USA Health expands neurointensive care with addition of Chalela

USA Health has expanded its neurointensive care with the addition of neurologist Julio Chalela, M.D., who joined the team in the Neurologic Intensive Care Unit (Neuro ICU). Chalela brings specialized expertise in stroke and critical care management, working closely with neurosurgeons to provide comprehensive care for patients in the post-operative phase.

"I’m passionate about teaching and research, and I find it especially rewarding to practice at a university hospital," Chalela said. "It provides a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact on patients and their families, especially those who are often underserved or underprivileged."

USA Health University Hospital is the only Level 1 trauma center in the region, serving as the major referral center for southwest Alabama, southeast Mississippi, and portions of northwest Florida.

With more than 20 years of experience in academic medicine, Chalela is an accomplished physician and researcher, having published more than 100 articles and 10 book chapters in his field. A colonel and flight surgeon in the Army National Guard, he has completed multiple overseas deployments as a combat veteran. His military experience, combined with his extensive expertise in critical care, allows him to provide exceptional care for some of the most critically ill patients.

When asked about his decision to join USA Health, Chalela said, “It’s an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of leading-edge research, education and patient care. USA Health offers an environment in which I can contribute meaningfully to advancing both clinical care and academic growth.”

Chalela holds an academic appointment as a professor of neurology at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama.

His clinical interests involve mentoring future generations of healthcare professionals. He said he enjoys seeing patients progress, educating and comforting families, and inspiring students, residents and fellows to become compassionate clinicians.

Before joining USA Health, Chalela served as medical director of the Neuro ICU at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). He completed his medical training at Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, and further specialized in stroke and neurointensive care at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He also completed a clinical fellowship in the Neurosciences Critical Care Department at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore.