Hopson, Ph.D., MSHA, assistant professor, all in the UAB Department of Urology.
After 40 years with UAB and Children’s, Joseph reflects on the opportunity with pride.
“I’m proud to have played a small part in the care of children over the last 40 years,” Joseph said.
From the physicians who helped build pediatric urology to the team advancing its future, the partnership between UAB and Children’s of Alabama continues to be shaped by a shared commitment to caring for children and the families who trust them with that care.