Virtual Town Hall for the Medical Community
Travis County Medical Society and Dell Medical School produce a virtual town hall series for the Travis County medical community covering current topics of interest.
Travis County Medical Society President Tina Philip, D.O., and Dell Medical School Interim Vice Dean of Education Beth Nelson, M.D., co-host the series.
Past Town Halls
July 30, 2024: Climate Change & Health Impacts: Unbearable Heat & Unbreathable Air
June 25, 2024: Recognizing & Responding to Overdose in Travis County: What Clinicians Can All Do
Heidi Abraham, M.D., and John Weems, M.D., provide an overview on overdose burden and risk factors in Travis County as well as resources and strategies for treatment, prevention and management.
May 10, 2024: STI Guidance for the Front-Line Physician
A panel of experts provide an overview on current infectious diseases, especially mpox, syphilis and HIV, and sexual health guidance with the goal to equip front-line physicians with latest insights and strategies to effectively tackle prevalent challenges.
The panel includes Ellen Elmore, M.D.; Steven Klemow, M.D.; Michael Stefanowicz, D.O.; and Desmar Walkes, M.D.
Oct. 4, 2023: Medical Examiner’s Office & Death Certification 101
Lauren Edelman, M.D., reviews the statutory authority and role of the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office. She outlines the purpose and proper completion of death certificates, discuss scenarios that would need to be reported to TCME and describe situations where clinicians may interface with TCME.
June 21, 2023: Save More Lives: Broadening Buprenorphine Access Amid New DEA Controlled Substances Rules
Blair WalkerJohn Weems
March 30, 2023: Sepsis & Antimicrobial Resistance
Denise Cardo, M.D., and Rama Thyagarajan, M.D., provided an overview of the global problem of antimicrobial resistance and sepsis at the local and national levels. They presented strategies to mitigate infections and address the factors associated with sepsis disparities.
Cardo is the acting director for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Global Health Center and the director of the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion at the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. Thyagarajan is an assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Dell Med and provides infectious disease care at Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas.
Oct. 26, 2022: Taking It to the Streets: Caring for Austin’s Homeless Population
July 21, 2022: COVID-19 & Women’s Health
July 14, 2022: Monkeypox Local Response
Kristin Mondy, M.D., Michael Stefanowicz, D.O., and Desmar Walkes, M.D., provide an update on the local response to the monkeypox disease, including the latest strategies and protocols for diagnosing, testing and care.
Mondy is the chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and an associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Dell Med. Stefanowicz is the associate director of CommUnityCare Health Centers’ sexual health programs and an assistant professor in the Department of Population Health at Dell Med. Walkes is the medical director and health authority for the City of Austin and Travis County.
April 21, 2022: Pediatric COVID-19 Update
Feb. 10, 2022: COVID-19: Update on the Omicron Variant
Parker Hudson, M.D., and Darlene Bhavnani, Ph.D, provide an update on COVID-19, including the latest modeling and scientific research related to the omicron variant and its impact. Hudson is an assistant professor of internal medicine and infectious diseases at Dell Medical School, and Bhavnani is an assistant professor and an infectious disease epidemiologist in Dell Med’s Department of Population Health.
Dec. 8, 2021: Long COVID: Managing General & Psychiatric Symptoms
W. Michael Brode, M.D., medical director of the Post-COVID Program at UT Health Austin, provides a practical approach for evaluating post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) patients, recommendations for symptomatic management and future therapeutic targets. Blair Walker, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Dell Medical School, reviews common psychiatric symptoms associated with long-COVID and discusses patient-driven screening tools used for symptom monitoring and information regarding when to refer for specialty care.
Oct. 13, 2021: COVID-19: Pediatric Update
Kimberly Avila Edwards, M.D., Sarmistha Hauger, M.D., Roshni Koli, M.D., and Lynn Thoreson, D.O., provide an update on the impact of COVID-19 on pediatric patients, including information on MIS-C treatment algorithms and keys to limiting a future pediatric surge.
Aug. 19, 2021: Update on Regional Infusion Center & Monoclonal Antibody Therapy
Austin-Travis County Health Authority Desmar Walkes, M.D.; Wright Hartsell, M.D., chief medical officer for the Texas Regional Infusion Center; and Colin Shepard, M.D., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s liaison to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services, provide an update on when and how to refer patients to the infusion center including a tutorial on monoclonal antibodies infusion.
Aug. 19, 2021: Update on the Delta Variant
Parker Hudson, M.D., assistant professor of internal medicine and infectious diseases at Dell Med, and Lauren Ancel Meyers, Ph.D., epidemiologist and professor of integrative biology at UT Austin’s College of Natural Sciences, provide an update on COVID-19 in Central Texas, including the latest modeling and scientific research related to the Delta variant and its impact.
June 7, 2021: COVID-19 Vaccination Effort: Challenges & Opportunities
Elizabeth Douglass, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and assistant professor of Internal Medicine at Dell Medical School, provides an overview of challenges and opportunities related to the COVID-19 vaccination effort, including the progress of the rollout, prospects for herd immunity, challenges related to hesitancy and more.
April 29, 2021: COVID-19: Looking Ahead to Life Beyond the Pandemic
Although the pandemic is not yet over, attention is beginning to turn to the future. Hear from Lauren Ancel Meyers, Ph.D., an epidemiologist and professor of integrative biology in the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin, whose scientific work during the pandemic has played a critical role for health and policy leaders from Central Texas to the White House.
Her team’s modeling has helped detect, project and combat COVID-19 cases, and new data will frame the future outlook as we open schools and workplaces, return to travel, attend public events and festivals and learn more about variants and vaccines.
March 25, 2021: Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome: A Case Study
W. Michael Brode, M.D., assistant professor of Internal Medicine, and Esther Melamed, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of Neurology, provide an overview of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 syndrome followed by review of two case studies, illustrating key concepts of the disease. Specialist panelists provide perspectives from pulmonology and behavioral health as well as rheumatology and neurology.
Participating Dell Med-affiliated panelists include Melamed; Kevin Hackshaw, M.D., associate professor of Internal Medicine; Donna Shanor, LCSW, LCDC, director, Clinical Social Work; and Michael Shapiro, M.D., affiliate faculty and co-partner at Pulmonary and Critical Care Consultants of Austin.
March 4, 2021: COVID-19 & Health Policy: Post-Election Outlook
Featured panelist Mark McClellan, M.D., Ph.D, explores a range of health policy issues including the post-election outlook regarding COVID-19 response, where the U.S. is heading in terms of additional policy priorities and care delivery innovations, the health policy landscape given current political dynamics, and the ways that the pandemic response may reshape or accelerate changes to how we deliver and pay for health care.
Feb. 25, 2021: COVID-19: An Update on Inpatient Treatment
Expert panelists W. Michael Brode, M.D., and Kristin Mondy, M.D., review the emerging evidence for the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The discussion provides a conceptual framework of understanding the three stages of acute COVID-19 illness, a practical evaluation on hospital presentation, and addressing the published literature and controversies in therapeutic management in each stage of illness.
Jan. 21, 2021: COVID-19: From the Latest Science to Administering Vaccines
Panelists Amy Young, M.D., chief clinical officer for UT Health Austin and vice dean of professional practice at Dell Med, and Parker Hudson, M.D., assistant professor of internal medicine and infectious diseases at Dell Med, provided an update on results and implications of vaccine clinical trials, as well as the latest information on quickly evolving vaccination distribution efforts.
Dec. 3, 2020: COVID-19 Vaccines: What You Need To Know
Public health leaders discussed preparation for the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in Austin and Travis County, including coordination among health care systems and providers, planning for efficient and equitable distribution and more. Panelists included Stephanie Hayden, LMSW, director of Austin Public Health, Mark Escott, M.D., MPH, interim medical director and health authority for Austin Public Health.
Nov. 5, 2020: The Spectrum of Post-COVID-19 Health Issues
This town hall featured an expert panel discussing the growing body of evidence and practice related to the chronic condition referred to as “post-COVID syndrome,” which affects adults and children — known as “long-haulers” — who haven’t fully recovered weeks or even months after contracting the virus.
Panelists included Dell Med faculty members Coburn Allen, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics; Esther Melamed, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology; and Rama Thyagarajan, M.D., assistant professor of internal medicine.
Oct. 1, 2020: COVID-19: Health Equity Amid & Beyond the Pandemic
This town hall featured Jewel Mullen, M.D., MPH, associate dean for health equity at Dell Medical School and an associate professor in the Department of Population Health and Department of Internal Medicine.
Mullen discussed a wide range of issues related to health equity, including the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups, preparing for a vaccine, systemic barriers to health and more. Her insights came from decades of experience in public health, including serving as acting assistant secretary for health and acting director of the National Vaccine Program Office in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and her participation in an effort by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine to develop a framework for the equitable allocation of a vaccine for COVID-19.
Sept. 17, 2020: COVID-19: Exploring Current Issues & Trends
An expert panel led an open discussion on the wide range of health issues amid the pandemic, including testing and vaccine development, safely opening schools, local epidemiological trends and more.
Panelists included John Abikhaled, M.D., TCMS president; Richard Condit, M.D., professor emeritus at the University of Florida College of Medicine; Mark Escott, M.D., MPH, medical director of Travis County EMS and interim medical director and health authority for Austin Public Health; and Clay Johnston, M.D., Ph.D., inaugural dean of Dell Med, 2014-2021.
Sept. 3, 2020: COVID-19: Addressing Social Need in the Primary Care Setting
This town hall featured People’s Community Clinic leaders Celia Neavel, M.D., FAAFP, FSAHM, director of the Center for Adolescent Health and director of the GOALS Program (Generating Outcomes and Liaisons for Students); Cherelle Vanbrakle, M.Ed., CWH, CPST, director of health promotion and community advocacy; and Keegan Warren-Clem, J.D., LLM, director of the clinic’s Medical-Legal Partnership, who discussed the integration of social needs screening into primary care delivery amid the pandemic.
Note: There were technical difficulties during the first presentation. These clear up after that presentation, around 19 minutes in.
Aug. 20, 2020: COVID-19: Updated Modeling for Austin & Travis County
This town hall featured Lauren Ancel Meyers, Ph.D., epidemiologist and professor of integrative biology at UT Austin’s College of Natural Sciences, on her team’s efforts to detect, project and combat COVID-19 cases. She also provided updated modeling for the Austin area.
Aug. 6, 2020: COVID-19: Preparation & Planning for Reopening Schools
This town hall featured Mark Escott, M.D., MPH, medical director of Travis County EMS and interim medical director and health authority for Austin Public Health, and Tom Leonard, Ed.D., superintendent of Eanes Independent School District, who provided an update on wide-ranging efforts to prepare and plan for the opening of schools in the Austin area amid the coronavirus pandemic.
July 23, 2020: COVID-19: Outpatient Care Management
This town hall featured Tony Aventa, M.D., the immediate past president of TCMS and current internal medicine physician in private practice at Capital Medical Clinic, and Nichole Perez, M.D., medical director for primary care for the Ascension Seton Family of Doctors and the Ascension Seton University Physicians Group. They spoke about the latest strategies and protocols for outpatient care of patients with confirmed COVID-19.
July 16, 2020: COVID-19: Developing a Vaccine
This town hall featured a presentation from Jason McLellan, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular biosciences in the College of Natural Sciences at UT Austin, whose lab is on the front lines of developing a vaccine for COVID-19. His team made a critical early breakthrough by creating the first 3D atomic scale map of the part of the virus that attaches to and infects human cells.
July 9, 2020: Austin’s Collaborative Response
This town hall featured Austin Mayor Steve Adler talking about the latest collaborative efforts to prepare for and respond to the surge of COVID-19 cases in Austin.
July 2, 2020: COVID-19 Medical Treatment & Care
This town hall focused on what’s known and what’s being learned about treating patients with COVID-19.
The presenters were William Michael Brode, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Dell Med; Brian Metzger, M.D., MPH, partner at Austin Infectious Disease Consultants and medical director of infectious diseases at St. David’s Medical Center; and Jeff Yorio, M.D., medical oncologist and hematologist at Texas Oncology-Austin Central.
The Dell Medical School COVID-19 Manual and the Therapeutics and Informatics Committee Consensus Recommendations provide additional information on COVID-19 medical treatment. While these documents are specific to Dell Med and Dell Seton Medical Center, much of the information is general and can be adapted to fit other organizations’ needs.
June 25, 2020: COVID-19 Preparation & Response From Local Hospitals
This town hall featured presentations from Samson Jesudass, M.D., MBA, chief clinical officer for Ascension Texas; Kenneth W. Mitchell, M.D., chief medical officer for St. David’s HealthCare; and Robin Watson, M.D., chief medical officer for the Austin-Round Rock region of Baylor Scott & White Health, about how Central Texas hospital systems have prepared for and are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was moderated by John Abikhaled, M.D., TCMS president, and Amy Young, M.D., vice dean of professional practice at Dell Med.
June 18, 2020: The Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Black & Latinx Communities
This town hall examined how Black and Latinx people in Central Texas have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts underway to support these communities.
The presenters were Brion Oaks, MPA, chief equity officer for the City of Austin; Kellee Coleman, business process consultant with the City of Austin Equity Office; and Jason Pickett, M.D., MPH, deputy medical director of Travis County EMS.
May 28, 2020: Testing for COVID-19 in Austin & Travis County
This town hall focused on rapidly evolving issues related to testing for COVID-19 in Austin and Travis County, including current challenges and opportunities.
The presenters were Brian Metzger, M.D., MPH, partner at Austin Infectious Disease Consultants and medical director of infectious diseases at St. David’s Medical Center; Jason Pickett, M.D., deputy medical director with Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services; and Rama Thyagarajan, M.D., infectious disease specialist and assistant professor of internal medicine at Dell Med.
May 21, 2020: COVID-19: Modeling for Austin & Travis County
This town hall featured Lauren Ancel Meyers, Ph.D., epidemiologist and professor of integrative biology at UT Austin’s College of Natural Sciences, and Mike Pignone, M.D., MPH, chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at Dell Med.
The presenters discussed how nationally recognized epidemic modeling from UT Austin is being used to project the spread of the coronavirus outbreak and to assess the potential impact in the Austin area.
May 14, 2020: COVID-19: Contact Tracing & Cluster Investigation
This town hall featured a presentation on collaborative efforts in Travis County to implement contact tracing and to respond to COVID-19 clusters.
The speakers were Mark Escott, M.D., MPH, medical director of Travis County EMS and interim medical director and health authority for Austin Public Health; Parker Hudson, M.D., MPH, assistant professor of internal medicine and infectious diseases at Dell Med; and Darlene Bhavnani, Ph.D, MPH, infectious disease epidemiologist in Dell Med’s Department of Population Health. Hudson and Bhavnani are also leading the contact tracing team for UT Health Austin through a partnership with Austin Public Health.