Sandra Williams, DO, MPH, FACEP
TCEP President

President's Message

Happy Fall! With the passing of the autumnal equinox, Fall is officially here and we are excited to finally start seeing our temperatures decrease here in Texas. This has always been my favorite time of the year with many upcoming holidays and fun family get-togethers to look forward to. Earlier this month, your TCEP family had a fun get-together in Philadelphia ...

CHRISTUS Spohn, Corpus announces plan to close EM residency program June 2026

Most of you have heard the recent announcement of the planned closure of the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Christus Spohn in Corpus Christi slated for June 2026. This decision has far-reaching implications for our medical community and the quality of care we provide to our patients. We strongly believe that it is our collective responsibility to address this issue and advocate for the continuation of this vital program.

TCEP opposes the closure of this program and is taking a lead in educating the public and the hospital administrators about the importance of the Corpus EM residency program. Official statement from CHRISTUS is below.

The Emergency Medicine Residency Program in Corpus Christi has been a well established, successful program in a relatively underserved area for over 15 years and covers five hospitals. It has graduated over 150 EM physicians. This program has been instrumental in preparing physicians to handle critical and life-threatening situations in our region, and its continued existence is paramount for the safety and well-being of our patients. The closure of this program threatens to leave a void in our healthcare landscape that will impact not only the current medical staff but also future generations of EM professionals.

The TCEP Board has held meetings with key stakeholders, and we are in discussion with ACEP leaders, legislators, and the media. TCEP President, Dr Sandra Williams, has been interviewed by local TV stations and news outlets. The development of a timeline, actions, messaging are all being worked on with TCEP and ACEP leaders.

It is crucial for us to come together and explore potential solutions to prevent this closure from happening. This program has been instrumental in preparing healthcare providers to handle critical and life-threatening situations in our region, and its continued existence is paramount for the safety and well-being of our patients.

TCEP will continue to support our EM Family in Corpus Christi

Petition to save the Christus Spohn Texas Emergency Medicine Residency Program

A petition has been created to stop the planned closure.

CHRISTUS Spohn Closure Statement

Jill Sutton Joins TCEP as New Executive Director

With the announcement of TCEP’s Executive Director, Beth Brooks plans’ to retire on October 31st, the Board named a search committee to handle a nationwide search for TCEP’s new Executive Director.

Jill brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having served as the Executive Director of the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association (TOMA) for the past five years. Prior to that, she spent eight years as the Specialty Society Manager for the Texas Medical Association, where she served as Executive Director for the Texas Society of Pathologists (TSP) and Texas Medical Group Management Association (TXMGMA). Throughout her career, Jill has achieved success in fostering strong relationships, driving robust membership growth, launching lucrative initiatives in continuing education and professional development, and pioneering innovative business models and strategic operations.

Outside of her professional life, Jill resides in Austin with her family, including her husband, two daughters, and golden retriever. Her leisure activities include weightlifting, running, paddleboarding, skiing, hiking, and playing soccer and volleyball with her children. When not pursuing her passions, she enjoys attending live music events, and relishes the beauty of the outdoors.

Please welcome Jill to TCEP. She will become Executive Director on November 1st.

Decoding the new AMA E/M Coding Guidelines for Emergency Medicine

Reduce friction and maximize revenue when transitioning to the new AMA E/M Coding Guidelines for Emergency Medicine. Ventra Health has successfully guided countless clients through this process and uncovered invaluable insights that your Emergency Department cannot afford to miss out on. Get the whitepaper.

FREE Helmets to Protect Little Heads!

TCEP still has a few childrens helmets that we purchased earlier this year through the Texas Medical Association (TMA) Hard Hats for Little Heads program, and we need your help in getting them in the hands (and on the heads!) of children.

A farewell letter from
TCEP Executive Director
Beth Brooks, CAE

It is with mixed feelings that I compile this Emphasis newsletter. This is because, after 43 years in association management—the last six of which I proudly served as your TCEP Executive Director—the time has come for me to “rewire”, effective Oct. 31.

I was privileged to serve several professional associations in my career but can honestly say my tenure at TCEP was the most satisfying. You are an amazingly talented group of individuals and your dedication to your work is inspiring. It has been an honor to work with and for you.

There are so many of you to thank, starting with the past and current Presidents. From day one, you were there to offer wise counsel. I owe each of you a debt of gratitude and offer special thanks to Dr. Gerard Troutman who hired me ( along with the search committee). I will always be grateful to Dr. Dan Peckenpaugh who guided me through the challenging first months on the job way. I will miss our regular, (lengthy) phone calls and zoom visits. There are so many volunteers, Board members, Program Directors, committee members, medical students, and TLAF’s that I have enjoyed working with and learning from ... thank you all for your support.

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is currently seeking members for the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee (MMMRC). If you are interested in the statewide effort to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities for pregnant and postpartum women in Texas, you may be interested in joining the MMMRC.

Emergency medicine claims typically involve diagnostic errors. In this case study, a patient was improperly triaged. When a claim was filed, TMLT quickly went to work and won a clear, decisive victory at trial.

2023 ACEP Council Meeting

Diana Fite, M.D., F.A.C.E.P.
TCEP Delegation Chair

This year’s annual ACEP council meeting was held in Philadelphia on October 7-8, 2023. The biggest news we have from the council meeting was the election of our own Texan, Dr. Alison Haddock as ACEP President-Elect! The council meets yearly immediately before the ACEP annual meeting. We meet for two days testifying and voting on resolutions and electing the next vice-speaker (every 2 years) and president-elect and one-third of the Board of Directors.

MSC Update

Katy Wyszynski
Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, MS4
President, MSC

It is officially fall in Texas, meaning we feel relief from the heat when it is 80 degrees! In the academic medical community, it is also the beginning of match season. Congratulations to all the fourth-year medical students who submitted residency applications and have started their interview journey! The TCEP MSC has been busy with multiple virtual events to assist residency applicants. We hosted 14 “Meet the Program” events on Zoom, where students both in and out of state could learn more about the emergency medicine residency programs Texas has to offer.

Dr. Alison Haddock was elected on Sunday October 8th at the Council meeting in Philadelphia, to serve as President Elect for ACEP.

Dr. Haddock will serve one-year as President-elect before becoming ACEP President during ACEP24 in Las Vegas. She was first elected to the Board in 2017 and served as Chair of the Board in 2021-22. She also has served on the TCEP Board of Directors.

Dr. Haddock will join Dr. Angela Gardner, and Dr. Robert Suter, TCEP leaders who previously served as President of ACEP.

Congratulations to Dr. Haddock!

Dr. Haddock celebrates with her family after securing the votes as President Elect of ACEP.

Diana Fite, MD, became president of the Texas Medical Association in 2020-21 after building up decades of experience in organized medicine, and she needed every minute of it to lead Texas physicians through a novel challenge: COVID-19.

TMA presidents typically visit different county medical societies and see as many physicians as possible as a routine part of their one-year term. All that came to a disappointing halt for Dr. Fite.

Instead, the Houston emergency physician focused almost all her attention on efforts to address the pandemic, such as finding personal protective equipment for physicians, educating the public, keeping up with the latest treatments, and helping physician practices stay open.

Calendar of Events

TCEP Connect 2024

Make sure you're following all our TCEP social media accounts and website for updated information and resources