For Immediate Release
April 19, 2011
|
|
| |
|
Contact: Pam Udall
phone: (512) 370-1382
cell: (512) 413-6807
|
Brent Annear
phone: (512) 370-1381
cell: (512) 656-7320
|
Click here to follow TMA on Twitter . Or visit TMA on Facebook.
Sidney Ontai, MD, MBA, a Plainview, Texas, family physician and physician leader with the Texas Medical Association (TMA), is the first featured doctor in a new national radio franchise premiering this week.
ReachMD, an award-winning network for professional medical news, information, and continuing medical education, premieres the new programming series “Voices From American Medicine” today. The series features “physicians on the frontlines of medicine discussing their personal stories of triumph, tragedy, humanitarianism and innovation.” “Voices From American Medicine” is produced in cooperation with TMA and other medical associations and societies from across America.
The first of these conversations features Dr. Ontai on ReachMD XM 160 and on ReachMD’s web and mobile platforms. TMA suggested ReachMD interview Dr. Ontai because he cares for patients in rural West Texas, uses telemedicine to extend his medical care into remote areas, and still makes house calls.
“These little towns that I’ve put [remote] clinics in are so small, they don’t have pharmacies. They’re lucky if they have a retired nurse out there,” Dr. Ontai said. Describing using his remote clinic to see established patients via telemedicine, he adds, “I use the clinic as if I have another exam room. It just happens to be a hundred miles away.”
Dr. Ontai has chaired and served on both the TMA Council on Practice Management Services and the TMA Committee on Rural Health. He also served on TMA’s Health Information Technology Ad Hoc Committee; on TMA’s Texas Medicine magazine editorial board; and as vice president of his local county medical society, the Hale-Floyd-Briscoe County Medical Society.
“There are physicians across the country contributing to the field of medicine and making outstanding contributions every single day,” said Gary Epstein, CEO of ReachMD and the host of “Voices From American Medicine.” “Our new series recognizes these physicians who share their captivating and inspirational stories, giving them a unique opportunity to speak to the entire health care community.”
In addition to Dr. Ontai, ReachMD plans to air interviews with two other TMA physician leaders: Kim Edwards, MD — an Austin pediatrician who is a one-physician army against childhood obesity — and Stan Wang, MD, JD, MPH, an Austin cardiologist who came home to Texas because of the state’s physician- and-patient-friendly medical liability climate. More Texas physicians also will be featured.
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 45,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 120 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.
ReachMD, headquartered in Northbrook, Ill., produces and distributes advanced health care information and education for medical professionals, including free continuing medical education. “Voices From American Medicine” and all of ReachMD’s audio programming can be heard on XM Satellite Radio Channel 160.
-- 30 --