UAB Medicine Office of Patient Experience and Engagement (OPXE) has recognized 15 Department of Surgery providers in the 2020 list of “Top-Performing” providers, up 25 percent from 2019, even amid the COVID-10 pandemic.

This year, the OPXE recognized physicians and APPs who are in the top 20 percent of providers across UAB Medicine for the Physician Communication domain. Their commitment to high quality, patient-centered care is one of the reasons UAB organization continues to excel in its pursuit to become one of the nation’s best health care systems.

Below is the list of Department of Surgery providers recognized:

• James E. Davies, M.D.
• James Donahue, M.D.
• Martin J. Heslin, M.D.
• Julie S. Kemp, CRNP
• Laurel C. Waldrop, NP
• Clifton T. Lewis, Sr., M.D.
• Katrina H. Smith, CRNP
• Benjamin Wei, M.D.
• Dana Scott, CRNP
• Adam Beck, M.D.
• Marc Adam Passman, M.D.
• Jayleen M. Grams, M.D.
• Brianne McGriff, CRNP
• John R. Porterfield, M.D.
• Richard D. Stahl, M.D.

In 2016, UAB Medicine began recognizing “top performing” providers by publishing provider star ratings and comments from patients about their office visit experiences. This information is compiled from the Medical Practice CAHPS surveys patients receive after outpatient office visits. Patients consistently gave these providers the best possible responses to the survey questions related to provider communication.