Sept. 15, 2025
● WHAT: Physicians, other health care stakeholders, and government policymakers will assemble for a compact conference to examine the unique health care challenges confronting Texans along the state’s border with Mexico.
Many border residents lack health insurance while facing chronic health conditions.
The Texas Medical Association (TMA) Border Health Caucus will host its 20th annual border conference with area stakeholders to discuss these challenges and seek solutions.
● WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 18, 8 am-2pm
● WHERE: El Paso Convention Center, Second Floor Salon C, One Civic Center Plaza, El Paso
● WHO: Jayesh “Jay” Shah, MD, president, TMA; Victor Gonzalez, MD, chair, Border Health Caucus; Rep. Vincent Perez (D-El Paso); Mayor Pro Tem Alejandra Chavez, City of El Paso; and other officials.
Presentations:
- Potential Impact of Budget Cuts on the Border (video presentation): U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas)
- Public Health: Immigration and Health Care: Hector Ocaranza, MD, City-County of El Paso;
- Disaster Preparedness: Wanda Helgesen, Border Regional Advisory Council;
- Augmented Intelligence and Border Practice: Ogechika Alozie, MD, Sunset West Health;
- Impact of Data Access on Patient Care: Emily Hartmann, PHIX Network – El Paso’s Health Information Exchange;
- Collaboration in Health Care: Michaele Linden-Johnson, Medical Center of the Americas Foundation;
- 89th Texas Legislature – Defending Medicine and the Importance of Advocacy: Ezequiel “Zeke” Silva III, MD, chair, TMA Council on Legislation; and
- From Panic to Preparedness: An Innovative Approach to Cybersecurity: Cathy Bryant, RN, BSN, MHA, CHPC, Texas Medical Liability Trust.
Check the agenda for more conference details.
Contact TMA’s media relations team in advance for questions; David Wilhelm can assist news media on site.
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 59,000 physician and medical student members. It is in Austin and has 110 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.
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TMA Contacts:TMA Contacts:
Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320
Swathi Narayanan (512) 370-1382; cell: (408) 987-1318
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