Author: Walter M. Holton
West Texas VA Health Care System volunteers like Brittney Karina are changing the lives of veterans through the universal language of music. Britney’s innovative karaoke program not only unites veterans in song, but also provides a fun experience and an opportunity to relive cherished memories. If you’ve ever considered volunteering, let Britney’s story inspire you to contribute your unique talents and make a tangible difference in the lives of those who serve our country.Britney Karina has always believed in the transformative power of music. As a child, she felt that music could move people and evoke joy, a belief that…
Seven state employees have been fired for improperly accessing the accounts and, in some cases, stealing money from the accounts of thousands of Texans receiving Medicaid, food stamps and other public assistance, the Texas Tribune says. The paper acknowledged. The incident, billed as the largest data breach in the history of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, involved accessing the personal account information of 61,104 Texans for no apparent business reason, with officials alleging that Four of them were laid off in December. In a separate incident early last year, an employee was fired for illegally possessing welfare account…
Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the stories. Please take a look at our AI policy and give us your feedback. Sign up for The Brief, the Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that provides readers with the most important Texas news. Seven state employees have been fired for improperly accessing the accounts and, in some cases, stealing money from the accounts of thousands of Texans receiving Medicaid, food stamps and other public assistance, the Texas Tribune says. The paper acknowledged. The incident, billed as the largest data breach in the history of the Texas Health and Human…
Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the stories. Please review our AI policy and give us your feedback. Sign up for The Brief, the Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that provides readers with the most important Texas news. A coalition of health care industry leaders is backing a policy they say will help stem the exodus of health care workers across the state, allowing some out-of-state professionals to practice in Texas. The plan would allow Texas to join existing interstate agreements for nine professions: audiology and speech pathology, cosmetology, occupational therapy, physician assistant, counseling, dentistry, nutrition, respiratory…
HOUSTON – The Texas Medical Board (TMB) has temporarily suspended the medical license of a Houston doctor, citing a risk to public safety.Dr. Samar Elfallal (DO) was suspended on January 9 after the TMB committee found evidence of serious harm to patients in 2022. The commission said the neurosurgeon gave the patient an overdose of the paralyzing drug lidocaine, which caused the patient to have a seizure and almost go into cardiac arrest. The patient was rushed to the ICU and is now reportedly suffering from long-term neurological problems.In December 2024, Dr. Elfaral was indicted in Harris County on a…
Bone tissue is a complex structure, composed of mineralized collagen fibers and various non-collagenous proteins, including proteoglycans such as biglycan and decorin. These proteoglycans play an important role in interacting with water and other components within the extracellular matrix and influencing the mechanical properties of bone. Despite their importance, the specific functions of biglycan and decorin in bone health are not well understood. Given the potential impact of proteoglycans on conditions such as osteoporosis, there is an increasing need for research to better understand the role these proteoglycans play in maintaining bone integrity.In a study published in Bone Research on…
Texas taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize abortion providers. I am sure you will agree with this, so please consider it.Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – After learning that the Texas Medical Board has a Planned Parenthood employee as its medical director, Congressman Brian Harrison today sent an attached letter to Governor Abbott asking for the employee’s removal. and asked for instructions to all state agencies. To ensure that there are no other family planning system employees employed by state agencies, including in advisory roles.His post breaking the story can be found here: https://x.com/brianeharrison/status/1873756657026765052Letter from Congressman Brian Harrison below:Governor…
Posted on January 10, 2025 at 1:42 PM.Shared by Jane Alvarez Hernandez Lei Zheng, MD, PhD, executive director of the Mays Cancer Center at the University of Texas Health San Antonio Health Science Center (UT Health San Antonio), receives a $500,000 Translational Science and Technology Acquisition and Retention (STAR) award from The Center. I received an award. The University of Texas System aims to enhance research into monitoring pancreatic tumor progression and treatment efficacy. Ray Jen, MD A proud alumnus of UT Health San Antonio, who joined the university on September 1, 2024, Zheng is vice chancellor for oncology in…
Chancellor Taylor Amy speaks at the merger celebration of UTSA and the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Merger of UTSA and UT Health San Antonio Last year, the University of Texas System announced that UTSA and UT Health San Antonio would merge to create a premier university that combines top academic and health science elements within a single institution. This new university will leverage its size and scale to give Texas a significant advantage on a national level. The second largest city in Texas and the seventh largest city in the United States, San Antonio is…
This is the second time in recent months that a preceptor at a Texas medical center has failed to attend a resident’s surgery, a problem that patient advocates say raises safety concerns.The latest case involves Dr. Nathan Robert Stark, who was listed as a member of Houston Methodist’s urology residency program, which trains new doctors. The Texas Medical Board this week said Stark attended “several surgeries” in August and September while “appearing to be impaired” before testing positive for cocaine in October. The company announced that Stark’s license had been temporarily suspended.According to the Houston Methodist Medical Association’s Dec. 20…