Volume 116, Number 6 — June 2020
Coping During Crisis
Part of Texas Medicine’s ongoing coverage of COVID-19, this issue looks back at how the physician community learned to cope with the largest pandemic in recent history. Whether on the front lines fearing bringing the illness home or dealing with shortages of personal protective equipment, or on the sidelines worried about closing their office doors or the future of their medical education, few physicians and medical students were spared the emotional toll.
Palpable Fear (pages 12-15)
As COVID-19 ravaged human lives, it also took a toll on physician morale and mental health. By Joey Berlin
The Class of COVID-19 (pages 16-18)
Texas medical students struggle to fight the pandemic in their own way while adjusting to a lot of uncertainty. By Sean Price
Vaccines (page 19)
Talk to Patients About: Why Will It Take So Long for a COVID-19 Vaccine? By Sean Price
Paying the Price for PPE (pages 22-26)
The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic threw the market for personal protective equipment (PPE) into chaos. So physicians and county medical societies across Texas found they had to go big or go home when it came to obtaining those critical supplies. By Sean Price
Preparing for the Next Pandemic (pages 27-28)
Umair Shah, MD, Harris County Public Health executive director, on how COVID-19 has exposed gaps in the public health system. By Sean Price
New TMA Leaders Chosen Amid Historic Pandemic (pages 47-48)
Dr. Villareal named president-elect: Dr. Fite installed as president. By Amy Lynn Sorrel
Editor's Note (page 2)
Stick with the science. By Amy Lynn Sorrel
Also in this issue:
Economics: Buying Time (pages 30-32)
Comptroller delays medical billing tax until October 2021, giving TMA a chance to work out a legislative fix. By Joey Berlin
Economics: Running out of Reasons (pages 34-36)
Low, stagnant payments, hassles leave physicians wondering why they should stay in Medicare. By Joey Berlin
Law: Tort Reform on Trial (pages 38-40)
Houston case poses challenge to key tort reform limit on noneconomic damages. By Joey Berlin
Education: Growing More Doctors (pages 42-45)
Texas medical schools find ways to create more GME slots to build Texas’ physician workforce. By Sean Price