COVID-19: Telemedicine and Rural Health

Telehealth visits have seen a drastic increase in popularity across the United States since the beginning of the pandemic. In Texas, the uptick in telehealth services has provided more access to care than ever before for the nearly 20 percent of the state’s population, or 3 million Texans, that live in “rural” and medically underserved areas. On Wednesday, December 9, TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas) convened our Annual Conference Chair Nancy W. Dickey, M.D. (NAM), Executive Director of the Texas A&M Rural & Community Health Institute, and other health experts to discuss what the increase of telemedicine in Texas during COVID-19 will mean for the future of rural health care access.

COVID-19: Improving Healthcare Access

Prior to COVID-19, Texas already had the highest uninsured rate in the country. As a result of the pandemic, this issue has become even more challenging as the United States experiences the largest increase in the number of uninsured adults in recorded history. On Tuesday, November 10, TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas) convened several physicians along with TAMEST Member Dr. Carlos Roberto Jaén, a leader in preventive care research at UT Health San Antonio, to address this issue and discuss what changes are needed in primary care to build a healthier Texas. ​

COVID-19: Healthcare Architecture and Facility Design

TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas) held a conversation on COVID-19: Healthcare Architecture and Facility Design, on Wednesday, October 7. Dr. Ray Pentecost, a leading researcher in healthcare architecture at Texas A&M University, joined top experts in medical facility design to explore ways to improve the design of hospitals, emergency facilities, clinics and other buildings to meet the challenges of COVID-19 and other highly communicable diseases.

COVID-19: Survival and Recovery

TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas) held a conversation on COVID-19: Survival and Recovery, on Wednesday, September 9. Dr. Claire Aldridge of UT Southwestern, a survivor of COVID-19, joined a hospital president and two physicians leading COVID-19 recovery clinics to explore what the path to recovery looks like and what long-term health impacts may result from the novel coronavirus. The session examined what the science says about the duration of infection, the spectrum of symptoms and the possibility of reinfection.

Impacts of COVID-19 On Higher Education in Texas

TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas) held a conversation on the Impacts of COVID-19 on Higher Education in Texas, on Wednesday, August 26. Dr. David E. Daniel, TAMEST Board Vice President and President Emeritus of The University of Texas at Dallas, hosted university and system leaders to learn how Texas research universities are navigating the ongoing pandemic and what lasting impacts they expect to see in the higher education system as a result of COVID-19.

COVID-19: Health Disparities

TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas) hosted a conversation on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, with TAMEST Board President Amelie G. Ramirez, Dr.P.H. (NAM), UT Health San Antonio, a leading health disparities researcher, and additional population health experts to discuss the racial disparities in American health outcomes highlighted by COVID-19 and explore opportunities to advance health equity during this crisis.​

COVID-19: Mitigating the Outbreak in Texas

TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas) hosted a conversation on mitigating the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in Texas on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. TAMEST members, Texas’ greater research community and more heard directly from coronavirus expert and TAMEST Member Peter J. Hotez, M.D., Ph.D. (NAM), along with two leading epidemiologists to discuss what steps officials and individuals can take to mitigate the outbreak.

COVID-19: Manufacturing and Sterilizing Personal Protective Equipment

TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas) hosted a conversation on COVID-19: Manufacturing and Sterilizing Personal Protective Equipment on Thursday, June 25, 2020. TAMEST Members and Texas’ greater research community joined a panel of experts who shared the innovative thinking and quick action of engineers from across our state to provide personal protective equipment during the pandemic.

COVID-19: Treatment and Vaccine Development

TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas) hosted a conversation on the development of treatments and vaccines for COVID-19 on Thursday, June 11. TAMEST members, Texas’ greater research community and more heard directly from scientists at the frontier of treatment and vaccine development to learn about their research on therapies and the overall path to and possible timetables for vaccine development.

COVID-19: Mental and Behavioral Health Impacts

TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas) hosted a conversation on COVID-19: Mental and Behavioral Health on Thursday, May 28, 2020. TAMEST member institutions, the greater Texas research community and more joined TAMEST Member Ellen R. Gritz, Ph.D. (NAM), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, for a conversation with state, national and international experts Lynn F. Bufka, Ph.D., American Psychological Association, Andy Keller, Ph.D., The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, and Thomas R. Kosten, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine, on the modeling and study of the mental health impacts of the pandemic, including substance abuse, anxiety, depression and psychiatric treatment.

COVID-19: Modeling and Testing in Texas

TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas) hosted a conversation on COVID-19 modeling and testing in Texas on Thursday, May 14, 2020. TAMEST member institutions, the greater Texas research community and more joined vaccine expert and TAMEST Member Peter J. Hotez, M.D., Ph.D. (NAM), Baylor College of Medicine, for a conversation with noted epidemiologists Rebecca Fischer, Ph.D., Texas A&M University, and Lauren Ancel Meyers, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin, on what the science says the next steps of the pandemic response should be in Texas.

COVID-19: Conversation with US Senator John Cornyn

TAMEST (The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas) hosted a virtual conversation on COVID-19 with United States Senator John Cornyn and Texas research leaders on Thursday, April 9, 2020. TAMEST member institution chancellors, presidents, vice presidents of research, provosts and schools of medicine deans attended the virtual meeting to learn more about the Congressional response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including three bills recently passed that support universities and health care facilities in their efforts against the virus.

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