Stories written by Alisa Pierce

Use of AI Chatbots Grows in Mental Health Care; Physicians Can Help - 06/03/2026

About one in eight U.S. teens and young adults use artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for mental health advice, opening the door for physicians to have conversations with patients about the technology.

New AMA Guidelines Counter AI Deepfakes Impersonating Physicians - 06/02/2026

The American Medical Association is outlining enforceable actions to take against physician deepfakes, or media that has been manipulated to misuse a physicians’ likeness. Its policy framework aims to stop the use of a physician’s face and voice to market fraudulent products online.

TMB Extends License Expirations Amid New Lawful Presence Documentation Requirements - 06/01/2026

Physicians whose licenses expire May 31 now have until June 30 to meet new requirements by submitting a valid U.S. passport, birth certificate, driver’s license, or other acceptable documentation. According to the Texas Medical Board (TMB), this requirement is in accordance with federal law.

Education Sessions Help Residents Use AI Safely - 05/28/2026

Over five weeks of 60- to 90-minute lessons, internal medicine residents at UT Health San Antonio Long School of Medicine learned about new artificial intelligence (AI) laws, how to engineer AI prompts, and more.

TMA Mentorship Gave New Physician Career Insight, Guidance - 05/26/2026

After months of text conversations, phone calls, and coffee meet ups with a TMA member-physician, Magdalena Anchondo, MD, matched into a residency program of her chosen specialty.

BCBSTX to Implement Downcoding Policy July 1 - 05/22/2026

Payments for services provided to commercially insured patients will be lowered if the new Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) claims editing and review process determines those services do not support the E/M code level on the claim. TMA is ready to analyze the full policy, yet to be released.

DEA Extends Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications - 05/20/2026

To avoid lapses in patient care now that the COVID-19 public health emergency has ended, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration issued a temporary extension of telemedicine flexibilities for the prescribing of controlled medications originally adopted in March 2020.

DEA Extends Controlled Substance Prescribing via Telemedicine Through 2025 - 05/20/2026

Until the end of next year, physicians can continue to prescribe schedule II-V controlled substances via audio-video telemedicine visits without needing to conduct an in-person medical evaluation of the patient, per rulemaking by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Read more.

Feds Require AI Transparency, Define Info-Blocking Exceptions - 05/20/2026

First-of-their-kind transparency regulations established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services aim to help physicians determine the safety of artificial intelligence technology. The new rule also established a new information blocking exception and implemented a 21st Century Cures Act requirement for health IT developers. Read more.

FTC Mandates Vendors Notify Patients of Breaches in Health Information - 05/20/2026

The Federal Trade Commission has amended its Health Breach Notification Rule to require vendors of personal health records and related entities not covered by HIPAA to notify individuals, the FTC, and, at times, the media, when a breach in protected health information occurs. The change will take effect July 29.

Information-Blocking Disincentives Unfairly Penalize Practices, TMA Tells Feds - 05/20/2026

The Texas Medical Association and others in organized medicine are pushing back on proposed federal information-blocking rules to establish “disincentives,” financial and otherwise, that could discourage Medicare participation and compromise sensitive patient-physician discussions, among other concerns.

HHS Establishes Information-Blocking Disincentives for Clinicians - 05/20/2026

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a final rule that aims to hold health care professionals, including physicians, accountable for information blocking as determined by the HHS Office of Inspector General.

HHS Announces ‘Crackdown’ on Information Blocking - 05/20/2026

To avoid information blocking, physicians must ensure their practices do not interfere with the access, exchange, or the use of electronic health information. TMA’s robust 21st Century Cures Act resource center can help.

Gala Donations Cover More Than Half of Hard Hats for Little Heads Program Costs - 05/20/2026

The largest contribution during Texas Medical Association Foundation’s celebration came from Dallas pediatric cardiologist Lee Ann Pearse, MD, who gave $7,000 to invest in “little Texans.”

‘We Can Do This Together’: New TMA Alliance President Uses Community Service to Bolster Medical Advocacy - 05/18/2026

New TMA Alliance president, Lydia Soldano, uses her community service background to bolster medical advocacy.

Measles Uptick Expected During Travel Season, CDC Warns - 05/15/2026

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging medical professionals and health systems to prepare for a possible ramp-up in measles cases spread by summer travel. As of May 13, 182 measles cases have been reported in Texas, while national numbers continue to climb.

Positive Developments: TMA Trains Physicians for Leadership Positions - 05/14/2026

TMA trains physicians to be as comfortable in leadership positions as they are in exam rooms.

UPDATE: HHS Delays First-Time Digital Accessibility Standards for Patients with Disabilities - 05/12/2026

Appointment schedulers, patient registration platforms, bill pay portals, and telehealth platforms are among the digital tools 92% of physicians need to make accessible to patients with disabilities.

How This Physician Trains His Own AI Assistants - 05/07/2026

Using a guided conversation with the tool, Joseph Schneider, MD, trains his personal technology to tackle administrative tasks unique to his workflow needs. He urges other physicians to still observe legal boundaries and personal responsibility.

Standardization Necessary for Better Health Data Transfer, TMA Tells Feds - 05/06/2026

In an April 13 letter to federal officials, TMA offered several suggestions on how to improve the flow of information within electronic health records, vital to ensuring positive patient outcomes. Medicine continues to urge standardized encoding and vocabulary in systems.

New TMA Alliance President Touts Wellness, Advocacy, and Community Resilience - 05/05/2026

Lydia Soldano has forged a path through the alliance and organized medicine, holding 14 separate leadership positions – and now, she adds a TMAA presidency to that resume.

‘Take Medicine Back’: New TMA President Rallies Physicians with Eight-Point Plan - 05/05/2026

In a stirring speech at TexMed 2026 in Corpus Christi, Bradford Holland, MD, commenced his TMA presidency by laying out a vision to improve health care for patients and the physicians caring for them. Meanwhile, Immediate Past President Jayesh “Jay” Shah celebrated physicians’ collective strength in the last year.

Technology Access, Safeguards, and Care Coordination Target of New TMA Policies - 05/04/2026

Aiming to cement physicians’ role as leaders in medical innovation while reducing their administrative burden, the Texas Medical Association’s House of Delegates adopted a host of health care technology policies at TexMed 2026.

TMA Knowledge Center Improvements Expedite Member Solutions - 05/01/2026

System-wide improvements to TMA’s Knowledge Center recently went live, including an enhanced phone line equipped with interactive voice response functionality and a new digital chatbot. These updates were made to better serve members and to provide the most recent information and tools available to physicians across Texas.

Helping Medicine Evolve: Texas Physicians Use Artificial Intelligence to Safely Transform Medicine - 04/29/2026

Texas physicians are using artificial intelligence to transform medicine – while ensuring safe and appropriate use.