Asbestos disease specialist joins Libby clinic
Dr. Alisa Koval has joined the staff at the Center for Asbestos Related Disease n Libby.
The clinic has had a burgeoning caseload in recent years due to widespread asbestos disease linked to exposure from the former W.R. Grace & Co. vermiculite mine at Libby. Nearly 3,000 patients with varying levels of asbestos disease use the clinic for health-care services.
Koval will provide asbestos-related health screenings and chronic asbestos disease management for patients one week each month. She also is an active participant in the Libby Epidemiological Research Program.
Her research interests include the characterization of pulmonary and autoimmune disease presentation associated with Libby amphibole asbestos.
She is based at National Jewish Health in Denver, where she works in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences. Koval is a recent graduate of the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency program at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, where she worked closely with Dr. Stephen Levin.
She has been focusing on Libby amphibole asbestos for the past 2 1/2 years.
“Her commitment to the people of Libby and her knowledge of Libby amphibole asbestos will be a great asset to CARD patients,” said Dr. Brad Black, medical director of the clinic.
Over the past few years, the clinic has emerged as a national center of excellence in addressing health-care issues associated with Libby asbestos exposure, Black added.
Koval began her education at the University of Michigan, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biology with honors, followed by a Master of Health Service Administration degree.
After spending a year as an administrative fellow at The Children’s Hospital of Denver, she went on to earn her medical degree from the Georgetown University School of Medicine. Prior to beginning her residency training, she worked as an internal consultant at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in its Six Sigma program. She stayed on to complete her training in general preventive medicine and public health, and received the Distinguished Housestaff Award in 2009. Koval completed her Master of Public Health degree from Columbia University.
“Her commitment to the people of Libby and her knowledge of Libby amphibole asbestos will be a great asset to CARD patients,” said Dr. Brad Black, medical director of the clinic.
Over the past few years, the clinic has emerged as a national center of excellence in addressing health-care issues associated with Libby asbestos exposure, Black added.