• Clinic Closeup

    Clinic closeup: Kali Barnes, RN, Nurse Lead; Crystal Deem, RN, Nursing Manager; Manuela Murray, MD, Pediatrician; and Jamie Stansfield, RN, Nurse Lead, at UTMB Health Pediatric Primary Care, Bay Colony.

Faculty Group Practice Newsletter Latest Edition

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Articles
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APP Corner
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RCO Coding Clip
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Welcome to UTMB
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Where in the UTMB?

  • Pediatrics Special Edition: A Letter from the Chair

    As we approach the close of a busy and productive season, I want to share several exciting updates from the Department of Pediatrics. Our clinical teams continue to provide exceptional, compassionate care across all sites, maintaining strong quality metrics and improving access for the families we serve.

 Articles

A child lies in a hospital bed with her eyes closed and tubes attached to her body as someone checks her heart

Vizient Honor Puts Spotlight on Pediatric Critical Care Excellence

Vizient’s Bernard A. Birnbaum Quality and Accountability Award for Pediatric Hospital Services reflects on the efforts of many teams providing pediatric hospital services. Dr. Leticia Castillo’s team in critical care is one key component, taking care of patients at the PICU in Galveston, as well as the Intermediate Care Units in Galveston and Clear Lake.

A teen boy sits on the sofa, smiling, a his dad puts an arm around his shoulders

Improving Access to High-Demand Pediatric Developmental-Behavioral Health Care

Families across Texas face significant challenges when seeking care for children with developmental and behavioral health needs, like autism, ADHD, anxiety, and intellectual disabilities. At UTMB, those challenges have lessened thanks to recent growth in the Division of Development, Behavior, and Mental Health Services.

A gloved hand holds a premature infant's tiny feet inside an incubator

Elevating Neonatal Services with Advancements in Angleton, Fellowship Program Growth

The UTMB Angleton-Danbury Campus (ADC) is in the midst of an exciting transformation in neonatal care. Medical Director Dr. Sunil Jain has a vision to elevate the Level I nursery to Level II – an important goal to increase patient satisfaction and offer more comprehensive care to Brazoria County patients – as he aims to expand the Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Program.

A child's hands are seen holding a fork over an animal-shaped food dish with chicken and vegetables.

Building Healthier Futures in Pediatric Endocrinology and the Bright Bodies Program

Childhood obesity continues to be a growing concern across the United States, with long-term health implications that can follow children into adulthood. Through efforts in its pediatric endocrinology clinic and the state-funded Bright Bodies program, UTMB is helping children, adolescents, and young adults take charge of their health from an early age.

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    UTMB Earns U.S. News & World Report Recognition for Maternity Care

    U.S. News & World Report has named The University of Texas Medical Branch as a 2026 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care. This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study, now in its fifth edition.

  • Members of the UTMB Police Department and a colleague show off donations collected for the 2024 Blue Santa drive.

    Department of Pediatrics, UTMB PD Team Up for Toy Drive

    Members of the UTMB community can bring holiday cheer to pediatric patients through the annual Blue Santa Project toy and book drive. Drop off an unwrapped toy or book for any age by Dec. 15.

View Past Articles 

 APP Corner

  • Leslie Johnstone's headshot on a dark blue banner with a white stethoscope graphic

    Honoring Dedication, Leadership and Compassion in Pediatric Care

    We are proud to recognize Leslie Johnstone, PA-C, Pediatric Physician Assistant at UTMB Health Pediatric Primary Care, Bay Colony, as a "40 Under 40 of Galveston County" honoree for 2025. At just 36 years old, she exemplifies the dedication, leadership, and compassion that define the very best of advanced practice providers in our community.

APP Corner is a monthly feature by, about, and for UTMB's Advanced Practice Professionals.

View Past APP Corner Articles 

'CODING' inside speech bubbles  RCO Coding Clip

  • ICD–10 Diagnosis Coding – Why It Is Important to Code to the Highest Specificity

    Accurate medical coding is the backbone of healthcare revenue cycle management. Among the most critical aspects of coding is ensuring that ICD-10 diagnosis codes are reported to the highest level of specificity. This practice impacts accurate reimbursement and influences compliance, data integrity, and patient care outcomes.

Have coding questions or need additional training? We are here to help! We invite you to contact us to schedule large group, small group, or 1:1 training.

Submit Your Request

RCO Coding Clip is a monthly feature in the FGP Newsletter, with educational and informational items for providers from our Revenue Cycle Operations Coding Team.

Welcome to UTMB

  • December New Hires

    Headshot of Hesham AbowaliHesham Abowali, MD
    Medical Oncology     		Headshot of Aviva AidenAviva Aiden, MD, PhD
    Neonatology     		Headshot of Sura AlqaisiSura Alqaisi, MD
    Endocrinology     		Headshot of Bianca CrowleyBianca Crowley, APRN, FNPC
    Plastic Surgery
    Headshot of Ayman ElbadawiAyman Elbadawi, MD, PhD, MSc
    Cardiovascular Medicine    		Headshot of Alexandra HalloranAlexandra Halloran, DO, MS
    Pediatrics    		Headshot of Soya Joseph Soya Joseph, APRN-CNP
    Medical Oncology    		Headshot of Alicia MonroeAlicia Monroe, MD
    Family Medicine
    Headshot of Ashley RabalaisAshley Rabalais, MSN, FNP-BC, RN
    Endocrinology    		Headshot of Krishna SutharKrishna Suthar, MD
    Medical Oncology

Where in the UTMB

Do you know where this photo was taken?

We  feature sights across our UTMB campuses each month. If you think you know where this photo was taken, let us know. We will share the location next month!

All readers who submit a correct response within one week of publication will be entered into a drawing. One randomly selected winner will receive a UTMB umbrella and be recognized in next month's edition! (Eligibility to win is once per calendar year.)

Submit Your Answer!

  • Where in the UTMB November 2025

    November Winner - Where in the UTMB

    Congratulations to Vanessa Gutierrez, MSN, RN-BC, Outpatient Nurse Manager at the Dave Bleakney Building, in Angleton. She was the lucky winner randomly chosen from all those who correctly identified the Lake Jackson Clinic.