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Reviewers Required for Rural Revenue Recipients - 09/10/2024

If you understand rural health needs and have some time to help facilities in those areas seek state funding, the State Office of Rural Health needs your help.

New TMA Podcast Spotlights Timely Health Care Issues - 09/02/2024

The Texas Medical Association Council on Health Promotion has launched a podcast series to inform and educate the public on some of TMA’s public health priorities, as well as community outreach programs the council oversees.

Class Care: School-Based Health Centers Deliver Care to At-Risk Youth - 08/27/2024

School-based health centers in Texas deliver physical and behavioral care to at-risk youth.

Learn How to Beat the Heat with TMA Health Beat - 08/16/2024

Texans are no strangers to extreme temperatures, but underestimating the dangers posed by the heat can have serious consequences.

COVID-19 Cases Up Again; What You Should Know - 08/14/2024

COVID-19 cases are up again, with case numbers in Texas and nearby states leading the way, according to two public health measurements.

CDC: Drinking Raw Milk Doesn’t Protect Against Avian Flu - 08/07/2024

The spread of the A(H5N1) virus, or avian flu, has forced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to warn people away from drinking raw milk contaminated with the virus as a way to acquire antibodies against the disease. The unsupported practice significantly increases risk of illness. Read more.

Talk to Patients About: Flu - 07/31/2024

Flu is serious, and the vaccine can prevent or minimize the illness.

Keep Them From Harm and Injustice? - 07/30/2024

Fear remains a major barrier to transparency of hospital errors.

Physicians: The Rising Number of Older Patients Requires Expertise on Aging, but Barriers Exist - 07/29/2024

As forecasters predict the number of people aged 65 and older in Texas will more than triple by 2050, doctors say the population will need more specialized physicians to meet the patients’ unique needs.

Maternal Health Problems in Central Texas Underscore Statewide Crisis - 07/22/2024

Central Texas has significant maternal health challenges, including the highest rate of maternal death among black women, in part because of barriers to health care coverage and because resources are underused, according to a report by the nonprofit Texans Care for Children.

It’s Hot! Stay Hydrated and Remain Vigilant to Avoid Heat Exhaustion or Worse, Doctors Say - 07/01/2024

Texans are no strangers to hot temperatures, but physicians are warning Texans about the dangers of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. “As the temperatures rise and the heat index surges, we see more people in the emergency department suffering from heat-related illnesses,” said Hilary Fairbrother, MD, an emergency medicine physician and chair of the Texas Medical Association’s Committee on Emergency Medical Services and Trauma.

Leading Through Change: TMA’s Impact on Public Health Evident at State Level - 06/04/2024

Texas Medicine had the opportunity to interview five DSHS commissioners who have served as the top brass in Texas Public Health over the past 30 years, working closely with TMA along the way. At the same time, these leaders have leveraged their roles and expertise to inform and influence medicine in the state.

Physicians Must Validate Email to Avoid Medicaid Disenrollment, Payment Delays - 05/29/2024

Texas physicians who care for Medicaid patients should confirm their email address is valid in the Texas Medicaid and Healthcare Partnership’s Provider Enrollment Management System to ensure effective communication and timely payments from the state Medicaid administrator.

Physicians Sound Alarm to Curb Rising Congenital Syphilis Rates - 05/16/2024

Texas physicians are raising the alarm as cases of congenital syphilis, a dangerous illness for fetuses and newborn babies, are surging. Texas has the fourth highest congenital syphilis case rate in the nation, with cases skyrocketing 148% from 2017 to 2022, according to Texas Department of State Health Services data.

Delegates Emphasize Women’s, Reproductive Health Ahead of Legislative Session - 05/15/2024

Continuing its mission to improve the health of mothers and babies in Texas, along with addressing ongoing sexual health and opioid crises, TMA passed and strengthened policy to shape the association’s advocacy come legislative session.

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.

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.

Feds Extend Marketplace Special Enrollment Amid Medicaid Unwinding - 04/19/2024

Texas patients who have been disenrolled from Medicaid in the wake of the COVID-19 public health emergency now have more time to find alternative coverage on the federal marketplace. The extension could mitigate a coverage cliff about which the Texas Medical Association has long raised concerns.

Fingerprinting Services to Be Offered at TexMed - 04/18/2024

Because many Texas physicians now are required to provide fingerprints to renew their medical licenses, the Texas Medical Association has contracted with Idemia to make these services available onsite at TexMed 2024 for registered conference attendees.

Postpartum Coverage Extension Brings Payment Complexities - 04/05/2024

As the 12-month postpartum coverage Texas legislature approved took effect March 1, physicians and their practice staff should take note of subsequent payment complexities, Texas Medical Association experts caution.

An Unfailing Voice for Medicine: TMA Honors Kenneth Mattox, MD - 04/01/2024

TMA honors Houston trauma surgeon Kenneth Mattox, MD, for his dedication to public health.

Mumps: Virus Causes Puffy Cheeks and Sometimes, Serious Complications - 03/27/2024

The bottom line: Mumps is a viral contagious disease. People know mumps for patients’ swollen cheeks and jaw, but patients also suffer fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite. Outbreaks occur every year in the United States and Texas. The MMR vaccine protects people against this disease.

State to Update Trauma, Emergency System Rules - 03/25/2024

For the first time in 20 years, the Texas Department of State Health Services is updating the state’s emergency medical system and trauma care rules.

Physicians Now May Apply for TMA Disaster Relief Program Aid - 03/23/2024

Any Texas physician whose Harvey-damaged medical practice is located in a federally declared disaster area now may apply for relief funds from the Texas Medical Association (TMA) Disaster Relief Program.

Residency Revival: Grassroots Advocacy Averts Residency Program Closure - 03/12/2024

Grassroots physician advocacy averts emergency medicine residency program closure.