The four paragraphs about Dr. Warren Sarrell in The Star’s recent article did not do justice to Sarrell’s many contributions to this community.
As our first cardiologist, he introduced critical-care medicine and in-depth medical specialties. He partnered with business and community leaders to develop Anniston Memorial Hospital into the fine medical center it is today. He created the first intensive-care unit in the state here.
He recruited many of Anniston’s finest physicians, including the medical specialties such as: gastroenterology, hematology/oncology, pulmonary medicine, infectious diseases, geriatrics and rheumatology.
Sarrell opened his practice in 1954. He was one of the founders of the Anniston Medical Clinic, one of the first group medical practices in Alabama. His passion was to bring the expertise he gained at Emory University to Anniston so that complex and critically ill patients would not have to be transferred to Birmingham and Atlanta.
Sarrell has left giant footprints in our medical community and I am sure he is proud to have seen his dreams realized.
There will never be another Warren G. Sarrell.
Michael I. Hanna, M.D.
Internal Medicine
Anniston
