As originally published in Mega Doctor NEWS newsprint edition September 2021
Dr. Rafael Rafols, a wound specialist physician, has dedicated years to treat the increasing diabetic population from our community. And the COVID-19 Pandemic did not stop him and his team from providing their patients with expert care.
Dr. Rafols and a team of dedicated professionals sounded the alarm to announce an increasing population of diabetic adolescents and even children who are already patients of Wound Management. Lack of exercise and a diet of junk food is creating diabetic children. Some of them have already been referred for total disability.
During these challenging times, he said the treatments he provides to his patients, are not only medicine but also a holistic approach.
Wound Management has added a new doctor and three physician assistants to its team in efforts to provide treatment in four locations throughout the Valley. Dr. Rafols is our September Mega Doctor, learn more about him and his dedication to our community health inside.
On another note, the Rio Grande Valley is celebrated a historic and momentous occasion with the designation of Doctors Hospital at Renaissance (DHR) in Edinburg as the first Level 1 trauma facility. This designation is a true testament of the leadership of the DHR Board of Directors, hospital administrators, physicians, and staff. Achieving this designation takes years of building the infrastructure needed such as facilities and personnel and requires a significant financial commitment. The vision, dedication, and commitment of DHR is to be commended. Our Valley delegation worked with DHR to ensure the State of Texas did its part in providing the support and a portion of the funding needed to help make this vision a reality. Read more inside.
On a story of special interest from Vanderbilt University Hospital; they treated 39 pregnant patients hospitalized with active COVID-19 infections in August, 10 of whom were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).
“With this delta surge of COVID, we have been experiencing a high number of unvaccinated, pregnant females who are becoming critically ill with COVID pneumonia,” said Todd Rice, MD, associate professor of Medicine in Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.
“These patients get very sick very quickly and end up needing a ventilator or ECMO. A significant proportion of them end up losing their pregnancies, and if they don’t, their babies have to be delivered early, which causes a number of issues for the baby due to being delivered prematurely,” Rice said.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the two leading organizations representing specialists in obstetric care, as well as the CDC, recommend that all pregnant individuals be vaccinated against COVID-19. Read the complete article inside.
Congratulations to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio as they became a new National Institute on Aging (NIA)-designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC).
“Alzheimer´s disease takes a higher toll among Hispanics, and through the partnership with the team in San Antonio and the network of other ADRCs, we will be positioned to make discoveries needed to change the trajectory of pain caused by the disease.” Much more inside.
Enjoy!
