UTMB Hospital to Remain on Galveston Island
from The Houston Chronicle, March 10, 2009
The University of Texas Medical Branch hospital and medical school, devastated last year by Hurricane Ike, will remain on Galveston Island, according to a recently approved plan. But the plan by the University of Texas Board of Regents depends on significant funding from the state and federal governments, philanthropic sources and perhaps even a taxpayer-funded hospital district to succeed, officials said. More

The Health Care Crisis Hits Home
from Time Magazine, March 5, 2009
The author of this article has just seen the insurance crisis hit home for his older brother; the short term insurance for which he has been faithfully paying refuses to cover his kidney treatment. More

Study: Physically Fit Texas Students Perform Better in School
from The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, March 10, 2009
Texas public school students who are physically fit also perform better on academic tests, have better attendance and are less likely to have discipline problems, according to a study released in Austin. Researchers said the correlations do not mean that one factor caused another, but they noted that "associations are apparent." More

Wal-Mart Plans to Market System for Digital Health Records
from The New York Times, March 10, 2009
Wal-Mart Stores is striding into the market for electronic health records, seeking to bring the technology into the mainstream for physicians in small offices, where most of America’s doctors practice medicine. Wal-Mart’s move comes as the Obama administration is trying to jump-start the adoption of digital medical records with $19 billion of incentives in the economic stimulus package. More

Disabled Forced To Fight in State School
from The Houston Chronicle, March 11, 2009
“It appears that the workers were using clients as some sort of fight club,” said Corpus Christi Police Capt. Tim Wilson, whose department is part of a joint investigation with the Texas Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “I’ve been in police work for 30 years, and I’ve never seen something like this. These workers are exploiting them for their own entertainment.” More

Experts Predict Intense Battle Over Health Care Reform
from U.S. News & World Report, March 9, 2009
President Obama's healthcare forum at the White House was designed to get Congress started toward enacting comprehensive healthcare reform this year. Obama convened a daylong series of meetings Thursday, which included leaders of the healthcare industry and senior administration officials. But the forum made clear that the process has a long way to go. Despite assessments that quality care is too expensive and beyond the reach of millions of Americans, there was little consensus on specific legislation to fix the problem. More

UTMB Students Plan Trip to State Capital
from The Galveston County Daily News, March 11, 2009
Island leaders, including State Rep. Craig Eiland, are hoping dozens of white-coated University of Texas Medical Branch students filling the halls of the state capitol will encourage legislators to support plans to restore the institution’s funding. Eiland and student members of the Texas Medical Association are organizing a bus trip to Austin on Tuesday to show lawmakers their decision effects more than just the island’s residents. More

Texas Legislators, Lobbyists Push Insurance Reform
from The Houston Chronicle, March 9, 2009
Lawmakers and advocates say Texans want health insurance to be a priority for the Legislature this year. An insurance lobby called Cover Texas Now on Monday presented results of a poll that says 25 percent of Texans call health insurance the most important issue this session. More