UTMB News

A nurse works at a desk with a computer and a clipboard

Effective in the fall of 2025, third- and fourth-semester School of Nursing Bachelor of Science in Nursing students rotating at University of Texas Medical Branch clinical locations will have access to the Epic electronic health record system.

Marburg virus graphic

In a major step forward for pandemic preparedness and vaccine development, scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch and Moderna have developed and tested a groundbreaking mRNA vaccine that provides full protection against the deadly Marburg virus and the closely related Ravn virus in a preclinical animal model.

Health insurance companies unveiled a plan to streamline and reduce prior authorization requirements but hospital leaders remain skeptical, reports Becker’s. UTMB President and CEO Dr. Jochen Reiser tells Becker’s that “the intent behind these reforms is positive, and we would like to believe they will lead to a reduction in burden. However, to date, the program hasn’t played out that way in practice.”

For many years, aspirin was referred to as the “Wonder Drug” for its multiple medicinal applications, write Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel in their latest column. Aspirin has been used since at least 400 BC and scientists continue to find new uses for this wonder drug.

A group of people watching fireworks

Fireworks can cause life changing injuries. Learn the dos and don'ts from UTMB Health Trauma Services to keep you and your family safe.

Pediatric Hospital Teacher Sheryl Bucsanyi dressed in a Mardi Gras alligator costume interacts with a small child

At the University of Texas Medical Branch, Sheryl Bucsanyi serves as the dedicated Pediatric Hospital Teacher, making sure young patients stay connected to learning during their hospital stay.

Raise a glass to your health. Beer has some health benefits when ingested in moderation, writes Dr. Samuel Mathis. Studies show that beer may help reduce cognitive decline, that it could be beneficial to our bones and one study even found that men who have had a previous heart attack were less likely to die of heart disease if they occasionally had beer.

Michael Eagon, Senior Pharmacy Manager of Ambulatory Pharmacy at UTMB, and Nathan Vo, Senior Pharmacy Manager of Revenue Integrity at UTMB, spoke to Becker’s about what UTMB has done to expand access to care. “[UTMB] has adopted a comprehensive, multi-faceted strategy to effectively expand access to care,” they said.

“Access to care is an institutional priority,” Dr. Jochen Reiser, president and CEO of UTMB Health, tells Becker’s. Becker’s asked C-suite executives from hospitals and health systems across the U.S. to share how their system has been expanding their access to care.

Saffron, one of the most expensive spices in the world, has multiple health benefits, writes Dr. Samuel Mathis. Saffron comes with antioxidant properties, can affect mood and has been shown to help with weight loss.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, may sound like a disease from the past, but it is making a comeback and adults are often the ones passing it on, write Drs. Megan Berman and Richard Rupp.

Dr. Clare McNerlin and Dr. Daniel Kaganov, two inaugural emergency medicine/aerospace medicine residents at UTMB, write about UTMB’s program and the fields of aerospace and emergency medicine. “Although emergency and aerospace medicine are practiced in different settings, both share a commitment to saving lives through rapid, effective care in high-pressure situations,” they write.

Scientists from Canada, the U.S., Australia and Argentina have spent six years trying to understand more about celiac disease, write Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel in their latest column. If untreated, celiac disease could lead to intestinal damage, diabetes, osteoporosis and autoimmune disorders.

Becker’s also quoted Dr. Jochen Reiser in a separate story on access to care. “In addition to hiring more providers, we have refined the functionality of Fast Pass in our Epic appointment system to make better use of the automated wait list for patients,” Reiser said.

In a guest column for the Daily News, Dr. Jochen Reiser, president of UTMB and CEO of the UTMB Health System, wrote about the recently ended 89th Legislative Session in Austin and some of UTMB’s legislative wins. “At the University of Texas Medical Branch, we are thankful for these investments, both for the legislature’s vote of confidence for our Healthy Aging and Technology Initiative within our institution, and the broader establishment of the research institute, to fund competitive and thoughtful grants, for the betterment of all Texans,” Reiser writes.