Austin Medical Times

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January Edition 2021

Inside This Issue

Resolution Refresh: Three Ways to Hit Reset on Your Health By Punit Chadha, M.D., Texas Oncology South Austin

Convincing Patients Not to Delay Necessary In-Person Care During COVID-19: Top 5 Tips See pg. 9

INDEX Legal Matters....................... pg.3 Oncology Research......... pg.4 Mental Health...................... pg.6 Healthy Heart....................... pg.8

Preventive Measures for staying Healthy See pg. 12

E

ach New Year’s Eve, millions of Americans bid farewell to the past year and look forward to a fresh new start on January 1. This year, however, ringing in the new year was radically different as many of us celebrated long-held traditions virtually – or not at all – and braced for post-holiday spikes in COVID-19. The pandemic has indefinitely changed how we live, work, communicate, and interact with one another. Now, more than ever, it’s time to take a comprehensive approach to health and wellness. Here are three ways to hit reset on your health – and there’s no better time to start than now. Prioritize your emotional and physical health. The National Institutes of

Health reports that the emotional impact of living with a cancer diagnosis and treatment, fear of recurrence, and the daily stress of living with physical symptoms can create new or worsen preexisting emotional distress for cancer patients. Furthermore, in a survey by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), nearly half of cancer patients surveyed – 45% – said the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted their mental health. Talk to your physician if you or a loved one are experiencing depression or anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consider whether getting counseling or mental health care, including via telehealth, would be helpful. When it comes to physical health, preventative screenings are the single most effective way to detect cancer early, often before signs or symptoms occur. Yet, cancer screenings dropped dramatically during the pandemic, leading to delayed or missed diagnoses. ASCO reported in October 2020 that two-thirds of Americans surveyed delayed or skipped a scheduled see Resolution Refresh... page 14

UT Austin Receives Some of Texas’ First COVID-19 Vaccines to Protect Healthcare Staff Serving the Region

U

T Health Austin, the clinical is among the first in Texas to receive practice of Dell Medical School the long-awaited first shipment of at The University of Texas at Austin, COVID-19 vaccines. The vials arrived by ground and were immediately placed in sub-zero temperature storage. The 2,925 Pfizer vaccine vials received are the first of two doses earmarked to protect UT Austin’s front-line health care workers, including faculty, staff and students who are actively involved in clinical care delivery to patients in the Austin community. Vaccine distribution will begin Tuesday and will continue for nine days. The second doses are expected in early

January 2021. “This has been a long haul for everyone, but especially for the health care providers who have been putting their own lives at risk in taking care of COVID-19 patients on the front lines,” said Amy Young, M.D., Chief Clinical Officer of UT Health Austin and Vice Dean of Professional Practice at Dell see UT ... page 14

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