Sandra Williams, DO, MPH, FACEP
TCEP President

President's Message

Happy 2024! I hope everyone was able to enjoy some quality time with family and friends over the holiday season. We are thrilled to hear of the news of the Texas Supreme Court’s favorable ruling for Dr. Marsillo in the Dunnick v. Marsillo. In this case, the plaintiff alleged willful and wanton negligence in Dr. Marsillo’s treatment of a pediatric patient ...

Save Your Spot at #tcepconnect24

Join TCEP at the sunny Margaritaville Lake Resort in Lake Conroe, TX; April 19th and 20th for CONNECT 2024. Designed exclusively for Texas emergency medicine physicians, residents, and medical students; CONNECT 2024 offers you the chance to immerse yourself into a weekend of cutting-edge advancements, insightful discussions, and unparalleled networking opportunities.

Whether you’re experienced, new in practice, or currently a resident or medical student, CONNECT 2024 offers something for everyone! Explore the various pathways we’ve crafted to assist you in advancing and boosting your career.

Notable features include:
• Earn up to 6.5 CME credits, covering TMB state-mandated education on ethics, opioids, and human trafficking.
• Join in the TCEP 50th Anniversary Celebration.
• Check out the latest research presented during the Annual Research Forum Competition.
• Explore the exhibit hall showcasing the latest services and technology.
• Enjoy a waterfront paradise with activities for the entire family!
• Plus, there’s more to discover...

TCEP 2024 – 2025 Board

Now Accepting Applications!

TCEP is accepting applications for the 2024-2025 Board of Directors. If you're ready to step into a leadership role and want to contribute to shaping the future of emergency medicine in Texas, consider running for a position on TCEP's Board of Directors.

Open positions for the upcoming board year include:

• Three (3) Regular Board positions.
  Candidates must be Active, Life, or Honorary (former Active) members of TCEP, in good standing throughout the three-year term of office.
• Young Physician.
  Candidates must be active TCEP members, under the age of 40, or in the active practice of Emergency Medicine for 10 years of less. One-year term.
• Resident.
  Candidates must be in good standing in an accredited Texas Emergency Medicine Residency Program. One-year term.
• Medical Student.
  Candidates must be in good standing in an accredited Texas Medical School. In addition, they must be active in their local Emergency Medicine Interest Group. One-year term (non-voting).

In addition, we are looking for individuals interested in serving as Councillors/Alternate Councillors at ACEP's 2024 Council Meeting in September.

Click here to learn more about the requirements. The deadline to apply is March 10, 2024.

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.

Legislative Update

Michael Grimes, Imperium Public Affairs (TCEP Lobbyist)

The 2024 Texas elections have gotten off to an aggressively competitive start – and we are still in the primary season. Unprecedented numbers of incumbents are being challenged for their offices, and the intraparty fighting is fierce amongst Republicans and Democrats alike. Campaign finance reports filed recently reveal a surge in funding for both allies and adversaries of many Texas House Republican incumbents, setting the stage for a potentially intense primary season ...

Texas Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Texas Emergency Room Doctor

On January 11, the Texas Supreme Court delivered a favorable ruling in support of Dr. Kristy Marsillo, an emergency room physician, stating that the plaintiff failed to provide evidence of willful and wanton negligence in the treatment of a snakebite—a required standard in emergency care cases. The case involved thirteen-year-old Raynee Dunnick, who was treated at Seton Medical Center Hays for a rattlesnake bite on her left foot ...

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.

EMPACT Update

Richard Robinson, MD, FACEP
EMPACT Chair

The Texas policymaking process is unique, with a biennial legislature meeting for 140 days every odd-numbered year in Austin. TCEP, alongside our lobby team at Imperium Public Affairs (IPA), is actively engaged during the legislative session, ensuring that the concerns of emergency medicine physicians are at the forefront. While the limited time frame might seem challenging for responsible policymaking in a state boasting the 8th largest economy globally ...

Stay Alert for Measles Cases

Between December 1, 2023 and January 23, 2024, the CDC was notified of 23 confirmed US cases of measles, including seven direct importations of measles by international travelers and two outbreaks with more than five cases each. Due to the recent cases, healthcare providers should be on alert for patients who have: (1) febrile rash illness and symptoms consistent with measles (e.g., cough, coryza, or conjunctivitis), and (2) have recently traveled abroad, especially to countries with ongoing measles outbreaks. Infected people are contagious from 4 days before the rash starts through 4 days afterwards.

MSC Update

Katy Wyszynski
UNTHSC-TCOM, MS4, Chair, TCEP Medical Student Committee

Happy February! It’s a bit crazy to think that the class of 2024 Match season is almost over, and the class of 2025 will be preparing for audition rotations very soon. I highly recommend third year medical students attend CONNECT, as we will be hosting a program director panel and “speed dating” with the Texas residency programs. It is a great networking opportunity, and a way to get all your burning questions about the Match answered ...

“Simulation challenges”: A novel Medical Student training tool

Frank Frankovsky III, MS-2
Texas Tech University Health Science Center School of Medicine

During the first two years of medical education, much emphasis is placed on didactic course work and lectures. While this theoretical knowledge is an indispensable aspect of becoming a doctor, students often yearn to shadow, see patients, and interact with their communities in a meaningful way. However, even while volunteering or tagging alongside a resident or attending, students rarely get the opportunity to make meaningful medical decisions in the first two years of schooling. To be frank, students want to know how to practice medicine even as they are just learning what medicine is ...

TCEP MSC: Call for Applications

TCEP is excited to announce the opening of our Call for Applications for the 2024-2025 Medical Student Committee (MSC). Led by Emergency Medicine-bound medical students, the MSC aims to link medical students passionate about Emergency Medicine with opportunities and resources that will provide increased education on EM topics, assist in navigating the Residency Match process, and foster more competitive EM applicants.

Open positions for the upcoming year include:
• Chair (MS3 or MS4)
• Secretary-Editor
• Advocacy Coordinator
• Project Coordinator
• Social Media Coordinator

Click here to learn more about the positions and eligibility requirements. The deadline to apply is February 27, 2024.

Upcoming Meetings and Deadlines

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