ETX View Medical Directory 2023

MEDICAL DIRECTORY 2023

With a nationally recognized Heart and Vascular Institute, a certified Stroke and

UTHealthEastTexas.com

Quality care close to home

UT Health East Texas provides compassionate, quality care through our full continuum of healthcare services including clinics, hospitals, emergency centers, rehabilitation centers and EMS.

With facilities across the region, we offer convenient access to primary and specialty care—including online scheduling, video visits and more.

Two Hospitals in Tyler

UT Health Tyler

• Comprehensive stroke center

• Family Birthplace with neonatal intensive care unit

• Heart and vascular institute

• Level 1 trauma center

Visit UTHealthTylerHospital.com.

UT Health North Campus Tyler

• Behavioral health

• Primary care

• Pulmonology

• And more

Visit UTHealthNorth.com.

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MEDICAL DIRECTORY

This special edition of ETX View highlights the growing medical community and healthcare workers in East Texas.

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY Michael Cavazos, Les Hassell and Courtesy

COVER DESIGN BY

Haley Holcomb

© 2023, M. ROBERTS MEDIA

100 E. Ferguson, Suite 501, Tyler, TX 75702

HEAD STRENGTH COACH RYAN DUPRE spends his morning working out at the Christus Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute.

BEYOND THE SIDELINES

Christus athletic trainers provide essential care for East Texas

STORY BY JESSICA T. PAYNE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL CAVAZOS

Dating as far back as wrestling – one of the first recorded sports in the world – there have been sports injuries. Injuries can happen to any athlete at any time. And, as most people are watching athletes in their element, they rarely see the trainer behind the scenes keeping those athletes healthy and able to compete.

Athletic trainers have long been called the “unsung heroes” of the sports world. However, the Christus Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute and its AT program is looking to change that narrative.

Christus currently has 50 full-time athletic trainers across Northeast Texas and serves between 85 to 100 school districts, colleges and universities which include direct or indirect contact with nearly 35,000 athletes each day in those settings, according to Christus Public Relations Spokesperson Coleman Swierc.

Christus Clinical Outreach Athletic Trainer Joe Ayres, who is currently based out of the Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute in Tyler as the clinic athletic trainer with orthopedic surgeon Dr. William Hobbs, said the profession is constantly expanding. Although he has been in the program almost eight years, he is still learning.

“Our program is constantly growing and expanding. We have the largest group of athletic trainers in this area and we are all dedicated to working with the athletes of East Texas. We all work together as a team to provide the best possible care for these athletes,” he said. “We also work together to help each other learn and grow.”

“It is not uncommon for us to reach out to each other to discuss injuries and treatment plans, or simply brainstorm ideas to help each other get better,” Ayres said. “I have been in the program almost eight years and I still ask for help and am always learning new ways to

CHRISTUS ORTHOPEDICS & SPORTS MEDICINE INSTITUTE has a facility in Tyler and also in Longview. Christus has 50 full-time athletic trainers across Northeast Texas and serves between 85 to 100 school districts, colleges and universities.

| CONT. FROM PG. 9 do things from my colleagues. This collaboration is just one of the many benefits to having such a large group of talented professionals.”

The Christus Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute has a facility in Tyler and also in Longview, providing services for all of East Texas.

Ayres said the profession is sometimes misunderstood.

“Our profession often gets a reputation as the ‘water boys’ or someone who tapes ankles and wraps ice bags. This is barely the tip of the iceberg for what is actually involved in the job, but that is what most people see,” he said. “Most people do not see the meticulous planning that is involved in packing for an away game, trying to think of each and every medical possibility so that nothing is left behind, and then packing extra supplies just in case.”

“They don’t see the pre-game setup that took place hours before the first fans walked through the gate. Fans of fall sports congratulate athletic trainers when football season is over because now we can ‘get a break’ without realizing that spring sports have already started and there is no gap in between,” Ayers continued. “What is not nearly as visible under the Friday night lights are the hours put into rehabbing injured players, evaluating countless bumps and

“We are the front line of healthcare for our patients. On the surface, the public may only see hydration and taping. Behind the scenes, our day-to-day training, prevention, emergency preparedness, rehabilitation, recovery and nutrition, is what the public doesn’t see.”

– OLIVIA EWENI Christus athletic trainer

bruises, and deciding whether or not an athlete can play through an injury.”

Christus athletic trainer and Tyler native Olivia Eweni, who is dedicated to Texas College and came home to Tyler to join the Christus athletic training program, said being an athlete herself made her passionate about the career choice.

“I grew up playing sports, mainly basketball, and played throughout college. When it came time to pick a career, I knew I wanted to stay connected with sports but also loved the idea of learning about the body and all that it is capable of,” she said. “Sports medicine gave me the best of both worlds.”

Eweni believes athletic trainers are an essential component of the healthcare system.

“Athletic trainers are essential to healthcare. Whether it be in the secondary, collegiate, professional, industrial, and many more settings,” she said. “We are the front line of healthcare for our patients. On the surface, the public may only see hydration and taping. Behind the scenes, our day-to-day training, prevention, emergency preparedness, rehabilitation, recovery and nutrition, is what the public doesn’t see.”

Eweni believes the Christus athletic training program definitely stands out.

“We are all very passionate. We take pride in what we do and ensure that we unfailingly provide patient-

centered care. We are problem solvers who never shy away from a difficult challenge and we always look for a way to help meet the vision and mission of our program,” she said. “We embrace change positively and we consistently take responsibility for ongoing professional development.”

Christus athletic trainers Jordyn Richardson and Kaylyn Coleman, who are both dedicated to Lindale ISD, agree most people don’t understand or know the education and training that goes into the athletic training profession.

“I have my Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Grand Canyon University and have a Master of Science in Kinesiology with a specialization in Corrective Exercise and Orthopedic Rehabilitation from A.T. Still University,” Richardson said. “I am a certified athletic trainer from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Board of Certification and I also hold an Athletic Training License in the state of Texas.”

“We are healthcare professionals that can also wear many different hats,” Richardson added. “We can manage and treat various injuries and illnesses that sometimes are not related to orthopedics.”

Coleman, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from East Texas Baptist University, a

ATHLETIC TRAINERS Jordyn Richardson, Jacob Clark, Olivia Eweni, Joe Ayers, and Kaylyn Coleman at the Christus Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute in Tyler.

Master of Science in Kinesiology through the University of Texas at Tyler, and also holds a license to practice in the state of Texas, said many trainers, including herself, did not go into the profession for recognition.

“Personally, I do not serve in this field for recognition. As athletic trainers, we know what is expected in our practice and we serve with great humility,” she said. “Athletic trainers complete an abundance of behind-the-scenes type work, things that people usually wouldn’t think about on a given day or situation, but we complete these tasks out of love of our job and the community we serve.”

Coleman said a-day-in-the-life of a trainer may look different depending on the setting but it is always grueling.

“Depending on the athletic trainer setting, daily tasks might look different for some. A typical day for me consists of arriving at the assigned campus, cleaning the training room, and other administrative duties. Once our athletic periods begin, we provide treatment such as manual therapy, physical therapy, incorporating the use of modalities, evaluating injuries along with creating management strategies for numerous student-athletes,” she said. “After school, we provide practice or game coverage. The fall is usually one of the busier seasons for me and my colleagues due to football season and providing care to both high school and junior high levels.”

Many athletic trainers go into the profession because they were former athletes or have personal experiences with injuries themselves, which was the case for Jacob Clark, Christus athletic trainer dedicated to Tyler Junior College.

“Throughout my entire career as an athlete, I unfortunately dealt with multiple injuries and spent plenty of time in multiple athletic training and physical therapy clinics with multiple great clinicians,” he said. “This ultimately led to me being interested in the healthcare field while also being able to work with sports and athletes.”

Clark said he believes the athletic training profession is beginning to get the recognition it deserves.

“I agree that we are often looked at as sideline participants, but I believe that ATs as a profession are progressing and becoming more respected throughout the healthcare workforce,” he said. “Even though we still do unseen work, we are being better recognized and compensated for these things.”

Whether on the field, in the locker room, or in a clinic, athletic trainers continue to evolve in areas of acute injury care, injury rehabilitation, first responder, injury risk reduction, mental health, nutrition, and environmental concerns, among others to ensure the safety of everyone involved in athletics.

Injuries, especially those that go untreated, can negatively affect an athlete's performance and even quality of life after sports. The Christus athletic training department is dedicated to ensuring safe recovery for athletes to continue doing what they love to the best of their abilities.

PHYSICAL THERAPIST RYAN BENNETT spends his morning working with patient Michael Skinner at the Christus Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute in Tyler.

STRENGTH COACH TAYLOR NOX spends his morning working out at the Christus Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute in Tyler.

NURSE OF THE YEAR

Stephanie Crossland, RN, at Longview Regional.

NURSE of the year

Stephanie Crossland recognized for nursing excellence

STORY BY JO LEE FERGUSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY LES HASSELL

Ahospital emergency room can be a fearful place – one where people might experience the worst day of their lives. Stephanie Crossland, a registered nurse and emergency room supervisor at Longview Regional Medical Center, knows that.

"I love the challenge of that, of going in really bright with them to change the fear and the mood the patient typically has," she said. She identifies what the patient needs to help him or her through that, she said, be it a smile or something to laugh about to help them in that moment.

"I'll go into a room and kind of feel out my patient. I'll immediately touch them when I walk in a room," she said.

That connection with patients is her favorite thing, Crossland said. She recently received Longview Regional's Nursing Excellence Award for 2022. The peernominated award recognizes nurses working in direct patient care who model nursing excellence.

“Longview Regional Medical Center is fortunate to have many outstanding nurses like Stephanie among its ranks. Nurses who deliver exemplary care, compassion and service, who understand the importance of teamwork and mentoring others, who can lead in times of crises, and who are true champions of promoting healthcare in our community,” said Steve Gordon, CEO

of Longview Regional Medical Center. “With an ongoing focus this year on the selfless efforts of healthcare professionals like Stephanie, we are pleased to acknowledge the important contributions of our nursing professionals."

Working as an ER nurse can be stressful, difficult, Crossland acknowledges, but this has been her lifelong dream. The Longview High School and Kilgore College graduate said she wanted to be a nurse in the ER since she was a child, but she never believed she would be able to.

"I didn't do really great in grade school," she said, and she didn't grow up in a well-to-do home. She didn't think it would be possible for her to be a nurse.

She married her husband, James, and she was seven months pregnant with their oldest son when she had to deal with a health scare. Doctors saw signs that indicated she might develop a form of leukemia.

"I was angry with the Lord about it. I thought I had a death sentence," she said.

It was that situation, though, that pushed her to pursue her dream.

"I got my mess together, and I decided just to wing it and try to be a nurse before I died," she said. She entered the LVN program without any of the prerequisites, she said, and excelled in the program.

"I had a lot of doubt in myself," Crossland said. "It took the Lord to push me. I would have never, never tried because I thought I would fail. I didn't have anything to lose, so that's why I tried it."

It was a challenge, though, considering that she was attending school while pregnant and in and out of appointments to monitor her potential cancer, and then taking care of an infant.

"He knew my strength. I didn't know," Crossland said, speaking about God. "We have a lot of strength, and we have to believe in ourselves. We have so much to give."

She had a similar scare when she was pregnant with her second son. Her boys are now 15 and 11, and Crossland never developed leukemia. That experience is something she draws from to encourage other people.

When she was an LVN, she worked as a jail nurse.

"That's where I grew a lot of my passion with mentoring and giving my testimony to encourage others," she said.

Crossland went on to become a registered nurse and has been working in Regional's emergency room for nine years. Some days are difficult, she said, but she copes by remembering that her focus is on the patients and their families.

Her family supports her through those difficult times, lets her fall apart at home when she needs to — the early days of COVID-19 were particularly hard — but she doesn't fall apart at work.

"It's not just for the patient and their family. It's your team. Your team counts on you. We rely on each other for strength," she said. That's why she has what's called "the therapy couch" in her office.

"I like having an open door," Crossland said. "One of the things I love more now that I'm in a leadership role ... my team comes to me, they seek me out for support, for education, guidance, leadership, things like that. I wanted them to have a space where they feel comfortable."

Crossland said she never sought a leadership position at the hospital, and she's thankful to Regional's administration for recognizing the qualities that someone brings to their job and helping that person grow those qualities.

Her supervisor, Nikke Knapp, a registered nurse and director of the hospital's ER, said Crossland exhibits compassionate care and goes "above and beyond" on a daily basis.

"Recently, the emergency department was very busy, and Stephanie came in after her normal hours to assist the team in caring for critically ill patients as she worked with the house supervisor and administrative team to decompress the (department) while ensuring a behavioral health patient had a safe discharge," Knapp said. "Stephanie continues to positively impact patient care through her leadership. She routinely educates her team and peers, and she continues to demonstrate excellent leadership skills to help her team be successful."

Crossland recalled a patient who almost died in the ER, a man she prayed with before he went to the operating room. It was one of the most "impactful" moments she's had with a patient. Later, his family asked her to record a birthday message for him. He called her his "angel on Earth."

"I think the Lord placed him in my care," she said. "That was a proud moment in my career, and it helped me see in a bigger way how much of a significant impact we can have. ... There's so many moments like that, and then the days when you're feeling discouraged, sometimes multiple days in a row, when your heart is so tired that the Lord seems to put that one person in your care and that really calms your spirit."

The outcome might be poor, but the experience is still uplifting, she said.

"It just lights you back on fire," Crossland said.

"I like having an open door. One of the things I love more now that I'm in a leadership role ... my team comes to me, they seek me out for support, for education, guidance, leadership, things like that.

I wanted them to have a space where they feel comfortable."

– STEPHANIE

EDUCATION

NEURO DUO

Nurse practitioner pair dedicated to patient care at Tyler Neurosurgical Associates

STORY BY JENNIFER SCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY BY LES HASSELL

At the forefront of patient care, nurse practitioners are often the unsung heroes of many healthcare systems.

Mayra Acord, RN, AGACNP-BC and Amanda Shipp, RN, APRN FNP-C take on the challenges as being Tyler Neurosurgical Associates’ only nurse practitioners.

“I always knew I wanted to be a nurse,” Acord said. “But being a nurse practitioner kind of fell into my lap.”

NPs work under a supervising physician, but are trained and can independently see and evaluate patients, assess their needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, formulate and prescribe medications and treatment plans.

“We work very closely with our supervising physicians and assist with recommendations, but ultimately it is up to them how they want to proceed with any surgery,” Acord said.

Born in a small town outside of Athens, Acord knew where she wanted to take her career.

“I remember as a kid, seeing a nurse with my family provider and wanting to be like her,” Acord said.

She attended University of Texas at Tyler to receive her bachelor’s in nursing 2012, then went on to University of Texas at Arlington to obtain a master’s in nursing in 2018, thus wrapping up her journey to become a nurse practitioner.

Married for five-and-a-half years, with a goldendoodle and a baby of her own on the way, Acord is happy working as a nurse practitioner.

Originally from California, Shipp attended University of Texas at Arlington where she received her bachelor’s in nursing in 2015, and then master’s in nursing in 2020.

NURSE PRACTITIONERS Mayra Acord, APRN, AGACNP-BC, right, and Amanda Shipp, APRN, FNP-C at Tyler Neurosurgical Associates.

“There wasn’t anything specific that inspired me,” said Shipp, “but the college I went to for nursing put a lot of emphasis on nurse practitioners.”

Seven years married with two little girls and two dogs, Shipp is also content with her role and where she is at in her career.

“Ideally, I’d like to retire as a nurse practitioner,” she said. “I don’t think it’ll ever get boring.”

As much as the physicians of TNA value the nurse practitioners’ input, both Acord and Shipp help patients seek other avenues before surgery.

“We want to help but don’t want to do surgery unless it’s absolutely necessary,” Acord said.

The responsibilities of a nurse practitioner are almost unlimited but the road to such is not an easy one.

Challenges can include more difficult medical classes and even restrictive practices, but it is still a rewarding career.

“It’s nothing like the challenges like the doctors face… we do what we can to help,” Acord said.

Often in affiliation with Baylor Scott & White Neurosurgery and Spine Associates, Tyler Neurosurgical Associates (TNA) specializes in treatment of spinal and cranial disorders, as well as the peripheral nerve.

Such spinal issues include fractures, tumors, degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, spinal instability, spondylosis, and spinal stenosis.

Cranial issues range from aneurysms, hemifacial spasms to tumors.

The practice also assists with carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral nerve tumors and ulnar nerve compression.

“Tyler Neurosurgical Associates has provided quality, comprehensive care to East Texans for 50 years,” said Candace Brown, MPA, practice administrator, “but it is because of the commitment of Mayra and Amanda to help drive those quality initiatives that TNA takes great pride, that we are able to continue that tradition of excellence.”

“We want to help but don’t want to do surgery unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

– MAYRA ACORD RN, AGACNP-BC Tyler Nuerosurgical Associates

BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE Texas Spine & Joint Hospital

YEARS OF SERVICE

Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Hospital continues legacy of high-caliber care

STORY BY JENNIFER SCOTT COURTESY PHOTOS

Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Hospital has been dedicated to serving East Texas for more than 20 years. Formed in 2002, Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Hospital was assembled by physicians who wanted more control of patient care.

“It took some considerable effort to make this happen,” said Jess Mowery, RN, BSN, Regional Director for Marketing and Clinic Operations of Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Hospital.

The facility is a physician-owned hospital, meaning not only do most of the medical staff have financial stake but they have more control over how they care for their patients.

A former Mongtomery Ward store, the main hospital included five operating rooms and six interventional procedure suites, while the outpatient surgery center added another four operating rooms.

At its opening, the hospital had 43 employees, with medical staff specializing in orthopedic and spine surgery, non-surgical pain management procedures, diagnostic imaging and musculoskeletal health and rehabilitation.

With an outpatient surgery center, two imaging centers, three outpatient physical therapy clinics, four urgent care clinics, and a walk-in orthopedic clinic, the hospital was ready to serve the Tyler community.

“The building does not look the same as it did when it opened in 2002,” Mowery said.

After being in the works for nearly two years, in 2013, which included getting agreements with the city about taking over some of the property, the hospital completed renovation and expansion.

Such expansion included larger operating rooms, pain intervention suites, private patient admitting suites and a new cafeteria.

“It was a pretty big deal,” Mowery recalled. “We had a grand reopening for it, as well as a groundbreaking ceremony.”

With a medical staff of over 200 and more than 400 employees, the hospital performs over 7,000 surgeries annually, as well as more than 15,000 pain management interventions and greater than 25,000 diagnostic imaging procedures.

From treatment to recovery, the hospital uses state-of-the-art technology, as well as the latest techniques to help patients get back on their feet.

“We want to help them get back to their lives,” Mowery said. “We want as little disruption for the patients as we possibly can.”

The additional space on the second floor is utilized as a health and wellness center featuring outpatient physical therapy, osteoporosis care, human performance and nutrition.

This musculoskeletal health and wellness facility houses the headquarters of a vigorous sports medicine outreach program which, in cooperation with leading orthopedic surgeons, cares for thousands of athletes from over 25 public and private schools and colleges.

Nationally ranked for patient satisfaction in the top 10% by Press Ganey, the award-winning team of surgeons, physicians and staff are dedicated to treating patients, not just the diagnosis.

Mowery speaks from experience of the quality patient care as his family has undergone procedures at the hospital.

“You know you can trust them to take care of your own family,” he said.

Mowery’s mother underwent a multi-level spinal procedure and plays golf; his father-in-law received a hip replacement and spends his days fishing, and his son had a procedure for a fractured pelvis and now plays multiple sports in junior high school.

Former patient Dr. Christina Graves, a pediatrician from Lufkin, had issues with her shoulder that followed her for years and had to have a full shoulder replacement.

“I had end-stage osteoarthritis and was in constant pain,” Graves said. “It was getting to the point where I couldn’t function.”

Dr. David Kummerfeld came to her rescue.

“He was amazing,” she said. “They all explained the instructions really well and recovery was super fast.”

Her surgery was in October and, according to Graves, she is in full recovery.

“I was scared to death and did not want to do it but the whole process was super smooth and easy. I appreciate them very much.”

Michael Whisenhunt has a torn rotator cuff that had to be repaired.

“I went in Nov. 9th of last year and I am just about at full recovery,” Whisenhunt said.

Like most patients going in for major surgery, he had some apprehension.

“I was going in thinking it was going to be a bad experience, but they made it very pleasant,” he said.

Whisenhunt is appreciative of the office’s professionalism and courtesy throughout his process.

“I would not go to anybody else for this kind of procedure,” he said. “They were absolutely amazing.”

As for awards and accolades?

Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Hospital has earned every one, in spades.

Most notably, for several years in a row, the hospital was awarded Healthgrades Spine Surgery Excellence Award, including best joint replacement for three years in a row.

The hospital was also one of the group's 100 Best Hospitals for spine surgery for five years running.

In 2015, Physician Hospitals of America honored the hospital with their annual “Hospital of the Year” award.

US News & World Report lists the hospital their highest possible honor with “High Performing,” for both joint replacement and spine surgery.

And those are just the tip of the iceberg.

“We are quite proud with how far we have come in the last 20 years,” Mowery said. “And we look forward to 20 more.”

PATIENT ROOM

‘HONOR, COURAGE, COMMITMENT’

UT Tyler Health physician uses Navy experience to serve patients

STORY BY ANA CONEJO

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LES HASSELL

With a goal and mission to serve, Dr. Michael Racs, physician at UT Health East Texas, is using his experience in the Navy to serve the East Texas community. Racs works as a family physician at the UT Health East Texas Physicians Whitehouse clinic and is happy to come back to East Texas where he has established roots.

Growing up in the Tyler area, Racs attended Tyler ISD campuses from elementary to high school then attended the University of Texas at Austin, went to medical school in Kansas City, Missouri, then enlisted into the Navy.

Being inspired by his uncle in the Navy and wanting to become a physician, Racs always saw the need to serve and be part of something bigger than himself, he said.

Racs spent 11 years serving in the Navy in active duty, has been in the medical field as a physician since 2011 and has been part of UT Health since July 2022.

Serving in the Navy consisted of a year in San Diego at Balboa Naval Hospital doing internal medicine, conducting flight surgeon training for Pensacola, Florida, where he learned how to fly airplanes and helicopters. From there, was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, for three years, attached to a Marine Corps Squadron, where he was essentially the general medical officer and medical supervisor for everybody in his squadron.

Now with all this service under his belt, Racs uses his experience to better serve his patients. Racs said he acquired many things while serving in the military, such as seeing people in a different light through humanitarian and disaster relief.

“You see people in the worst times of their life and you start realizing everybody may look a little bit different, but deep down, everybody wants that kind of stability, safety, love of family and friends, and we're not all that different..,” he said.

Being in the Navy, Racs acquired specific words, which he lives by as he helps patients.

“When you're in the military, specifically the Navy, the words ‘honor, courage and commitment’ ring true. Over the years, you try to hone in on your abilities to portray those characteristics and I try to bring that to the community and be an example to others, be an example to my family and the way I find is best to do that is to really work on a daily basis to try and define those characteristics within myself and portray that servant leadership,”

UT HEALTH family medicine physician Dr. Michael Racs.

he said.

As to what motivated him to be a family physician, Racs said it was led by his passion of “liking a little bit of everything” when it comes to helping children, elderly, and families in general.

As he takes over the community he grew up in, Recs said he hopes to bring honesty to the community and give them reliable care in his clinic.

“I don't want to tell these patients things to do that I wouldn't be comfortable telling myself or my family to do. So I try to bring that honesty to the community and give them reliable, honest care here in this clinic, somewhere where they can go and feel safe and open and not judged, and somewhere where we can see generations of family and they feel included and listened to,” he said.

He mentioned that he hopes patients can feel his compassion as he continues his medical practices.

“I hope their takeaway is the genuine care and empathy that we try to provide in this clinic. You know, people come through these doors, sometimes in the

hardest times of their life, and they just need someone to help them and give them direction,” Racs added.

Racs currently lives in Whitehouse with his wife and two children. He said every day he is pushed by the community and the people he helps. According to Racs, he uses his military training to be a rock, and said local residents can expect commitment and loyalty as he becomes part of the community.

“... I have had that comfort level for many years of military training to be that rock in that pivot point for this clinic. I have the courage to stand up for my patients, communicate what I need, and have those discussions with leadership and my patients to help this clinic function at its best. And it definitely shows that after many years of military, I'm committed and loyal, and that I'm here to stay. I'm here to be part of this community and I'm not looking to go anywhere anytime soon,” he said.

To become a patient of Racs, you can find him at the UT Health East Texas Physicians at Whitehouse. For more information go to www.uthealtheasttexas.com/provider/ michael-racs-do-mba.

"You know, people come through these doors, sometimes in the hardest times of their life, and they just need someone to help them and give them direction.”

– DR. MICHAEL RACS Physician, UT Health East Texas