Faculty Group Practice Newsletter

UTMB Health celebrated the opening of its new Pediatric and Adult Primary Care Clinic in Friendswood, located at 1715 S. Friendswood Drive, on Wednesday, April 23.

With a mission to provide area patients with high-quality, comprehensive orthopedic care, UTMB’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation continues to enrich its faculty roster with new talent. Burak Altintas, MD, joined the department last year, increasing access to critical orthopedic services on the mainland.

The feeling of being constantly unable to breathe can be agonizing, with significant implications for one’s quality of life. While medications may provide relief to many, some patients experience persistent sinus issues that require an expert approach and more advanced interventions. The field of Rhinology is dedicated to solutions for nasal and sinus conditions.

Congratulations to Heather Pierson, Administrative Secretary for CMC Laboratory Services, for being the first to recognize the UTMB Health Family Medicine Clinic on Stewart Road in Galveston.

Welcome to UTMB Health!

With a goal to enhance Nephrology programs at UTMB, the institution welcomed a new chief last September. Ajay Israni, MD, MS, arrived with extensive experience, a vision for growth, and excitement for the tremendous potential he saw at UTMB. Now, UTMB is on track to emerge as a leader in kidney care.

These codes are used for extensive time in addition to seeing the patient and must relate to a service for a patient where direct face-to-face patient care has occurred or will occur and be part of ongoing patient management. The time spent for prolonged non-face-to-face services does not need to be continuous but must be on the same calendar date.

One of UTMB’s most cherished traditions is the Preemie Reunion, an annual event that brings together former NICU patients, their families, and the care teams who supported them through the earliest and most fragile days of life. Thanks to Dr. Keleigh Warnke, NNP-in-Chief for UTMB Neonatal Nurseries, for sharing insights into this special event.

UTMB’s capacity to provide the full breadth of vision care continues to grow, as the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences builds upon its team with talented new additions. Ashley Nickens, MD, brings experience with common ophthalmologic conditions like cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.

Navigating a movement disorder can feel overwhelming. Conditions like Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, essential tremor, and Huntington’s disease can deeply affect a person’s mobility, independence, and quality of life. At UTMB Health, patients benefit from expert care delivered with compassion—and conveniently close to home.

The DAX Copilot activity in the Epic Haiku mobile app has a new feature that enables clinicians to capture clinician-patient conversations in Spanish. Clinicians can now seamlessly switch between recording conversations in English and Spanish while providing care during a patient encounter.

Congratulations to Maria A. Rubio, Medical Assistant at the UTMB Lake Jackson Pediatrics Clinic, for being the first to recognize the Dave Bleakney Building in Angleton.

UTMB celebrated National Doctors' Day on Monday, March 31, with breakfast at campus locations as well as gifts for all physicians. This annual event is dedicated to honoring their impact and expressing our deepest gratitude.

Medicare has extended the Telehealth Flexibilities until Sept. 30, 2025. Other payers are starting to make decisions as to how they would like to handle telehealth. It is very important that when completing a telehealth visit, the TELEHEALTH NOTE is used. Using the telehealth note will bring up the proper documentation elements and add the appropriate telehealth modifier and place of service.

A new community-based clinic is opening its doors this month in Lake Jackson, bringing accessible and high-quality primary and urgent care services to the region. The clinic is staffed by a team of highly experienced and compassionate providers, each bringing unique strengths and deep commitment to patient-centered care.

There is no shortage of reasons for individuals who smoke to consider quitting. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease, death, and disability in the United States, affecting nearly every organ of the body. In the four years since UTMB’s Department of Otolaryngology launched its tobacco cessation program, patients have entered with a wide variety of motivations, but one thing in common: the desire to quit.

Welcome to UTMB Health!

March is Social Work Month, a time for us to honor and celebrate our UTMB social workers' remarkable influence!

Each year on National Doctors' Day, we recognize the outstanding work our doctors do to improve health and well-being. UTMB will celebrate the occasion on Monday, March 31, with recognition events at our hospital campuses and special gifts for physicians across the institution.