Alba Azola, MD
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty
About Alba Azola
Primary Academic Title
Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Background
Alba Azola, M.D., is a rehabilitation physician helping patients restore function and movement after an injury or illness. Her expertise includes neurorehabilitation and rehabilitation for swallowing disorders.
Dr. Azola completed her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Johns Hopkins Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, where in her final year she was awarded the Frank L. Coulson, Jr. Award for Clinical Excellence. Prior to the residency, she was a post-doctoral fellow at the Swallowing Neurophysiology Laboratory at Johns Hopkins.
Dr. Azola received her medical degree from the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico, where she grew up. After the devastating hurricane Maria in 2017, she returned to her homeland to help with hurricane relief.
Recent News Articles and Media Coverage
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Can Vaccination Protect You From Long COVID? | Everyday Health (December 2021)
For patients with long COVID, chronic fatigue syndrome may offer a guiding star | NPR (November 2021)
In It For The Long Haul | Baltimore Magazine (November 2021)
EXPLAINER: What you should know about "long haul" COVID-19 | WUSA9 (June 2021)
COVID Long-haulers: What We Know About the Debilitating Symptoms that Last for Months | 7NewsDC (June 2021)
Additional Academic Titles
Joint Appointment in Pediatrics
Selected Publications
Azola, A., Greene, L. R., Taylor-Kamara, I., Macrae, P., Anderson, C., & Humbert, I. A. (2015). The relationship between submental surface electromyography and hyo-laryngeal kinematic measures of Mendelsohn Maneuver duration. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research 58 (6)1627-1636
Azola, A., Mulheren, R., Mckeon, G., Lloyd, T., Christopher-Stine, L., Palmer, J., & Chung, T. H. (2019). Dysphagia in myositis: A study of the structural and physiologic changes resulting in disordered swallowing. American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation.
Azola, A., Sunday, K. L., & Humbert, I. A. (2016). Kinematic Visual Biofeedback Improves Accuracy of Learning a Swallowing Maneuver and Accuracy of Clinician Cues During Training. Dysphagia 32 (1), 115-122
Kim, S. Y., Kumble, S., Patel, B., Pruski, A. D., Azola, A., Tatini, A. L., & González-Fernández, M. (2020). Managing the Rehabilitation Wave: Rehabilitation Services for COVID-19 Survivors. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 101(12), 2243-2249
Mulheren, R. W., Azola, A., Kwiatkowski, S., Karagiorgos, E., Humbert, I., Palmer, J. B., & González-Fernández, M. (2018). Swallowing changes in community-dwelling older adults. Dysphagia, 33(6), 848-856
Honors
- 1st Place, Post-Doctoral Fellows Association Retreat Poster Competition 2016
- Junior Fellowship recipient, Global Conference on Myositis, 2/1/19
- Hopkins Healer Award PGY2, Johns Hopkins Medicine, 6/1/18
- Springer Publishing Junior Investigator Scholarship, Dysphagia Research Society, 3/1/15
- Nancy Conrad Volunteer Award, Catholic Charities, 4/1/13
Memberships
- American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Dysphagia Research Society
Locations
- Rubenstein Child Health Building
- 200 North Wolfe Street, Rubenstein BLDG Lower Level, Baltimore, MD 21287
- phone: 443-997-5437
- fax: 410-614-1178
Expertise
Education
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Residency, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2020University of Maryland Medical Center
Residency, Otolaryngology, 2012Ponce Health Sciences University
Medical Education, Medicine, MD, 2008Board Certifications
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2022Insurance
- Aetna
- CareFirst
- Cigna
- First Health
- Geisinger Health Plan
- HealthSmart/Accel
- Humana
- Johns Hopkins Health Plans
- MultiPlan
- Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks (PPHN)
- Point Comfort Underwriters
- Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
- UnitedHealthcare
- Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (Optum-VACCN)
Ratings & Reviews
5 out of 5
50 ratings, 28 reviewsThe Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to physician related questions on the national CG-CAHPS Medical Practice patient experience survey through Press Ganey. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best score. Comments are also gathered from our CG-CAHPS Medical Practice Survey through Press Ganey and displayed in their entirety. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 2/19/2025
Listens well, knowledgeable and patient, provided options to the patient
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 2/5/2025
She is a specialist. Very exceptional.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 1/15/2025
Dr. Azola has been instrumental in my plan of care. She is invested in my well-being and treats me with dignity and respect. We moved from CT (at the request of my care team at Yale) to MD, just to go to Hopkins. Dr. Azola is proof that we made the right decision.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 1/10/2025
An Amazing Dr! She has been working with me for over a year and has drastically improved my health and continues to do so! I could not ask for a better person incharge of my health.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 12/20/2024
Dr.A is awesome, and is up to date with the latest research and works with her patients to develop a treatment plan.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 11/15/2024
Dr. Azola listens carefully to concerns and engages in finding solutions.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 11/14/2024
Dr. Azola is an outstanding physician. She has extensive knowledge regarding my multiple complex medical conditions.She is a very caring physician. She really care about her patients. She shows me empathy and compassion.There needs to be more physicians like her to treat patients with complex medical conditions.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 11/6/2024
Dr. Azola cares a lot, and is very willing to listen to and take into account my opinions and experiences and assessments.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 10/29/2024
Dr. Azola is a wonderful doctor. She is kind, patient, and really cares about her patients. I'm so glad she is my doctor
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 10/15/2024
We thought the Doctor was an excellent professional. Exceeded all our expectations
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 10/14/2024
Dr. Azola has been an amazing doctor and has invested so much time and effort to try and help me with my unorthodox case. She is like family ous and moving to MD from CT had been the best choice.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 10/9/2024
Dr Azola is exceptionally knowledgeable, warm, caring, and quick to respond to inquiries. I greatly value and respect her medical (and emotional) guidance.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 10/9/2024
Dr. Azola is one of the most caring physicians I have ever dealt with. She is well informed and answers all my questions and concerns.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 10/7/2024
Dr Azola is a fantastic Doctor! She takes the time to go throu all of my conditions and medications. Very supportive and thorough! Couldn't ask for a better Dr!!!
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 10/2/2024
Excellent listener, knowledgeable, and explained the reasoning behind her recommendations.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 8/29/2024
Dr Azola is always genuinely interested in helping. She listens objectively, does her homework and is very accessible
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 8/27/2024
She deserves awards. She is phenomenal.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 8/12/2024
Dr. Azola is the best. She understands the medical issues/challenges I face on a daily basis and is always supportive and helpful. She provides excellent care.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 8/6/2024
Dr. Azola shows commitment to helping in the treatment of our daughter's health problem. She is very friendly and always listens and asks for key information.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 7/22/2024
Dr. Azola is knowledgeable, kind and caring. Her patients are very lucky to have her.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 7/19/2024
Dr. Azola is a very kind and compassionate physician. She takes the time to listen and answer all of your questions.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 7/10/2024
Dr. Azola is amazing she called me right away when she saw any form of abnormalities within my chart. Additionally she was thorough in her examination and I felt seen heard and planned for. As a newly moved to the Baltimore area reestablishing care can feel very isolating but I felt at home.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 6/17/2024
Always available whenever I have questions or problems
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 6/3/2024
Dr. Azola always provide me the best care!
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 5/29/2024
Excellant, compassionate. Patient. Kind
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 4/22/2024
Dr. Azola is the best doctor I've ever had. She is amazing.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 4/4/2024
Dr. Azola is excellent. She is kind, caring, and informative. She is always looking for ways to improve my current health situation.
- 5 out of 5 starsReviewed on 4/3/2024
Brilliant, compassionate, one of my favorite providers!