Creating a brilliant patient experience deserves recognition., Every week, more than 12,000 patients come to our practices, and every positive experience we provide further propels our mission to make lives better. Recognize your colleagues for their outstanding dedication to provide excellent, patient-centered care by nominating them to receive a Silver Star award.
Mary Lucas lives on San Antonio’s Northeast Side with her 8-year-old son, Mychael Gordon. Both have asthma, requiring them to have ready access to an inhaler and nebulizer. Making matters worse, the neighbors in their apartment complex smoke. “We have it coming in from all sides,” Mary said. “If somebody starts smoking in one of the other apartments behind us, it comes through our vents. We don’t…, A perfect storm, Their story is typical, and with COVID-19, flu, mountain cedar and smoking all in play in South and Central Texas this winter, the stakes are high for many people, said Claudia S. Miller, MD, MS, a professor emeritus and environmental health expert at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Miller is especially concerned about mountain cedar. “The male mountain cedar trees will be releasing clouds of pollen…, Taken hostage by smoke, “People feel smoking is a personal choice,” Dr. Miller said. “They don’t realize that many non-smokers are exposed every day to tobacco smoke in their homes. If you live with a smoker who won’t smoke outside, or if you live in an apartment or condominium where smoking is allowed, you have no choice.” UT Health San Antonio pediatrician Mandie Svatek, MD, has visited homes of children who have…, Gratitude for safe behavior, Dr. Miller, Dr. Svatek, and colleagues at UT Health San Antonio and other organizations have launched an educational effort called , Mil Gracias (A Thousand Thanks), . The goal is to express gratitude toward smokers who guard the health of others by not smoking indoors, and, when outside, graciously distance themselves from others. Mil Gracias art “Smoking, vaping and secondhand smoke almost certainly increase the risk of serious illness and death from viruses like COVID-19 and influenza, both currently circulating in our community,” Dr. Miller said. “COPD…, Reasons – and help – to quit, Dr. Svatek said geo-mapping studies confirm what is being seen in practices: Latinx children are being disproportionately affected by COVID-19. “In San Antonio, from 10% to 30% of this population of children who are being admitted to the hospital have some sort of underlying condition, which includes asthma,” she said. Smokers need resources – patches, gum, encouragement – to quit. The need to…, Quitxt, a free bilingual text-message or Facebook Messenger service, that turns a smoker’s smartphone into a personal coach to help him or her quit smoking. Quitxt sends interactive and entertaining messages for four months with links to online support, as well as music and videos developed by UT Health San Antonio researchers. Messages focus on motivation to quit, setting a quit date, finding things to do instead of smoking, handling stress, coping and more. “We…, Join in English:, Text “iquit” to 844-332-2058; or search QuitxtCommunity on Facebook Messenger and hit “Get Started.”, Join in Spanish:, Text “lodejo” to 844-332-2058; or search QuitxtComunidad on Facebook Messenger and hit “Empezar.” In October 2018, San Antonio became the first city in Texas to raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco products to 21. “We’ve done a lot to eliminate smoking in workplaces and bars, but the biggest challenge remains within people’s own homes, where children with asthma, pregnant women,…, The intrusion of smoke, Tobacco smoke is pervasive, a fact experienced by Mary Lucas and her son, Mychael. Although they don’t smoke in their apartment, they are subjected to secondhand smoke. “Smoke travels like water travels in a flood,” said Dr. Miller, who has studied environmental triggers of illness for decades in Laredo and San Antonio and taught many public health professionals. “It travels through openings…
In a positive development for San Antonio’s COVID vaccine efforts, the state has designated UT Health San Antonio’s clinical practice a vaccine hub. This unique designation targets a population of over 120,000 of San Antonio’s most medically complex and vulnerable patients (e.g., older patients with cancer and dementia as well as those with complex lung, heart and kidney disease) in Tier 1B who…, Additional points, · While limited, our community is receiving what is to be expected as a continuous supply of Pfizer vaccine to administer to the sickest and most vulnerable patients across the community. · Through its efficiency and effectiveness in accepting, storing, and administering vaccine, UT Health San Antonio has been designated a vaccine hub with the mandate to administer to its patients,…
UT Health San Antonio physicians dominated a list of 276 peer-nominated physicians published in the January-February issue of San Antonio Magazine. From allergists to vascular surgeons, UT Health San Antonio doctors are more than well represented. San Antonio Magazine used an online survey to solicit peer nominations from physicians in Bexar and surrounding counties, asking them to nominate…
UT Health San Antonio, along with University Health, is leading the way in the new Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trial. Minority participation is key in order to ensure a diverse representation in the trial. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) states that Hispanics and non-Hispanic Black individuals have significantly higher odds of catching coronavirus. Those groups have almost five…
For the fifth consecutive year, UT Health Physicians has been nationally recognized for our dedication to providing excellent primary care. All six of our primary care locations have been awarded the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) rating from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). The patient-centered medical home model is considered the best model of primary care because it…, Committed to a higher standard of care, UT Health Physicians is committed to a higher standard of care, said Jessica Blower, M.D., UT Health Westover Hills medical director. “From caring for our patients’ sudden illnesses and injuries to managing their lifelong medical needs, we consider all aspects that could potentially impact their health, including lifestyle, medical history, social barriers, transportation barriers, financial…, Complete care coordination, A key component of the patient-centered medical home model is care coordination, which ensures that primary and specialty care clinicians effectively share information and manage patient referrals to minimize cost, confusion, and inappropriate care. “We are leaders in care coordination because, beyond our primary care offices, we are connected to a wealth of medical specialists,” said Kaparaboyna…, Persistence through a pandemic, UT Health staff member conducts temperature check on a visitor A UT Health staff member conducts visitor temperature checks. The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges to patient care in 2020, so the team at UT Health Physicians streamlined services to continue to provide a high level of care, Dr. Cancino said. “To maintain our patient-centered medical home status during this pandemic,…