Serving Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Montgomery and Galveston Counties
HOUSTON
Volume 12 | Issue 3
Inside This Issue
Renowned Cardiac Surgeon to Lead Cardiothoracic Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and Texas Heart Institute See pg. 9
INDEX Legal Matters........................ pg.3 Oncology Research......... pg.5 Mental Health...................... pg.6 Hospital News....................... pg.8 Healthy Heart......................pg.11 Financial Forecast............ pg.12
March Edition 2022
Large-Scale Events: Assessing Your Risk
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s COVID-19 cases are steadily decreasing in Houston, large-scale events are happening in the community. A Baylor College of Medicine expert discusses the risk factors associated with attending large events, such as concerts, sporting events and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo “We are doing much better and our viral numbers are improving rapidly and dramatically, so that’s very encouraging,” said Dr. James McDeavitt, executive vice president and dean of clinical affairs at Baylor. “However, we’re still in a very high prevalence environment. People need to continue to be cautious, particularly if they’re in relatively high-risk groups or routinely exposed to people at high risk.” Large-scale events vary in terms of size and location. Because the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo consists of different events, indoor and outdoor, he recommends considering the risks: • Outdoor: The carnival is one of the safest parts of the rodeo because it is outdoors. Eating outside also is safer than eating inside. • Indoor: Consider masking if you are in a crowded indoor environment. Shopping venues
and other exhibits at the rodeo are in a large indoor space, so wearing a mask is safest. The concerts are in a very large indoor space, but you sit in close proximity to strangers, unaware of their viral status. You should be wearing a mask in that setting. If you plan to attend the rodeo or other large events, make a personal choice about whether attending the event is worth the risk. McDeavitt suggests assessing your risk based on your health and surroundings:
Maximize your vaccination status If you are not vaccinated and boosted, get the vaccine and booster to protect yourself. If you plan to go to a large event with a group, ask the group if they are vaccinated and boosted and encourage others around you to get vaccinated. During the recent omicron wave, people who became critically ill were disproportionately unvaccinated. Those who were vaccinated and see Events...page 13
San Jose Clinic: Forever Healing
Cannabis Use by Female Adults Associated With Lower Incidence of Diabetes See pg. 10
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century of service is a milestone for any institution. Factor in a mission of charity healthcare to the uninsured and underserved with an emphasis on specialty care and it is a downright miracle!
San José Clinic, a Texas Medical Center member institution, has grown exponentially over the last century while still maintaining its founder’s goal – to care for the poor. In 1922, Monsignor George T. Walsh recognized a growing challenge for immigrant families – childbirth. With little access to nutrition and care, expecting mothers emigrating from Mexico were having considerable difficulties delivering healthy babies. Then pastor of Annunciation Catholic Church in downtown Houston, Monsignor Walsh, made an appeal to a group of women who would soon form the Charity Guild of Catholic Women to
Dr. Beverly Newman with patient Valentina Quiroga
help address this health inequity. From this, the San José Clinic was born. Ever-evolving, the Clinic see San Jose Clinic...page 14
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Legal Matters CMS Innovation Center Releases New Strategic Priorities To Set Course for Second Decade of Operations
Michael T. Flood, J.D. David E. Bird, J.D. Polsinelli, PC
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he Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (“CMMI”) was established as part of the Affordable Care Act and gives the Secretary broad discretion to develop and implement payment models with the goal of achieving higher quality in the delivery of high value services at a lower cost to the Medicare and Medicaid programs. CMMI is responsible for administering many popular programs, including the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced, ESRD Treatment Choices Model, the Oncology Care Model, Expanded
Home Health Value Based Purchasing Model, Million Hearts, and other value-based demonstration programs. Through the years, CMS has made attempts to implement reforms to Part B drug payments through CMMI. This year, CMMI chose not to implement the Most Favored Nation Model Interim Final Rule (MFN Model) after several delays. The MFN Model was aimed at lowering the amount Medicare Part B pays for 50 high-cost drugs to the lowest price that drug manufacturers receive in similar countries. CMMI recently announced it rescinded the MFN Model as it “explore[s] all options to incorporate value into payments for Medicare Part B drugs, improve access to evidence-based care, and reduce drug spending for consumers and throughout the health care system.” No new Part B drug payment models have been proposed to replace the MFN Model. Despite the ongoing implementation of demonstration models, perhaps the most notable development for CMMI
was its release of a new strategic plan entitled the Innovation Center Strategy Refresh (“Strategic Plan”). The Strategic Plan is intended to guide CMMI’s health care payment and delivery model development and design priorities over the next decade. According to CMMI’s proposed timeline, the first three to six months of this plan’s implementation would be dedicated to stakeholder engagement. Although CMMI’s overarching goal continues to be expansion of successful models that reduce program costs and improve quality and outcomes for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, the Strategic Plan establishes the following objectives for CMMI:
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1. Increase the number of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in value-based care models by 2030. CMMI has a goal that all Medicare Part A and Part B enrollees and the vast majority of Medicaid enrollees will participate in care relationships with accountability for quality and total cost of care by 2030. 2. Advance Health Equity. Embed health equity in all models through mandatory reporting of demographic and social determinants of health data as appropriate. Ensure participation of historically underserved see Legal Matters...page 14
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Houston Medical Times
First U.S. Peer-Reviewed Study on Omicron Patient Outcomes Reveals Rapid Spread and Significant Differences in Infection Behavior Results Also Uncover First Three Cases in Texas Of “Stealth Omicron” Among Houston Methodist Patients
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ithin only three weeks after the omicron variant was first identified among Houston Methodist patients, this variant rapidly took over and became the cause of a majority of new cases. By contrast, the delta variant took about three months to reach that same milestone after initial detection. Causing 98 percent of all new COVID-19 cases by the beginning of 2022, omicron had infected 4,468 of Houston Methodist’s patients by Jan. 5. In what is the first peer-reviewed U.S. study investigating omicron patients and their outcomes, Houston Methodist physician-scientists reveal that omicron patients are significantly younger, have increased vaccine breakthrough rates, are less likely to be hospitalized and have shorter hospital lengths of stay than patients with COVID-19 caused by the alpha
March 2022
or delta variants. Consistent with this decreased disease severity, patients infected with the omicron variant of COVID-19 required less intense respiratory support and had shorter hospital stays. The findings of this study are described in a paper titled “Signals of significantly increased vaccine breakthrough, decreased hospitalization rates, and less severe disease in patients with COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Houston, Texas” appearing Feb. 3 in The American Journal of Pathology. James M. Musser, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine at Houston Methodist, is the corresponding author on the study. Compared to Houston Methodist patients infected with alpha or delta
variants, the median age of Houston Methodist has sequenced nearly 80,000 SARS-CoV-2 virus genomes since the beginning of the pandemic. omicron patients was 44.3 years, compared to ages 50 for alpha and 48.3 for delta; length Houston Methodist has one of of stay for hospitalized patients was 3.2 the largest, most comprehensive days for omicron, 5.1 days for alpha SARS-CoV-2 virus genome sequencing and 5.4 days for delta; and omicron studies in the country, analyzing the resulted in 55.4% of breakthrough cases genome of every positive COVID-19 in vaccinated patients, whereas only sample identified throughout Houston 5.4% and 0.9% of vaccinated patients Methodist’s hospital system. To were infected with the alpha and delta get ahead of the virus and detect variants, respectively. mutations that affect patient outcomes, As of mid-January, the researchers such as causing more severe disease or have also identified three patients detrimentally impacting treatments with the BA.2 “stealth omicron” and vaccines, Houston Methodist has variant, which requires whole genome sequenced nearly 80,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequencing to distinguish it from delta virus genomes since the beginning of and the original BA.1 omicron strain. the pandemic. These were the first three “stealth omicron” cases discovered in Texas.
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Oncology Research Colorectal Cancer Screening: It’s Worth It! By Muffaddal Morkas, M.D., Texas Oncology
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here are several things on our “to do” list that we’re all really good at putting off. They need to be done, but we don’t like disrupting our routines or taking time away from other activities to make them happen. However, when it comes to cancer screenings, it’s worth a little disruption. It can give you peace of mind. Or if cancer is detected, the earlier it’s found, the more treatment options are available. Colorectal cancer screenings are a great example of something many would prefer not to do and therefore often delay. Colonoscopies, in particular, get the worst rap of all the cancer screenings, and it’s not hard to see why. We generally don’t discuss it at the dinner table, and it might be a bit
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embarrassing. Between the prep and the procedure, you have to invest a bit of time. But at the end of the day, it is worth it. Detecting cancer early through colorectal cancer screenings can be a lifesaver, which is the best reason to get screened, especially since colorectal cancer is the second-leading cancer killer of men and women combined in the U.S. Screenings are essential to diagnosing colorectal cancer because the disease typically lacks symptoms in the early stages. The American Cancer Society estimates that 151,030 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and 52,580 people will die from colorectal cancer in 2022. We spend a lot of time protecting our health by staying active and eating right, and it only makes sense to protect our health by getting the proper colorectal cancer screenings. Men and women age 45 and older with an average risk for developing colorectal cancer should discuss the most appropriate screening test with their physician.
Screening tests include annual guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT) or fecal immunochemical test (FIT); multi-targeted stool DNA (MT-sDNA) test every three years; flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years; double-contrast barium enema every five to 10 years; virtual colonoscopy every five years; or colonoscopy every 10 years. Those with increased risk factors should consult their physician whether to begin screenings earlier
than age 45. Those with symptoms or a positive test from another type of test should have a colonoscopy. March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. If you’re due for a colorectal cancer screening, stop putting it on your “to-do” list and move it to your “done” list. You won’t regret the decision. For more information, visit TexasOncology.com.
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March 2022
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Mental Health Recognizing Signs of Mental Health Issues and Eating Disorders In Children and Adolescents
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he COVID-19 pandemic has taken a major toll on the mental health of children and adolescents. The number of children and adolescents with eating disorders also has increased dramatically, according to Dr. Catherine Gordon, chair of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and pediatrician-in-chief at Texas Children’s Hospital. That’s why it is important for parents, family members and teachers to be aware of signs of distress and know when to take action. Children are experiencing more stress at home, due to events such as a parent losing a job or a relative dying of COVID-19. In addition, quarantining and remote education have disrupted children’s routines, which has led to increased anxiety and depression, Gordon said. “In-person education is important for socialization as well as academic enrichment,” Gordon said. “We know that it’s hard for students to receive consistent education at home, and it hasn’t been the same for them as being in a classroom and interacting
with a teacher and peers. They have also missed out on extracurricular activities that are critical for their development.” Gordon offers these tips to parents concerned about anxiety and depression in their children: • Watch for signs of children tuning out or not wanting to engage in family activities. • Ask open-ended questions to engage your child in conversation such as “How are you doing?” • Address the behavior you see. For example: “You seem anxious to me. Did something upset you? Can you tell me about it?” • Contact your pediatrician or school counselor if you’re concerned. “I always tell parents to listen more than talk,” Gordon said. “Enable a child or teenager to share their feelings and let them know that it is okay to feel upset. Expressing feelings is a way to help them process something that may be troubling them and can ward off depression in the long-term.”
Eating disorders also are being diagnosed more frequently during the pandemic, often occurring as a manifestation of stress and anxiety. “An eating disorder can be a sign of an adolescent trying to regain control by restricting what they will and will not eat,” Gordon said. Signs of an eating disorder may include: • Skipping meals • Refusing to eat certain types of foods • New restrictions on specific foods • Talking frequently about eating but only picking at a meal • Consuming caffeinated beverages to try to suppress appetite
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Compulsive exercise, especially after meals “If your adolescent is not finishing his or her meals, gently ask about it,” Gordon said. “Monitor whether school lunches are being eaten from a lunch box and whether meals or snacks are being thrown away. It is important to approach the adolescent with concern rather than in a punitive way. An adolescent is more likely to open up when a parent is supportive.” The care of eating disorders requires a multidisciplinary approach, including a physician or nurse practitioner trained in eating disorders see Mental Health ...page 14
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March 2022
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Hospital News UTMB Center for Violence Prevention named Texas Partner for Change
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he Texas Council on Family Violence named the Center for Violence Prevention at the University of Texas Medical Branch the winner of its 2022 Texas Partner for Change award. The award recognizes an organization whose partnerships and efforts have given voice to violence prevention and have inspired systemic or community wide change across the state of Texas. “We are especially grateful that prevention science and our prevention work are being recognized,” said Dr. Jeff Temple, director of the center. “Prevention is not ‘sexy’ and not politically
expedient, but it is the most efficient and cost-effective method to improving the lives and wellbeing of all citizens.” The center continues to impact communities and policies throughout the state and nation. “The Center for Violence Prevention is a longtime partner of the Texas Council on Family Violence,” said Roy Rios, prevention director for the council. “Notably, the center worked with TCFV to help spearhead the development of the Texas State Plan in 2019, contributing greatly to the massive survivor-centered research project, including a specific report on
Memorial Hermann Appoints Amalia Maislos Stanton as System’s SVP, Chief Strategic Communications & Marketing Officer
Amalia M. Stanton
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ollowing an extensive national search, Memorial Hermann Health System has selected Amalia M. Stanton as its Senior Vice President, Chief Strategic Communications & Marketing Officer. A prominent leader in healthcare marketing and communications, Stanton will oversee internal, external and strategic communications, as well as marketing and branding efforts for Houston’s largest non-for-profit health system. Stanton brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in
March 2022
marketing, research, advertising and communications. Since joining Memorial Hermann 15 years ago, Stanton has played a significant role in driving growth and brand awareness, as well as helping to build Memorial Hermann’s reputation as a leading, trusted, high-quality healthcare provider in Greater Houston and across the nation. “Amalia is a wonderful addition to our executive leadership team,” said Dr. David L. Callender, President and CEO of Memorial Hermann. “Throughout her tenure, she has proven herself to be an instrumental, innovative leader with a strategic mindset and distinguished record of service. Her breadth of experience in both marketing and communications, as well as her deep understanding of the Houston market will continue to serve our system well as we continue to expand our efforts in transforming health care throughout the region.” Stanton began her career at Memorial Hermann in 2006, initially serving as Director of Internal and see Marketing Officer...page 14
the needs of young adult female survivors.” The center’s research helped the council create a comprehensive map of the needs and resources available to survivors in Texas, Rios said. Some of that research contributed to an evidence-based healthy relationships and violence prevention curriculum—The Fourth R—that the center has implemented and evaluated throughout Texas. “We are moving from understanding what predicts violence to actually knowing how to prevent it,” Temple said. “We will continue fighting for minoritized communities and for structural change, while
also making sure that communities throughout our state and country are provided with the resources and knowledge to implement effective violence prevention programming.”
AMA awards Dr. Peter Hotez with Scientific Achievement Award
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he American Medical Association has awarded Dr. Peter Hotez, professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, with the 2022 Scientific Achievement Award. He is one of four Texas physicians the AMA has honored for their work before and during the pandemic. This award recognizes individuals for their notable work in the medical and science fields. Hotez was awarded for his efforts in vaccine development and combating vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. The Scientific Achievement Award is one of AMA’s highest-ranking awards. “It has been an honor for me to work with the AMA throughout this pandemic,” said Hotez, who also is the Texas Children’s Hospital Chair in Tropical Pediatrics and co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. “Together with Todd Unger, the chief experience officer at the AMA, we’ve worked to educate physicians and physician-scientists on how to combat vaccine disinformation, and overall, the AMA has been terrific
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Peter Hotez, MD, PhD.
in giving me a voice to explain the scientific basis of COVID-19 vaccine development.” Hotez is a renowned physician-scientist who is recognized for his research in neglected tropical diseases and vaccine development. His work helped to shape policies in global health, leading to the annual treatment of hundreds of millions of people with parasitic and related neglected tropical diseases. He has pioneered the molecular science behind neglected tropical disease vaccines, while co-leading a team developing vaccines for diseases such as human see Dr. Peter Hotez ...page 13
Houston Medical Times
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Renowned Cardiac Surgeon Selected to Lead Cardiothoracic Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and Texas Heart Institute
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r. Marc Moon, an expert and pioneer in the most advanced forms of cardiac surgery, has been named chief of the division of cardiothoracic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, chief of the adult cardiac surgery section at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and chief of adult cardiac surgery at Texas Heart Institute. “Dr. Marc Moon is a renowned cardiac surgeon and we are thrilled to have him taking on these leadership roles,” said Dr. Paul Klotman, president, CEO and executive dean of Baylor College of Medicine. “His wealth of experience and expertise will be a great addition to the Texas Medical Center and Houston communities.” “Marc Moon’s assumption of one of the most storied legacies in
American surgery - DeBakey, Cooley, Crawford and Coselli - is truly an historic watershed moment,” said Dr. Todd Rosengart, chair of the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. “We here at Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Heart Institute are joined by colleagues around the world in cheering his leadership of cardiac surgery now brought here to the Texas Medical Center.” Moon comes to Houston from Washington University School of Medicine, where he served as chief of cardiac surgery, director of the Center for Diseases of the Thoracic Aorta, co-director of the heart and vascular center and surgical lead of the Center for Women’s Heart Disease. He has
Dr. Marc Moon
been in practice in St. Louis for more than 20 years. Moon specializes in aortic and valve surgery and sees some of the most complex cardiac surgery cases, including performing cardiac procedures in pregnant women. He also has been a leading advocate for diversity in the field of cardiac surgery. “Dr. Moon is a world class surgeon, and we are excited to welcome him to our department and division,said Dr. Joseph Coselli, professor and vice chair of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. “We know he will contribute to and support our leadership in a way commensurate with the reputation and history of the department.”
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“I’m excited to be joining these three institutions,” said Moon. “I have spent my career to date at some of the most historic cardiac centers in the world, but none compared to the heritage of it all here at Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor St. Luke’s and the Texas Heart Institute. We have come to the point where cardiac surgery is considered routine in many circumstances, but it’s never routine for the patient who’s undergoing that operation. It’s our duty as cardiothoracic surgeons in an academic medical center to continue to advance the field and develop new research to make it even see Cardiac Surgeon...page 13
March 2022
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Heavy Cannabis Use by Female Adults Associated with Lower Incidence Of Diabetes The Study Found No Association Between Diabetes and Cannabis Use For Female Adults Who Lightly Use Cannabis Nor For Male Adults With Any Level Or No Use By Rae Lynn Mitchell
APPLIED CHEMICAL SCIENCES
BIOSCIENCE & HEALTH POLICY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS ENERGY GEOSCIENCE SPACE STUDIES
new study recently published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research found that women who heavily used cannabis had lower incidence of diabetes, a chronic condition that prevents the body from either making enough insulin (type 1) or being able to use insulin efficiently (type 2). Approximately one in 10 Americans has diabetes, and the condition accounted for 87,647 deaths in the United States in 2019, making it the seventh leading cause of death for
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was determined by physician diagnosis or meeting criteria for plasma glucose, fasting blood glucose or hemoglobin A1C levels. Female participants who used cannabis heavily were less likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than female participants who did not use cannabis. Light cannabis use by female participants had no association with diabetes diagnosis. Researchers found no association in male participants between diabetes and any level of cannabis use.
that year. For the study, Texas A&M University School of Public Health graduate students Ayobami Ogunsola, Samuel Smith, Udeh Mercy and Olatunji Eniola, along with a colleague from Hofstra University, analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2018). From approximately 15,000 participants. The majority of participants were female, white (non-Hispanic), over 40, and had at least a college-level education. Cannabis use was estimated on the basis of exposure and frequency of use with smoking cannabis fewer than four times per month deemed “light use,” and “heavy use” defined as four or more times per month. Diabetes status
Previous research has shown that the endocannabinoid system, a series of neurotransmitters and receptors in the nervous system involved in numerous biological processes, has different effects depending on sex. Cannabidol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabidol, two key compounds in cannabis, stimulate receptors in the endocannabinoid system that result in improved glucose disposal. The authors note that this is one possible explanation for the sex-based difference found during their study. Further research is needed to better understand the association observed in this study, especially to analyze the individual and contextual variables and mechanisms that may be responsible.
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Healthy Heart Women Ages 35 and Younger Are 44% More Likely to Have an Ischemic Stroke Than Male Peers By The American Heart Association
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omen ages 35 years and younger were 44% more likely to have an ischemic stroke than their male counterparts, according to a new review of more than a dozen international studies on sex differences in stroke occurrence, published in a Go Red for Women® 2022 spotlight issue of Stroke, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association. In the article, “Systematic Review of Sex Differences in Ischemic Strokes Among Young Adults- Are Young Women Disproportionately at Risk?” (Leppert et al.), researchers looked at the differences in stroke incidence among women and men in various young adult age groups. The authors’
researchers concluded, “Traditional atherosclerotic risk factors are a major contributor to ischemic strokes in both young men and women and become increasingly important with age. However, these risk factors are less prevalent in younger women and may not account for the observed higher incidence of ischemic strokes in women younger than age 35. Young women who are survivors of ischemic stroke also have worse outcomes, with 2 to 3 times higher risk of poorer functional outcomes compared to their male counterparts.” The researchers said more research is needed to better define the sex differences of ischemic stroke in young adults and the contributions that non-traditional risk factors, such as pregnancy, postpartum and hormonal
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analysis identified the sex differences in the incidence of ischemic strokes was the greatest and most evident among adults younger than age 35 years, with an estimated 44% more women than men in this age group experiencing ischemic strokes. This sex difference narrowed among adults ages 35 to 45 years. Sex differences in older age groups were more difficult to determine due to wide variability in the way data was presented among the studies in this systemic review. The researchers were also not able to identify specific causes behind the higher prevalence of strokes in young women compared to young men. According to the researchers, the incidence of ischemic stroke increases exponentially with age, and only 15% of all ischemic strokes occur in adults younger than age 50 years. Based on their analysis, the
contraceptives, may play in the overall burden of ischemic strokes in young women. “Our finding suggests that strokes in young adults may be happening for different reasons than strokes in older adults. This emphasizes the importance of doing more studies of stroke in younger age groups so that we can better understand what puts young women at a higher risk of stroke,” said study co-author Sharon N. Poisson, M.D., M.A.S., an associate professor of neurology at the University of Colorado, Denver. “Better understanding which young adults are at risk for stroke can help us to do a better job of preventing and treating strokes in young people.” For complete study details visit newsroom.heart.org {Direct link URL: https://newsroom.heart.org/news/women-ages-35-and-younger-are-44-morelikely-to-have-an-ischemic-stroke-thanmale-peers} medicaltimesnews.com
March 2022
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Financial Forecast Getting and Keeping Your Financial House in Order By Grace S. Yung, CFP Midtown Financial Group, LLC
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s with our health, we are likely aware than when one part of the body isn’t in check, it can impact our overall health. The same is true regarding your financial plan. Getting your finances in order may seem like a daunting task, but like any other “journey,” it all starts with taking the first steps toward this goal. Strategies for Reducing Expenses and Saving Money Here are some quick start steps to help you get on track: 1. Saving $1,000 within 6 months 2. Cancel your “non-essential” expenses 3. Reviewing your credit report 4. Establishing your estate plan 5. Maximizing “free money” that you
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are eligible for Step 1: One item to focus on when getting your finances in order is to work towards saving $1,000 (at minimum) as fast as you can within the first six months if you are single, and within three months if you are married. Step 2: Spending less can also lead to saving more. By going through your monthly expenditures like your streaming services – and cancelling what you don’t use – you could divert the money into your savings instead. It can be beneficial to shop around and see if you can get better rates on insurance, too. You may be surprised to find that for the same coverage and deductibles, the premium can vary. Step 3: Your credit score and report can have an impact on a whole host of areas in your financial life, such as: − The interest rate you are charged on mortgages and other loans
− Credit card approval(s) − Contracts for cell phones, utilities, and various other services Every year, you are eligible to obtain a free copy of your credit report by going to: https://annualcreditreport. com. Step 4: Even if you are not considered “wealthy,” an estate plan could help you to get your financial house in order – both before and after your passing. For instance, this type of planning can appoint someone to make medical and financial decisions for you if you become unable to do so yourself. One of the first questions to ask yourself when creating an estate plan is who would be affected financially if something happened to you. After you have a plan in place, it is important to make sure that it remains current – which includes checking the beneficiaries that you have listed on life insurance and/or retirement accounts. Step 5: If you haven’t already done so, you could enhance your savings and investments even further by opening a personal brokerage account and/or starting an IRA account. In addition, if your employer offers a retirement
• Integrating the Montessori method into the public school curriculum • Currently offering Pre-K thru 4th • Open enrollment until positions fill
savings plan, such as a 401(k), you may be eligible to receive “free money.” Many companies match up to a certain percentage of the funds that employees contribute. So, even if you aren’t “maxing out” the full amount of allowable contributions, you could deposit at least enough to qualify for the company match. Your Financial Plan’s Health and Longevity Making sure that your financial house is in order is an important goal at any age. One reason for this is because the decisions that you make today – even the seemingly “small” ones – could have a big impact later on. If you’re ready to get started, or if you have a plan in place, but you would like to get a professional opinion, talking with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER is a great place to start.
• Comprehension Stem Program • Character & Leadership Development • High Tech – 7 computers per classroom
2319 N. GRAND BLVD., PEARLAND, TX. 77581 www.hmps.net | 281-485-2500 March 2022
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Age Well, Live Well
Page 13
result, nutrient recommendations will change. Experts recommend that older adults get more calcium, potassium, vitamin D and vitamin B12. Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables and fortified foods can help you get the recommended amounts of these nutrients. If you have trouble getting enough of these nutrients through the foods you eat, you can talk with your doctor about supplements. Healthy eating is not only about the foods you eat but also habits like controlling portions, reading nutrition labels, substituting for healthier options and other practices. The United States Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate provides nutrition information and recommendations for all ages. To learn more, myplate.gov.
Texercise is proud to announce the launch of Texercise Nourish, a free 12-week nutrition education program for older Texans. Nourish educates on and engages older adults in healthy eating behaviors for healthy aging. To learn more about Texercise Nourish as well as other Texercise resources (fact sheets, daily food log, etc.), visit texercise.com. Other Texas HHS nutrition services and resources include: • The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program assists people with buying the food they need for good health. To learn more about SNAP, how to apply and how to purchase food online, visit yourtexasbenefits.com. • Area Agencies on Aging provide older adults, their families and caregivers with nutrition services, like home and congregate meals. To connect with the nearest AAA and learn about available
or someone that is chronically immunosuppressed, those people are still at risk. Consider avoiding large events or remaining masked to prevent potentially spreading the virus back to them. Be cautious if you work in an environment where you are routinely exposed to people at high risk, such as nursing homes, healthcare settings or retirement centers. If you carry it to someone at higher risk, it could be extremely serious. Look at the community disease prevalence Check the CDC website to find the disease prevalence in your county. When that number drifts below 100 cases (per 100,000 population per seven
days), you are much less likely to bump into someone carrying coronavirus in the community. The lower this number goes, the safer you are from contracting coronavirus. When the numbers rise above 100, you are much more likely to encounter someone with active disease. If you have symptoms, don’t go You should not visit crowded places if you have COVID-19 symptoms. You do not want to spread your illness to someone else. If event venues do not require testing, attendees do not need to get COVID-19 tests before or after the event unless they exhibit symptoms. When considering the best mask for protection, McDeavitt recommends
an N95 or KN95, or a surgical mask. If you cannot access these, he suggests wearing a double-layer cloth mask. “Learning to live with the virus doesn’t mean we ignore it and pretend it’s not there. It’s taking personal responsibility for using the tools available to be as safe as possible while going about our lives,” McDeavitt said. “We need to start opening up public events and let individuals make their own risk-benefit calculation of whether attendance is the right thing for them.”
COVID-19 vaccine, Corbevax, which received Emergency Use Authorization Continued from page 8 in India in December. Hotez also has led vaccine advocacy efforts to counter hookworm, schistosomiasis, chagas rising anti-vaccine and anti-science disease and SARS. This now includes sentiments in the United States, while developing a low-cost version of a promoting vaccine diplomacy efforts
globally. Hotez is the author of more than 600 scientific papers and four books, most recently, “Preventing the Next Pandemic: Vaccine Diplomacy in a Time of Anti-Science (Johns Hopkins University Press). He is an elected
member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has served as a U.S. Science Envoy for the State Department and White House under the Obama administration..
Cardiac Surgeon
Surgery, considered the world’s most prestigious professional society for cardiothoracic surgery, in 2020 and also is a member of numerous national and international scientific organizations, including the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. “Cardiothoracic surgery is an incredible field to be a part of and I’m looking forward to the future and learning what we’re going to be doing 25 years from now that we’re not doing now. Moving forward, cardiothoracic surgery is going to continue to become more complex, but less invasive at the
same time. The combination of those two makes the field very unique,” Moon said. “Dr. Moon’s remarkable clinical expertise coupled with his outstanding abilities to collaborate, mentor and lead are in keeping with the rich history of cardiac surgery at the Texas Heart Institute, Baylor College of Medicine and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center,” said Dr. Joseph G. Rogers, president and CEO of Texas Heart Institute.
Healthy Eating for Healthy Aging By Chelsea Couch Texercise Program Coordinator
M
arch is National Nutrition Month, which is a great time to learn about older adults’ changing nutritional needs and the eating habits that are so important to healthy aging. The Texas Health and Human Services Texercise initiative has a variety of free resources that engage older Texans in healthy lifestyle behaviors, including physical activity and eating habits. Nutrients are compounds in food that are vital to living. They help the body heal, regulate chemical process and provide the body with energy. We lose the ability to absorb nutrients as we age because our metabolism slows. As a
Events
Continued from page 1 boosted were largely protected against getting critically ill. Assess the people around you Responsibly look at the risk of the people around you: family, friends, colleagues and anyone else you come in contact with regularly. Maintain a higher degree of caution if those around you are at risk. If you are healthy, vaccinated and boosted and contract COVID-19, it will likely be a minor annoyance. If you live with or are frequently exposed to an elderly relative, someone who has a serious medical condition
Dr. Peter Hotez
Continued from page 9 safer for the future.” “As the top ranked cardiac program in Houston, we are pleased to welcome Dr. Moon to the extraordinary team of cardiac surgeons and physicians at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center,” said Liz Youngblood, president of Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and senior vice president and chief
operating officer of St. Luke’s Health Texas Division. “His exceptional skills and capabilities in the field of cardiac surgery will be an asset to our current and future cardiac surgeons as well as to our patients, their families and our community.” A native of Detroit, Moon completed his medical training at Wayne State University School of Medicine and went on to train at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Stanford University School of Medicine and University of Oxford. Moon served as president of the American Association for Thoracic
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nutrition services, call Texas HHS at 800-252-9240. Aging and Disability Resource Centers are part of the No Wrong Door System and help streamline access to long-term services and support for the whole family. To learn more about the full range of available long-term supports, call Texas HHS at 855-937-2372.
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San Jose Clinic
Continued from page 1
provides medical, dental and pharmacy care to patients offering primary care and over 15 specialties including neurology, cardiology, gynecology, physical therapy and mental health counseling – to name a few. Some wonder what makes the Clinic so unique – it is a healthcare home for
Legal Matters
Continued from page 3 populations and safety net providers in new models. 3. Support Care Innovations. Support innovation by strengthening patient engagement and including patient experience measures and patient-reported outcome measures in performance measurement. 4. Improve Access by Addressing Affordability. Facilitate approaches to address price and affordability of care with the goal of reducing the number of individuals who forgo care due to cost by 2030. 5. Partner to Achieve System Transformation. Pursuing more collaborative and ongoing partnerships with a broader group of stakeholders to improve quality, achieve equitable outcomes and
Mental Health
Continued from page 6 (often adolescent medicine), a dietician and a mental health professional. According to Gordon, the treatment of an eating disorder is not a “quick fix” and typically requires months of
Marketing Officer Continued from page 8 Physician Communications before transitioning to Director of Advertising and Brand Communication. Soon after, Stanton was promoted to Vice President, Marketing where she has led the marketing division, including brand and advertising, creative services, digital marketing and market research. “I’m honored to be part of our remarkable organization’s leadership team as we continue our important work to improve the health of our community and redefine health care for the individuals, families and diverse March 2022
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HOUSTON
patients that would otherwise have no access to regular care. San José Clinic President & CEO Maureen Sanders says “The Clinic’s sustainability is credit to the resiliency of the medical community in Houston and beyond.” Generous support of the Clinic from individuals, corporations, foundations and healthcare partners coupled with an extensive network of volunteer providers – physicians, pharmacists, and more – keep the
mission alive. And while the last few years have certainly been challenging for charity care, the Clinic is excited to mark its centennial and make plans for the next 100 years. For more information about San José Clinic, please contact Kimberlyn Clarkson at kimberlynclarkson@ sanjoseclinic.org or 713.490.2603.
reduce health care costs, and, where possible, create multi-payer alignment in all new models available by 2030. The Strategic Plan notes that achieving the five objectives outlined above will require changes in stakeholder outreach, data transparency, and defining model success. CMMI plans to expand opportunities for stakeholder input from patients and patient advocates as part of its new strategy and to determine barriers to participation by nonparticipants. CMMI also recognizes the need for broader data sharing regarding its models and is piloting efforts through the Virtual Research Data Center so that researchers will be able to link model claims data with model participants for analysis. Finally, CMMI plans to assess model success by evaluating new endpoints that include: (a) beneficiary
impacts, such as patient experience, population level metrics, quality of care transitions, access to care across various settings, coordination across providers, and cost; (b) provider impacts, such as care transformation, impact on administrative burden, level of alignment on models across payers, sustainability of participation in models, and access to actionable data; and (c) market impacts, such as level of consolidation, new linkages or relationships between providers, spread of model elements to other payers, scalability of model to other regions or payors, and generalizability of impacts to other populations. These new assessment points will provide additional information to help craft new models and also assist other payors in moving to value-based care models.
multidisciplinary care. Eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa, often are a disease of denial and can be difficult to diagnose in the early stages. “If a parent begins to worry, it is a good idea to run concerns by the child’s primary care provider for guidance,” Gordon said. “A delayed diagnosis can lead to a more severe
presentation once uncovered and even the need for hospitalization. An early diagnosis can lead to the adolescent being managed in the outpatient setting and more quickly getting on the road to recovery.”
populations we serve,” said Stanton. “Our 35,000-strong workforce, including employees and affiliated physicians, is committed to providing advanced, accessible, high-value and high-quality health care. I am excited to continue to expand upon Memorial Hermann’s many accomplishments and help ensure we achieve our vision to create healthier communities, now and for generations to come.” Stanton earned her master’s degree from Syracuse University Newhouse School of Communications in Public Relations and her bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University, State University of New York, where she double majored in Politics, Philosophy and Law, as well as Spanish.
Stanton’s dedication to the community expands beyond her role leading marketing and communication efforts for Memorial Hermann. Stanton also co-leads the Memorial Hermann Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Community Council, which focuses on expanding equity, diversity, and inclusion commitments to the community. She also supports many organizations outside of Memorial Hermann, including serving on the executive leadership team of the March of Dimes Houston Board of Directors and the Houston Holocaust Museum Advisory Board.
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IS IT TIME TO EXAMINE
your malpractice insurance? Unlike other Texas medical liability insurers, which are investor-owned companies, The Doctors Company remains fiercely independent and dedicated to your interests. Ask yourself, “Do I want an insurer founded by and for physicians that’s guided by my peers? Or do I want a profit-focused insurer that’s directed by Wall Street?” Join us and discover why delivering the best imaginable service and unrivaled rewards is at the core of who we are.
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ROCK YOUR RED. JOIN US TO RALLY AGAINST WOMEN’S #1 HEALTH THREAT
May 13, 2022 2022 Go Red for Women Luncheon The Post Oak Hotel HoustonGoRed.heart.org
2022 Campaign Chair Liz Youngblood, RN, MBA, FACHE President Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center and SVP/COO St. Luke's Health
Go Red for Women is nationally sponsored by
Go Red for Women is locally presented by
© Copyright 2021 American Heart Association, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. All rights reserved. Go Red for Women is a registered trademark of AHA. The Red Dress Design is a trademark of U.S. DHHS. Unauthorized use prohibited.
March 2022
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