Dear Reader,   Thank you for following the Me&MyDoctor blog. I'm writing to let you know we are moving the public health stories authored by Texas physicians, residents, and medical students, and patients to the Texas Medical Association's social media channels. Be sure to follow us on all our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) as well as Texas Medicine Today to access these stories and more. We look forward to seeing you there. Best,   Olivia Suarez Me&My Doctor Editor   ..read more

Sravya Reddy, MD Pediatric Resident at The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School Member, Texas Medical Association How does the COVID-19 pandemic factor into potentially abusive situations? To stop the spread of COVID-19, we have isolated ourselves into small family units to avoid catching and transmitting the virus. While saving so many from succumbing to a severe illness, socially isolating has unfortunately posed its own problems. Among those is the increased threat of harm from intimate partner violence, which includes physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, or psycholo ..read more

This Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday. Millions of people will settle in to watch the big game, but COVID-19 won’t be taking a football break. With variants of the virus spreading and vaccine distribution still in its early phases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging Americans to celebrate this year’s game in a safe, nontraditional way. Have you ever attended a Super Bowl party? Traditionally, millions of people watch the game in large gatherings. However – no surprise – doctors and health care workers are strongly discouraging people from attending parties ..read more

Gregory Rodden, DO Pediatric Resident at The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School Member, Texas Medical Association People across the world are suffering from a lack of sleep amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Children and teens suffer from sleep problems, and parents must recognize and address these issues while the world restlessly awaits the resolution of this health crisis. Good sleep is essential for everyone, young people in particular. More and more, we hear about the negative impacts of the pandemic on mental health. Sleep plays a critical role here. Severe sleep disturbances ..read more

Rebecca Teng, MD Austin Obstetrician and Gynecologist Member, Texas Medical Association Committee on Reproductive, Women’s and Perinatal Health While traditional obstetric care often focuses on the time of a woman’s pregnancy through the time of the delivery of the baby, there is a growing recognition about the need for more attention to the time after she delivers. During this postpartum period – increasingly referred to as the fourth trimester – a new mother will need medical care, and she needs health insurance to help her obtain that care. Medicaid, which covers 53% of all Texas births ..read more

Shao-Chee SimEpiscopal Health FoundationDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when our personal and community health should take center stage, Texans have been skipping or delaying medical care. That’s according to the Episcopal Health Foundation’s (EHF’s) Texas COVID-19 Survey report released late last year. This finding is significant because delay or avoidance of medical care might increase Texans’ risk of serious illness or death due to preventable or treatable health conditions. This EHF study from August-September 2020 backs the results of two earlier national reports. The Kaiser Fami ..read more

 “It’s smarter to be cautious” The COVID-19 pandemic put many physicians in a bind, as obtaining personal protective equipment (PPE) has been a roller-coaster challenge for medical practices. To get a deeper insight on the lengths doctors have gone to protect themselves and their patients, Me&My Doctor spoke with Manvinder Kainth, MD, a direct primary care physician and Texas Medical Association (TMA) member based in Plano.  Like many physicians, Dr. Kainth struggled early on to obtain PPE or faced high prices to buy what she needed. Recently, TMA shipped doctors’ boxes of masks ..read more

For many physicians and all health care workers across the country, approval and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is “light at the end of this tunnel” in what’s been a dark global pandemic.  Following the FDA’s approval of both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines this month, many medical personnel were able to get vaccinated as early as Dec. 14. Texas Medical Association Immediate Past-President David Fleeger, MD, got his COVID-19 shot just a few days later.  “It wasn’t painful, it wasn’t unpleasant,” Dr. Fleeger said. “Glad we can take this step forward to try and deal wit ..read more

By Allison Ashford, MD Hospitalist Omaha, Nebraska Editor's note: This article originally appeared on KevinMD.com I rarely post more than pictures on Facebook. In fact, I rarely use Facebook for much of anything anymore. But I need you all to just listen for a second. I’m scared. For you and for me. I need you all to take a minute and think of the last time that you interacted in-person with someone who does not live in your home. Did you see a friend this weekend? Did you go to the store? Did you go inside the gas station? Did family come in from out of state? How about that weddin ..read more

With the holidays approaching, how can we celebrate with loved ones while reducing risks? The COVID-19 pandemic is nowhere near over, increasing the risk of transmission during one of the busiest travel and social-gathering periods of the year.  The Texas Medical Association (TMA) unveils two new tools from doctors to help people make safe holiday plans.  New podcast Trish Perl, MD, and TMA public health staff member Meredith Vinez address how to reduce  your risk for COVID-19 during the holiday season, in the latest episode of the TMA’s Practice Well podcasts. Dr. Perl is ..read more