WHEN PASSION MEETS PRACTICE
There’s no question we live in interesting times. Some may describe it as information overload; advancements are happening faster than we can keep up, causing many to tune it all out. However, the team at Women’s Health Alliance of Mobile (WHAM) is on the frontlines of women’s healthcare, right where they prefer to be. Not only does this accomplished team of physicians have decades of experience, each are engaged in related passion projects that include breastmilk banks, groundbreaking medical trials, and preventive care awareness. What’s more, Drs. Susan Vance, Brittney Laughlin, Ted Catranis, and Jessica Jones are dedicated to combining the best of the future and the past through educating women and forming meaningful long-term relationships with their patients.
By Amber Wielkens Photos Stevye Photography, StevyePhotography.com Makeup Courtney Matthews Makeup Artistry, CocKat1978@gmail.com Hair Felisha Allen, HeadDress Salon, 251.689.7427
Going to the OB/GYN isn’t necessarily every woman’s favorite thing to do unless perhaps she’s expecting a baby. However, stepping out of the elevator and into the world of WHAM, most women’s stirrup anxiety fades away as she’s greeted with warm faces in a comforting and well-designed space clearly created for women.
Talking with this team of doctors isn’t just engaging, it’s fascinating. Bursting with facts and special interests, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by their passion. Yet, this is exactly what you’d hope for. This is especially true in a time where many women are choosing to focus on their aesthetics rather than what may be happening on the inside. But the WHAM team wants women to have both—and to never compromise their whole health.
Why? Interestingly, there’s a nationwide shortage of women’s healthcare providers, especially in the South, and when we toss in how the pandemic lockdowns resulted in women putting off preventive screenings and exams designed to catch conditions before they become major medical problems, some experts say we’re in crisis.
If this describes you or someone you know, the doctors at WHAM are not only here to help—expect to receive a gentle nudge from them if you’re behind on your screenings. Offering complete services for gynecology, obstetrics, preventive health, fertility, surgery, and ultrasound, this OB/GYN practice is committed to providing the highest level of compassionate (and judgment-free) care for women from adolescence to post-menopause. So why not choose a team with a complete understanding of women’s health to start?
What touched us most perhaps is that while they each have a distinct passion and personality, one fact is crystal clear—women’s health is more than a job to each of them. While Dr. Laughlin is outgoing with a smile for all, Dr. Vance is straight-talking with a sharp sense of humor, and both make WHAM a place you want to be. Dr. Catranis is as witty and personable as Dr. Jones is kind and caring, and all are whip-smart and pride themselves on working as a team to deliver the best possible care.
Drs. Susan Vance and Britney Laughlin were two of the practice founders, and they’re in lockstep concerning WHAM’s goals, with Dr. Laughlin saying, “Our mission is always to provide patient-centered care, treating all patients uniquely according to their individual needs. We consider our patients part of our family.” And their skilled and caring staff is equally dedicated. Dr. Vance adds, “Our goal is also to provide an optimistic work environment for our team members, whom we also consider family. They understand the importance of working in a concerted effort to provide VIP treatment to all of our patients.”
VIP treatment? Sign us up! Dr. Jessica Jones relates, “This collaborative approach to healthcare benefits patients and doctors alike,” adding that building long-term relationships with patients is the goal here. “Women’s healthcare is missing continuity. Gone are the days where you had one family doctor who knew you since birth. Women crave that continuity and closeness and we provide that via our expertise and accessibility.” Dr. Laughlin agrees, saying, “Our physicians are very accessible, either through quick work-in appointments, telehealth options, or through our nurses. Patients feel heard. Our delivering physicians still deliver their patients’ babies if humanly possible, rather than relying on who is on-call that day.”
With three obstetricians, the doctors recognize the unique aspects of every pregnancy and work with their patients to address their goals, provide safe and healthy outcomes for moms and babies, and ensure that the patient and her partner have a trusted resource in their provider throughout their pregnancy. Dr. Vance notes, “Working with our dedicated staff, we provide patient-centered care while also offering the necessary support for high-risk or complicated pregnancies. Personalized, attentive, and supportive care is vital to a positive experience throughout a pregnancy.”
Acutely aware that women often put their health last, Drs Laughlin and Vance concur, with Dr. Laughlin remarking, “We all have a tendency to care for everyone else first, then if there’s time left we consider our own health.” She’s compassionate but firm, saying, “Women should always keep up with annual exams, especially with their primary care provider and OB/GYN. Many conditions can be prevented or diagnosed before there’s a major detriment to her health. I hate to see someone turn 50 and the wheels just start to fall off!”
If you’re one of the many who postponed their annual exams, we promise the doctors at WHAM aren’t going to lecture you. They genuinely want to help women, not shame them, and they do so with the heart of a teacher. Dr. Ted Catranis shares, “Education is power, and we pride ourselves on educating our patients on the importance of understanding their bodies and topics such as
preventive medicine and ensuring their cervical, breast, and colon cancer screenings are up-to-date. We also provide bone density screenings for those in the appropriate age range.” But it’s more than preventive medicine; they also explain exactly what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. For example, an annual exam is much more than a Pap smear to check for cervical cancer. He states, “Beyond preventive medicine, patients with a medical condition leave us with a comprehensive understanding of their diagnosis and their treatment plan.”
Since we’re addressing all women, let’s address the younger ones, too. Dr. Jones says, “I enjoy practicing adolescent gynecology. Girls between the ages of 12–21 are a subset of medicine that are often overlooked—it’s an incredibly important time of development and I hope to improve access to care for them. We now recommend a first gynecology visit be between the ages of 12–15. During this visit, we focus on discussing the physical and emotional aspects of puberty and discuss developing healthy relationships and coping mechanisms.” With a guardian present, Dr. Jones will also answer any questions or clear up misconceptions regarding unwanted pregnancy, normal menses, mental health, and preventive medicine. Recently, she’s been asked to start a discussion involving Saraland High School where, some of those issues will be talked about and it’s her hope access to care will be improved.
When faced with the prospect of surgery, it’s comforting to know all of the physicians are highly skilled laparoscopists and vaginal surgeons and they strive to offer the least invasive surgical options available, including those for urogynecological procedures and pelvic floor operations. Additionally, Drs. Laughlin and Catranis are experienced in robotic surgeries.
What’s striking is that all four doctors are not only highly skilled, they go above and beyond to serve their community, not just their patients. For Dr. Laughlin, it’s securing breastmilk for babies who need it most. She shares, “WHAM’s office is one of 17 donor milk depots for The Mother’s Milk Bank of Alabama. Women selflessly donate breast milk for those neonates and sick infants in NICUs in Alabama and across the country. My goal is to spread awareness so this organization will one day have such a surplus that any mom can receive donor milk. Our depot is the only one in Mobile, as well.” Dr. Laughlin also focuses on helping women struggling with infertility and also those with high-risk pregnancies. She says, “From initial evaluations to treatment, women struggling with infertility need to feel supported and heard by their physician. I extend the same support and my expertise to women with high-risk pregnancies. Both of these situations can be scarily vulnerable times and it’s my job to make them feel as safe as possible.”
A founding member of the practice, Dr. Vance is a renowned for her diagnostic and surgical skills, but her gaze is also squarely focused on all women having access to excellent healthcare, transitioning generations of families from birth through menopause. “I find myself embracing menopause, with its own unique issues, as never before since I can now totally relate to this phase of life with my own experiences. I only practice gynecology now and I’ve been told I’m a good ‘gyne-chiatrist,’” she says.
Dr. Catranis is heavily invested in the Alabama Baby Coalition, a campaign for healthier babies in Mobile, and has been the organization’s chair since 2007. “Each year, about 100 babies in Mobile County die before birth or in their first year of life. The Fetal Infant Mortality Review program’s purpose is to understand how a wide array of factors, from social to economic to environmental, relate to infant loss on a local level. The goal is to enhance the health and well-being of women, infants, and their families through recommendations for improved community resources and services,” he claims. “Connecting grieving families with each other and also with local support agencies is another important aspect of the work we do.” And, if that’s not enough, Dr. Catranis is also a Principal Investigator for manufacturer-sponsored clinical trials. Working with the nation’s best and brightest, their goal is to seek answers about and solutions for difficult conditions such as endometriosis and more through research trials. If interested, Dr. Catranis suggests calling their office for more information.
Inspired by her son, Dr. Jones holds Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) research close to her heart, and is an advocate for women to know more about their genetic health, too. She says, “Genetic testing is at the cutting edge of medicine and understanding your genetic risk factors will allow you to meet health problems with more knowledge and focus. We offer different testing to see if women are more at risk of birth defects, breast cancer, and more. As more of these tests become available, I hope more women utilize them to help prevent future health problems.”
Giving back comes naturally to the doctors. Donating yearly to USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute’s gynecological oncology research program, the entire practice also actively participates in their annual GO Run to raise more funding. Hoping to advance new treatments, WHAM is a Phase III clinical research site for AbbVie Pharmaceuticals and all four of the doctors also serve on various local charity boards to further serve their community.
The dream team at Women’s Health Alliance of Mobile treats almost every conceivable condition in gynecology and obstetrics, making them a local go-to for their expertise and diagnostic skills. Dr. Laughlin concludes, “WHAM physicians act as a cohesive team. We’re always there for each other and assist if needed, with our top priority being our patients’ health and safety.” Our hope is that more women are inspired to be consistent with their healthcare and that when we choose our providers, we’re choosing the caregivers who will carry us through the various phases of life. Certainly more than skin deep, it appears we just about have it all.
Women’s Health Alliance of Mobile | 1720 Springhill Avenue, Suite 400, Mobile | 251.435.7700 | WomensHealthAllianceMobile.com
