Pittsburg, Texas (December 6, 2022) — Highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, UT Health Pittsburg was named a Top Rural Hospital nationally by The Leapfrog Group. Announced today, the Leapfrog Top Hospital award is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive awards American hospitals can receive. The Top Hospital designation is bestowed by The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers widely acknowledged as the toughest standard-setters for...
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Tyler, Texas (November 29, 2022) — Ollie Flores always had a calling for helping others, knowing he wanted to work in healthcare from a young age. But after a challenging few years working as a traveling nurse during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was facing burnout and had started to think about leaving the profession altogether.
But then his son, Teddy, was born requiring immediate care in the UT Health Tyler neonatal intensive care unit. Witnessing the NICU team’s skilled, compassionate care for his son and their enduring teamwork reignited his passion for the...
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By Marci Wright, diabetes educator with UT Health East Texas
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, a time to learn more about diabetes risk factors, diabetes prevention and preventing diabetes-related complications. Here are a few fast facts to get you started. For more information, visit the American Diabetes Association website, www.diabetes.org.
- About 37 million people in this country have diabetes – 13% of the population – according to the CDC.
- Diabetes can be prevented and treated. Making healthy...

Doug Delano became an Olympic Center member in July 2017 after moving to the area from Bandera, Texas. Doug decided to make the Olympic Center his health and fitness home due to the convenient location, friendly and professional staff always attentive to member needs, and the facility equipment and indoor pool.
Doug had a knee replacement in January of 2019 and received his physical therapy at the Hideaway Lake Olympic Center through May of that year. Doug was able to observe the quality of the physical therapy firsthand for several years prior to his bi-lateral knee replacement...
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Tyler, Texas (November 3, 2022) — UT Health East Texas, in partnership with Tyler Cardiovascular Consultants, has opened the newly renovated Cardiac Plaza, an almost $9 million investment that expanded the UT Health East Texas Heart and Vascular Institute to provide an Advanced Heart Failure Clinic and Atrial Fibrillation Clinic, as well as a Sleep Disorders Center, in one convenient location, 2608 McDonald Road.
“This Cardiac Plaza represents Tyler Cardiovascular Consultants and UT Health East Texas’ commitment to caring for patients in East Texas. It is a significant...
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Tune in as Sonja Hampshire, a psychiatric nurse practitioner with UT Health East Texas Behavioral Health discusses Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
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Losing weight and developing a healthier lifestyle is a journey many people want to take. Thomas Martin is living proof that it can be done.
The 67-year-old former gas and fuel oil plant operator has retired with his wife to their more than five acres near Frankston where he raises goats. He spends his days building and repairing fences for their livestock.
But at 340 pounds, Thomas had difficulty maintaining his energy levels while working around the home. To make matters worse, his weight was preventing him from enjoying his real passion: riding his motorcycle.
“I...
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For Teresa Epps, the office manager of a local construction firm, managing her weight had been a constant battle. But after her successful gastric bypass surgery 2 years ago, she is now enjoying a healthy lifestyle with a fun and rather adventurous future.
“I struggled with my weight for a long time,” the 55-year-old Mount Vernon resident said. “I tried many diets and even lap band surgery.”
Lap band surgery involves placing an adjustable band around the top third of the patient’s stomach, leaving only a small area of the stomach to hold food and a larger area to digest the...
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By G. Todd Hill, CEO UT Health East Texas Physicians
The recognition last month of Prostate Cancer Month got me thinking about my own exposure to prostate cancer through watching three generations on my father’s side deal with it.
The second and third generation (my grandfather and my father and uncles) received early diagnosis and were success stories. I did get to see the benefit of PSA surveillance and even saw the progression of surgical methods from open to laparoscopic methods. The recovery for the open surgery was grueling and had many issues from surgery that...
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For 34-year-old Brian Low, obesity was very depressing.
“I was severely obese and depressed,” said Brian. “At my heaviest, I weighed 388 pounds. It was hard to do anything, which made me feel terrible.”
Brian also suffered from sleep apnea, which is a potentially serious sleep disorder when one’s breathing repeatedly stops and starts through the night. In addition to snoring loudly, the person also feels tired in the morning, even after a full night’s sleep.
Feeling tired and depressed made Brian’s mood spin lower and lower every day. After a while, he knew he had...
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