alabama Archives - SHOPPE BLACK

Published on May 10, 2024May 10, 2024

4 mins read

Acclinate Secures $7 Million to Revolutionize Health Equity and Clinical Trial Diversity

Acclinate, a Birmingham, Alabama-based healthcare technology company has secured a $7 million Series A funding round. Led by Cencora Ventures with contributions from Labcorp and Latimer Ventures, this investment fuels Acclinate’s mission to empower underserved communities and transform healthcare equity.

Building Trust, Empowering Participation

Acclinate’s approach breaks the mold of traditional clinical trial recruitment. They focus on building trust and creating long-term engagement with diverse communities. This is achieved through culturally sensitive education and outreach programs. Their platform, NOWINCLUDED, provides a safe space for individuals to learn about health issues, clinical trials, and the importance of representation in medical research.

But Acclinate goes beyond simple information sharing. They leverage data and analytics to personalize the experience for each user. This ensures individuals receive targeted information and resources relevant to their health background and interests. This fosters a sense of ownership and transforms them into active participants in their health journey.

Data-Driven Insights for Inclusive Trials

The data generated from this community engagement is another crucial aspect of Acclinate’s approach. They translate this data into actionable insights through their e-DICT (Enhanced Diversity in Clinical Trials) platform.

e-DICT: Powering Informed Decisions

This powerful tool utilizes predictive analytics technology to track user interest and report on community engagement at the individual level. This empowers organizations to:

Predict behavior: By understanding user interest and engagement patterns, organizations can anticipate how different communities might respond to a particular trial.
Plan inclusively: Armed with insights into diverse communities, organizations can design and plan clinical trials that are inclusive from the start.
Execute effectively: Acclinate’s data and insights help organizations refine their outreach strategies and improve their ability to connect with and enroll participants from underrepresented communities.
Learn and improve: The data collected throughout the trial process allows for continuous learning and improvement. Organizations can use these insights to refine their approach for future trials, ensuring ongoing progress toward greater diversity and inclusivity.

A Win for Patients and Pharma

The $7 million funding round will propel Acclinate’s growth and further enhance its data-driven approach. This benefits not only patients from diverse backgrounds who have a greater chance to participate in research and see themselves reflected in medical advancements, but also pharmaceutical companies.

By facilitating a more inclusive clinical trial landscape, e-DICT helps companies gain access to a richer pool of data, ultimately leading to the development of safer and more effective treatments that work for everyone.

Acclinate’s story is one of innovation and social impact. This investment marks a significant step towards a future where clinical trials are truly inclusive, healthcare is accessible to all, and diverse communities have a rightful voice in shaping the future of medicine.

In addition to its core platform, Acclinate offers a suite of services to further support organizations in their diversity efforts, including the Affective Trust Framework and custom training programs.

By combining community engagement with cutting-edge data analysis, Acclinate is paving the way for a future where clinical trials are truly representative of the populations they serve.

by Tony O. Lawson

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Published on January 7, 2023January 7, 2023

3 mins read

Home for All: A New Approach to Homelessness in Birmingham

On Tuesday, Jan. 10, the City of Birmingham will propose a new pilot program called “Home for All” before the city council. The goal of this program is to provide safe and dignified sleeping alternatives for the city’s chronically unhoused residents through the purchase of micro-shelters, also known as “Pallet” sleeping units. The Home for All pilot program will be a community-wide partnership that aims to provide not only shelter, but also a number of wraparound services for those in need.

The issue of chronic homelessness has long been a concern in the City of Birmingham, and this new pilot program aims to address this issue in a comprehensive and holistic way. The Pallet sleeping units, which are small and portable shelters made of wooden pallets covered with a waterproof tarp, will provide temporary housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. These units are designed to accommodate up to four people and are intended to be a short-term solution while more permanent housing options are being pursued.

In addition to the Pallet sleeping units, the Home for All pilot program will also include a number of wraparound services to support the needs of chronically unhoused individuals and families. These services may include access to healthcare, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, job training and placement, and other support services. The goal of these wraparound services is to address the root causes of homelessness and to provide the resources and support needed for individuals and families to achieve long-term stability and self-sufficiency.

The Home for All pilot program will be a community-wide partnership, with involvement from a variety of local organizations and stakeholders. This includes non-profit organizations, faith-based groups, government agencies, and private businesses. By bringing these diverse groups together, the pilot program aims to create a network of support and resources for those experiencing homelessness in the City of Birmingham.

The City of Birmingham is confident that the Home for All pilot program will be a successful and effective solution to addressing chronic homelessness in the city. However, it is important to note that the pilot program is just one piece of the puzzle. Addressing homelessness requires a multifaceted approach that includes not only temporary housing solutions, but also addressing the underlying social and economic factors that contribute to homelessness. The City of Birmingham is committed to working with its community partners to address homelessness in a comprehensive and sustained way.

Published on December 31, 2017April 5, 2020

7 mins read

Couples Inc. : Dominique And Carl Own a Dental Practice in Alabama

Dr. Carl M. Shamburger, Jr, DMD and Dr. Dominique Askew Shamburger, DDS are the owners of Montgomery Dental Arts, a dental practice located in Montgomery, Alabama.

Between the rave reviews they’ve received on Facebook and the fact that Dr. Dominique is a fellow HU grad, it wasn’t hard for us to decide that you should hear what they have to say about “entrepreneuring” while married.

SB: How did you both meet?

Dr. Dominique: We met at the mall. It is interesting because people often assume that our meeting was somehow connected to dentistry, but it was just coincidence that we were both dentists. We attended two different dental schools.

I was shopping in my hometown with one of my friends and Carl was shopping with his sister. His sister is friends with my friend so we all ended up together. Dr. Carl and I started talking, and quickly discovered a common interest. He was in his last year of dental school and I had just graduated.

SB: What influenced your decision to pursue a career in dentistry?

Dr. Carl: While in high school, I helped manage care for my grandmother before she departed and was instilled with a desire to help and serve others. After being exposed to different medical professions, I decided that dentistry was my passion and thus began my journey to becoming a dentist.

dental

Dr. Dominique: Dentistry has always been personal to me. As a child, I suffered from very misaligned teeth. As a result I was often teased and became self-conscious about my smile. As a defense mechanism I just tried my best not to smile. Which internally limited the amount of happiness I felt.

After I had orthodontic treatment I realized that dentistry doesn’t just change smiles it changes lives. I became a much more outgoing person and for the first time I realized that I deserved to smile. At that moment I knew I wanted to help others to feel the same joy of loving their smiles.

SB: What is the most important thing to remember when you are married to your business partner?

Dr. Dominique: The most important factor is my union to my husband. Our relationship is always the priority. It is of paramount importance for me to protect our union at all costs. We have to remember that we are partners in life first. That helps to guide our interactions as partners in business.

Dr. Carl: You have to sort of live as two people and be able to switch them on and off based on the scenario. During work hours and meetings, you have to be the best business partner you can be and think with the mind set of clinician and business owner. Outside of work, you must switch to fully dedicating yourself to being a husband and father.

SB: In what ways do you have similar entrepreneurial traits and in what ways are you different as entrepreneurs?

Dr. Dominique: We are both visionaries. We have the ability to envision a dream and work diligently to accomplish it. We both place patient care at the center of our focus. We work well at utilizing the strengths of each other to complete tasks. We are constantly keeping each other sharp and on our toes in regards to patient care.

We are different as entrepreneurs in our skills. One of us may be stronger in finances where the other is stronger in public relations. We constantly have to evaluate our strengths and make sure we are both operating in a manner that utilizes those strengths to their fullest potential.

SB: What are your 5 year goals for the practice?

Dr. Carl: We hope to become a staple in the community. We want our name to be synonymous with quality and compassionate care. We want to continue to help people achieve optimal dental health first and continue to cultivate a staff that is committed to provide our vision. We believe the practice will grow to new heights if we continue to put the patients first in our goals.

SB: What advice do you have for recent graduates that are interested in starting their own practice?

Dr. Dominique: Try to find a mentor. There are so many steps that are involved in building a practice from the ground up and it is very helpful to have someone who has done it to coach you along the way. Looking back, there are many things that we could have done differently to make things go smoother. I would also say make sure you do your research. A good well thought out business plan will help you along the way.

Dr. Carl: It would be advantageous to do as much research as possible in practice management courses and books. Stay active in communicating and networking with dentists who are already practice owners.

It will also benefit to get some experience working in private practice to learn the ins and outs of operating a private practice. Invest in yourself by honing your dental skills with continuing education and completing cases. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the journey.

Visit Montgomery Dental Arts online or at 10650 Chantilly Parkway, Montgomery, Alabama 36117.

-Tony Oluwatoyin Lawson aka @thebusyafrican