Faculty Group Practice Newsletter

With conditions like diabetes and hypertension prevalent among UTMB’s patient population, the expansion of vascular surgery services over the past few years is meeting an important need in the region. The newest addition to the vascular faculty, Channa Blakely, DO, is proud to be a part of this growth.

With a wealth of experience delivering lifesaving cancer therapies, and with expertise in all types of radiation modalities, UTMB’s new Chair of Radiation Oncology, Dr. Upendra Parvathaneni, has not forgotten the reason he chose his specialty.

Congratulations to Cassandra L. Olivarez, NRCMA, Medical Assistant I in Ambulatory Support Services STAR SQUAD. She was the first to recognize the UHC fifth-floor waiting room outside the Dermatology clinic.

Welcome to UTMB Health!

The Inpatient or Observation Discharge Service is time based. Time for 99239 is required. 99238 – Hospital Inpatient or Observation Discharge Day Management – 30 minutes or less on the date of the encounter 99239 – more than 30 minutes on the date of the encounter

U.S. News & World Report named the University of Texas Medical Branch a 2025 High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care. The award is the highest a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study.

We’re proud to celebrate the physicians at UTMB Health who have been named 2024 Texas Super Doctors®. From family medicine and pediatrics to specialties like cardiology, orthopedics, and beyond, our dedicated doctors work every day to improve the health and lives of our community.

Carlos Clark, DO, Chief Medical Information Officer, announced on Friday, Dec. 6, that UTMB now has enterprise license for Dragon Ambient eXperience, or DAX Copilot, an AI-powered Microsoft product that helps clinicians automatically document patient encounters and improve clinical efficiency.

Erika Schulze, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, was one of two providers awarded for “Going Above and Beyond for their Patients” for her diligent efforts to increase Medicare Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs) in October 2024. Ms. Schulze is a Nurse Practitioner at the UTMB Health Primary Care Clinic at Marina Bay.

The UTMB Flu Free Vaccination Program provides employee flu shots at all hospital campuses and primary care clinics to help prevent the spread of seasonal influenza. Health care workers at UTMB are required to receive a flu shot or complete a declination form by Nov. 15, 2024.

One look at Dr. Sanjeev Tuli’s resume reveals an impressive history of clinical and educational leadership and advocacy for children’s health care. From one conversation with him, what becomes equally clear is his strong passion for this important work. Dr. Tuli joined UTMB on Oct. 1 as Chair of the Department of Pediatrics. He previously served the University of Florida Health in Gainesville, FL for more than two decades

Each November, COPD Awareness Month spotlights chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a condition affecting millions of people and requiring specialized, ongoing care. COPD is a progressive lung disease often linked to smoking, though it may also be tied to genetics or environmental exposure to smoke or other pollutants.

Congratulations to Tonya Allyn Broussard, Senior Internal Communications Strategist. She was the first to identify the Galveston ER ramp.

Welcome to UTMB Health!

The University of Texas Medical Branch Clear Lake Campus has received certification from DNV Healthcare USA as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, reflecting the highest level of competence for treatment of serious stroke events and complications.

UTMB is taking important steps in its commitment to leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for the advancement of healthcare, as announced last month by Salim Hayek, MD, Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer.

Colon cancer, also referred to as colorectal cancer, is a malignancy that originates in the colon or rectum, integral components of the digestive system. It ranks among the most prevalent cancers globally. While it is not possible to completely prevent colon cancer, certain lifestyle modifications may help lower the risk.

CMS introduces a new complexity code for Infectious Disease, G0545, and makes changes to the G2211 complexity code effective January 1, 2025.

With heart disease ranking as the leading cause of death for men, women, and most racial and ethnic groups, having a full complement of services to support heart health is essential. UTMB’s Department of Surgery aims to more comprehensively meet patient needs through increased access and enhanced expertise.

Members of the UTMB community attending the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Learn Serve Lead Annual Meeting in Atlanta are invited to attend the Texas Trailblazers Reception!