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Director: Sarah L. Morgan, RD, MD, FACP.

Clinic Staff
Leandria Burroughs, RT - DXA Technologist
Jeffrey Curtis, MD, MPH, Clinic Physician
Beth Kitchin MS, RD – Dietitian/Patient Educator
Don Lein, M.S, .P.T. – Physical Therapist
Robert Lopez, MD, - Radiologist
Sarah L. Morgan, RD, MD, CCD FACP – Clinic Physician – Medical Director
Nancy Nunnally – RT, CDT – DXA Technologist
Dirk Rehder, MD, CCD – Radiologist
Kenneth Saag, MD, MSc, FACP – Clinic Physician – Director of Clinical Research

To aid in reducing morbidity from osteoporosis and aid in osteoporosis prevention, UAB began a multidisciplinary osteoporosis clinic at The Kirklin Clinic, 2000 Sixth Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233, in May of 1995. The clinic provides a thorough evaluation of patients, including an assessment of bone mineral density, nutritional counseling, physical therapy evaluation, and treatment and rehabilitation, if appropriate.

Three board-certified internal medicine physicians staff the clinic all of whom have a different area of interest and expertise. Sarah L. Morgan, RD, MD, FACP, from the Departments of Nutrition Science and Medicine, focuses on the nutritional aspects of osteoporosis, postmenopausal osteoporosis and prevention of osteoporosis. Kenneth G. Saag, MD, MSc, from the Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology has a special interest in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, male osteoporosis, post-transplant osteoporosis, and osteoporosis clinic trials. Dr. Jeffrey Curtis, from the Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, focuses on outcomes related to rheumatic diseases and osteoporosis, with a particular focus on men, African Americans, and chronic glucocorticoid users. Drs. Robert Lopez and Dirk Rehder, from the Department of Radiology also participate in the reading of bone density examinations. All five physicians are certified as Clinical Densitometrists by the International Society of Clinical Densitometry.

The clinic is also staffed with a registered dietician, Beth Kitchin, MS, RD; certified dual-energy x-ray (DXA) technologists, Nancy Nunnally, RT, CDT; Leandria Burroughs, RT; CDT and a physical-therapy expert/rehabilitation expert for the clinic, Don Lein, MS, PT. Ms. Kitchin offers each patient individual instruction on calcium intake, dietary requirements, exercise recommendations, and education on fall prevention. She is also the coordinator of the UAB Osteoporosis Information Service. Ms. Nunnally and Ms Burroughs are certified as a technologist by the International Society of Clinical Densitometry. Mr. Lein evaluates all new patients for balance, strength and posture. A free luncheon lecture on osteoporosis is held every Wednesday from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm in the third floor conference room in the Kirklin Clinic. Reservations to attend this free class can be made by calling 205-801-8187.

The clinic is equipped with two Hologic Discovery W fan-beam densitometers with Discovery software. In FY 2007 there were 1070 clinic visits and 3916 DXA scans completed. The clinic also has several screening peripheral-DXA units that are used for a comprehensive screening program. A comprehensive weekly patient education program is an integral part of the clinic activities. MindWays Bone quantitative computerized tomography (QCT) software is available for QCT of the hip and spine.

The clinic also operates the Tone Your Bones Nutrition and Exercise Program (TYBONE Program). This program stresses the nutritional and exercise components of osteoporosis prevention and treatment. Please call our UAB Tone Your Bones Information Hotline at 1-888-934-BONE or visit our website at ToneYourBones ToneYourBones. Call Beth Kitchin to ask about free pDXA screenings at the Kirklin Clinic. 1-888-934-BONE.

Part of the mission of the Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Clinic is to provide patients with access to innovative and novel therapies. Dr. Saag directs the Osteoporosis Clinic Trials program. Clinical trials personnel include Kerry Renfroe, R.N. (clinical trials manager) and Jo Ann Kiser, RN (recruitment and coordinator). Osteoporosis clinic trials are available for patient enrollment, and the office can be contacted for additional information at 1-888-534-0367.

For More Information on the Clinic Contact:
Sarah L. Morgan, M.D., R.D., FADA, FACP
Professor of Nutrition Sciences and Medicine
Department of Nutrition Sciences
354A Learning Resources Center
1714 9th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35294-1270
Office: 205-934-3235
Fax: 205-969-2072
Email: slmorgan@uab.edu