Stories from Texas Medicine, May 2024

The Waco Way: How This Addiction Medicine Specialist Targets Primary Care Challenges - 05/09/2024

How one addiction medicine specialist turned passion into practicality to target behavioral health challenges in primary care.


The Great Masquerader: Congenital Syphilis Plagues Texas - 05/06/2024

Since beginning her career at the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) in 2017 as the infectious disease medical officer, Jennifer Shuford, MD, has been closely monitoring syphilis.


Advocating With One Voice: Strategic Plan Aims for Unity in Texas Medicine - 05/06/2024

TMA strategic plan aims for association to be the unified voice of Texas medicine.


The Secret Handshake: TMA Experts Identify Medical Documentation Missteps - 05/06/2024

TMA experts help identify medical documentation missteps that may lead to payment and prior authorization denials.


Coding with Care: Knowing Billing Codes for Complex Care Can Maximize Revenue, Access to Care - 05/06/2024

Knowing billing codes for complex care can maximize revenue and access to care.


Valuable Screentime: Telemedicine Paves the Way for Increased Access - 05/06/2024

Telemedicine paves the way for increased health care access.


Drivers Ed: Texas Program Empowers Residents to Address Nonmedical Drivers of Health - 05/06/2024

Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio developed a residency training program focused on nonmedical factors, related screening tools, and community resources that can help patients in need.


Innovation for Every Age: Texas Primary Care Physicians Improve Access for Older Patients - 05/06/2024

Texas' population is aging, highlighting the importance of access to high-quality, coordinated primary care that bridges complex systems, various clinicians, and concurrent chronic conditions.


Coming Up Short: TMA Workforce Report Underscores Access Challenges, Advocacy Wins - 05/06/2024

While the study highlights positive growth facilitated by TMA’s ongoing advocacy, it shows shortages that mirror those across the health care professional workforce and that are particularly entrenched in rural areas; it also reveals challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and by other factors, economic or otherwise, that have complicated Texas' practice environment and impacted recruitment.