Aug. 17, 2026
● WHAT: Physician leaders are convening with their colleagues and other health care stakeholders and government policymakers to develop solutions to the unique pressing challenges to providing health care along the Texas-Mexico border.
The Texas Medical Association (TMA) Border Health Caucus will host its 22nd annual border conference with area stakeholders to discuss these challenges and seek solutions.
● WHEN: Friday, Aug. 21, 8 am-3 pm
● WHERE: Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance, 118 Paseo Del Prado, Edinburg
● WHO: Bradford Holland, MD, president, TMA; Victor Gonzalez, MD, chair, Border Health Caucus; Mayor Omar Ochoa, City of Edinburg; and other physician leaders and health care experts.
Presentations:
- Overview of Texas Rural Health: Adrian Billings, MD, F. Marie Hall Endowed chair of Rural Health, senior fellow and professor, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, and member, TMA Council on Legislation;
- Access to Care: Advancing Access to Health Coverage in Texas – Building an Effective Alliance: Lisa Madry, Consultant, Texas Partnership for Health Access;
- Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Briefing: Emilie Prot, DO, DSHS Regional Medical Director, Public Health Region 11;
- Building the Border Health Workforce: How Community-Engaged Research Creates Healthier Communities: Chelsea H. Chang, MD, chair, Department of Primary and Community Care, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine; and
- Health Care Disparities: What Are They and What Can We Do About Them? Bill Hopkins, Partner, Stinson LLP
See the conference agenda for more details and for any updates.
Contact TMA’s media relations team in advance for answers to questions; David Wilhelm can assist news media on site.
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 60,000 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:
Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320
Swathi Narayanan (512) 370-1382; cell: (408) 987-1318
Connect with TMA on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
Last Updated On
August 17, 2026
Originally Published On
August 17, 2026