Freeman News

Freeman Dermatologist Fills Gap for Services in the Community

September 11, 2020

Dr. Ahmed Badawi to Lead Freeman Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center

Joplin, MO – If you’ve ever tried to get an appointment with a dermatologist in the Four States, you know it can take up to six months. But that will soon change as Freeman Health System welcomes Dr. Ahmed Badawi to Freeman Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center.

“It is rewarding to feel like I am contributing something that is needed, and there is a great demand for my specialty,” says Dr. Badawi. “Catching skin cancer early is also a goal. Hopefully people will be able to get in to see a dermatologist more easily.”

“We’re grateful to have a physician with Dr. Badawi’s expertise on staff at Freeman Health System,” said Paula Baker, President and Chief Executive Officer. “He looks forward to providing convenient access to dermatology services and building strong relationships with his patients. He enjoys caring for all dermatology patients, including those with less critical conditions to help them feel better about their skin and improve their social well-being, in addition to his focus on skin cancer.”

Dr. Badawi first studied internal medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, where he discovered his passion for dermatology during his rotations.

“I found some interesting cases that presented as a rash,” says Dr. Badawi. “Some were ignored until a dermatologist came and connected the dots based on a subtle manifestation. Dermatologists do that like a detective. The work is rewarding, and I’ve even been compared to Dr. House, from the television series House.”

Dr. Badawi also enjoys treating complex dermatology diseases, which often require a multi-disciplinary approach. He chose Freeman Health System because it has a reputation for a high quality of care and established ear, nose and throat (ENT) services, oncology, internal medicine and auto-immune diseases. He says dermatology fits nicely with those.

“My focuses are also skin cancer and catching it early,” says Dr. Badawi. “If it advances to a multi-disciplinary condition, I will work with oncology. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and other immune-suppressing medications can have side effects that impact the skin. My interest is supporting patients through that therapy and keeping them on their medication, so they don’t stop taking the medication because of something like a rash.”

Additionally, he treats contact dermatitis, vascular skin lesions, acne (adult and pediatric), alopecia, disorders of skin pigmentation, hives and skin infectious diseases including herpes, ringworm, warts and others.

Dr. Badawi hopes Freeman will become a regional hub for comprehensive skin and skin cancer care, with a collaborative approach for skin cancer that includes medical oncology, radiation oncology, plastic surgery, general surgery and ENT. The plan is to provide procedures currently unavailable in Joplin for all patients so they don’t have to travel to metropolitan areas for various treatments.

Dr. Badawi has a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from KU, which gives him special insight into biologic therapies for auto-immune disorders, such as psoriasis,” said Baker.

Dr. Badawi says part of why he chose Freeman is because it is a teaching hospital and eventually hopes to work with medical students and residents. He was chief resident at Washington University in St. Louis where he did his dermatology residency.

“Internal medicine, emergency medicine and ENT are all fields that can benefit from an in-clinic dermatologist,” says Dr. Badawi. “I enjoy teaching and taking care of patients.”

Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Dr. Badawi moved to Egypt, his parents’ home country, as a child. At 17, he moved back to the United States to Kansas City, where he received his medical training and met his wife. While he completed his dermatology studies in St. Louis, his wife came to Joplin to work with her father as a nephrologist. The move to Joplin and Freeman reunites him with his wife Nadine Aboul-Magd, an independent nephrologist who refers to and treats inpatients at Freeman. The couple has two children who are four and two years old.

To make an appointment with Dr. Ahmed Badawi call Freeman Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center at 417.347.8066.

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About Freeman Health System

Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2019, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers. U.S. News & World Report named Freeman Health System the Best Hospital in Southwest Missouri for 2019. With more than 300 physicians on staff representing more than 70 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services and women’s services. Additionally, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.