Latest news with #HoustonMethodist
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
The Inner Circle acknowledges Dr. Craig Minor is as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence
TOMBALL, Texas, Aug. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Dr. Craig Minor is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence for his contributions to Leading Visionary Nursing Innovation at Houston Methodist. At the forefront of healthcare leadership, Dr. Craig Minor is driving innovation in emergency nursing as Director of Emergency Services at Houston Methodist. Tasked with operationalizing the emergency department for the highly anticipated high-tech Hospital—which open in March 2025—Dr. Minor is spearheading efforts in staff recruitment, regulatory development, and team building, all while establishing a new benchmark for patient care and system efficiency. With 17 years in healthcare, Dr. Minor brings a rare combination of clinical depth and administrative expertise to every role he undertakes. From critical care nurse to academic educator and hospital director, his journey reflects an unwavering commitment to advancing nursing practice and improving patient outcomes. Previously serving as Director of Critical Care at Sarah Bush Lincoln and Emergency Services Manager at Houston Methodist Willowbrook, he has played a pivotal role in shaping emergency department protocols and elevating team performance. Dr. Minor holds an associate degree in nursing from Lake Land College, a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Western Governors University, and both a Master of Science in nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in healthcare systems leadership from Chamberlain University. He is board certified as a Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and Nurse Executive through the American Nurses Credentialing Center, where he also holds active memberships. Among his groundbreaking contributions to the field is his published research on blood sampling from midline catheters—the first study of its kind—now influencing national infusion nursing standards. His work has earned him invitations to speak internationally, including a keynote address at the Unite Scientific Nursing Conference in Munich. Dr. Minor's honors include a 40 Under 40 Emerging Nurse Leaders Award from the Illinois Nurses Foundation and a prestigious President's Award in 2016. Looking to the future, Dr. Minor envisions integrating emerging technologies like smart hospital solutions and WiFi 6 connectivity to revolutionize care delivery. With a focus on data-driven decision-making and connected systems, he aims to create sustainable, tech-enabled models that empower nursing teams and improve patient care across healthcare environments. Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, editorialteam@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The Inner Circle Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Medscape
7 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Headaches & Hand Hijack: A 43-Year-Old's Struggle
A 43-year-old woman presented with insidious onset of neurocognitive decline, alien limb phenomenon, and personality changes. A case report by Anza Zahid, MD, a neurology resident at the Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology at Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, and colleagues documented a significantly underdiagnosed and frequently misdiagnosed disease. The Patient and His History A right-handed woman presented with left extremity loss of function and personality change for over 1 year at the neurology outpatient clinic. After the birth of her fourth child, she began experiencing frequent headaches. She also became withdrawn, forgetful, and volatile in her mood, crying often and laughing inappropriately. She had no family history of neuropsychiatric or memory disorders. On the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, she scored 13 out of 30, losing points in visual-spatial testing, delayed memory, and calculation. Neurologic examination revealed oculomotor apraxia and three beats of nystagmus on horizontal right-sided gaze. The grasp reflex was present bilaterally. She demonstrated significant incoordination of her left hand, stating her left hand has a mind of its own. She had increased tone in all her extremities, with an admixture of rigidity and spasticity on the left side, but her motor strength was normal. Deep tendon reflexes were exaggerated bilaterally. Sensory testing was normal. On gait assessment, she walked unassisted, dragging her left foot in a plantar flexed position. Findings and Diagnosis Head CT showed ventriculomegaly and punctate calcification in the frontal lobe. Brain MRI revealed diffusion restriction and T2 periventricular hyperintensity with atrophy of the genu and anterior body of the corpus callosum. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed 2 white blood cells/mm3, 435 red blood cells/mm3, 48 mg/dL protein, 62 mg/dL glucose (serum glucose, 80 mg/dL), a normal immunoglobulin G index, and a synthetic rate. Based on the patients' history of headaches, left-sided weakness, and cognitive and personality changes, the differential diagnoses included cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, vascular aetiology (stroke, cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leucoencephalopathy, and Susac disease), and neurodegenerative conditions such as behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, corticobasal degeneration, post-COVID demyelination syndrome, or multiple sclerosis. A frontal brain biopsy revealed extensive myelin loss with macrophage infiltration and the presence of neuroaxonal spheroids. Genetic testing confirmed the diagnosis of heterozygous CSF1R c.1765G > A ( gene mutation. No pathogenic variants of NOTCH3 were detected. Therefore, the diagnosis of CSF1R -related disorder was confirmed. The patient was administered high-dose steroids without significant improvement. An induction dose of intravenous immunoglobulin (2 g/kg) showed a transient benefit per oral report. For left upper extremity spasticity, she was offered botulinum toxin injections. Discussion 'The patient's disease had progressed too far, rendering her ineligible for clinical trials. The patient was administered high-dose steroids without significant improvement. An induction dose of intravenous immunoglobulin (2 g/kg) showed a transient benefit per oral report. For left upper extremity spasticity, she was offered botulinum toxin injections. The family was referred to a genetic clinic for counselling for her four children,' wrote the authors.
Axios
29-07-2025
- Health
- Axios
Houston Methodist Hospital named best hospital in Texas by U.S. News
Houston Methodist Hospital continues to rank as the best hospital in Texas, and several other Houston-area hospitals also topped the state rankings, according to U.S. News & World Report's annual analysis, published Tuesday. Why it matters: Houston's world-class medical care means good health care access for locals — plus it draws people to the city as a place to live, work and seek treatment. State of play: U.S. News' ranking compared more than 4,400 hospitals by patient outcomes across 20 benchmark procedures like knee replacement and heart bypass surgery, as well as other data sources like Medicare and patient surveys. Zoom in: For the 14th year, Houston Methodist was named the top hospital in Texas. It also landed a spot on the national Best Hospitals Honor Roll again. Six Houston-area hospitals made the state's top 10 list, including Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, Memorial Hermann Hospital and its Greater Heights location, and Houston Methodist's Sugar Land and Willowbrook hospitals. The rankings also include specialty categories where the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center once again ranked No. 1 in the nation for cancer treatment. What they're saying:"Houston's health care system is impressively represented in the 2025-2026 U.S. News Best Hospitals rankings, with 12 Best Regional Hospitals recognized in the Houston metro," Chelsey Wen, senior health data analyst at U.S. News, tells Axios. "This broad recognition … assures residents of widespread access to high-quality patient care," Wen says. Here are the top-ranked hospitals in Houston:
Newsweek
09-07-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Academic Medical Centers: A Call to Maintain the Spirit of Excellence and Innovation
Medicine once felt like a sacred pursuit. I remember walking the halls of the University of Chicago in the late 1980s, surrounded by pioneers of immunology and genetics, where every discovery felt like it could change the world. We weren't just learning medicine—we were witnessing the birth of modern biology. In those years, I trained under mentors like Donald Rowley, an expert in B cell regulation, and Janet Rowley, who made a seminal discovery in cancer biology by identifying chromosomal translocations. It was a time of extraordinary progress, and I felt part of a revolution in medicine. That spirit—the relentless pursuit of discovery, the unwavering devotion to excellence—is what shaped me. But today, that spirit is under threat. Not only in the United States, where academic medical centers (AMCs) are strained by politics, profit models and bureaucracy—but also in countries like Mexico, where health systems are crumbling under neglect and underfunding. This is a call to remember what made academic medicine the beacon of progress. And to fight for it, before it fades into nostalgia. My Personal Journey in Academic Medicine After completing my basic science training, I began clinical work at Baylor College of Medicine with the goal of becoming an oncologist specializing in bone marrow transplantation. But my time at Baylor College of Medicine and Houston Methodist—home to giants like Dr. Michael DeBakey and Dr. Denton Cooley—changed my path. I witnessed cardiac surgery, heart transplants and artificial heart implantations being performed routinely, while interventional cardiology was just beginning to emerge. It became clear to me that the future of medicine—minimally invasive—was unfolding in cardiovascular care. This inspired me to become a cardiologist. I would argue that my training experience was exceptional because of the academic medical centers where I trained. Many of us in medicine were shaped by that same spirit: a belief in discovery, in academic rigor, in the power of science to improve lives. Whether in the U.S., Mexico or elsewhere, we share this commitment to excellence, to purpose and to the greater good. TecSalud Where Are We Today? We are once again living in extraordinary times. Advances like immune checkpoint inhibitors, minimally invasive cardiac procedures and gene-editing technologies are transforming medicine. Personalized therapies, powered by genomics and AI, are becoming a reality. Yet despite this progress, the spirit that once defined academic medicine is fading. Physicians are burdened by financial pressures, hospitals operate like businesses and funding for research is shrinking. The political climate in the U.S. adds further strain: NIH grants have been suspended, elite universities are being threatened and policies like the MFN (Most Favored Nation) proposal discourage innovation in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Tariffs are raising costs while public discourse increasingly disregards science itself. In Mexico, academic medicine faces even greater challenges: low health care spending, lack of universal access and a divide between public and private sectors. The promise of modern medicine is immense, but we risk losing the ecosystem that makes it possible. TecSalud Call to Action: Reclaim the Spirit of Excellence The engine of medical progress has always been the unique collaboration between universities, hospitals, physicians and industry, especially within AMCs. These institutions are where breakthroughs happen, where future leaders are shaped and where science is translated into real-world impact. Today, that model is under pressure. Yet it is precisely in these moments of challenge that AMCs must stand firm as beacons of excellence, purpose and innovation. That is the path we are following in Mexico at TecSalud. We've created a physician group integrated with our medical school, launched research platforms like the Origin project—a genomic and biostatistical study of 100,000 Mexicans—and established a GMP facility to advance cell therapies. We are building a new center for research and clinical training, and forging international partnerships with institutions such as the Ragon Institute and UT Austin. Our centers for early childhood and obesity reflect our commitment to solving the most pressing health challenges of our population. AMCs are more than institutions; they are moral compasses for medicine. We must protect them, even in the most difficult environments. And we must lead with conviction, staying true to our values and setting a higher standard. It is true that when I look back on my years of training, I have a special feeling of nostalgia for the mystique that seems to be lost. That spirit may feel distant today, but recognizing the importance of regaining it, is the first step toward a brighter, bolder future in medicine.
Newsweek
22-06-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Gen Zer Films Himself Every Day—Then Uncovers a Shocking Truth
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A teenager has shared how he noticed the first symptom that led to his cancer diagnosis—by watching his own videos back. Felipe, 19, from Georgia, had recently moved to college in Oregon when he decided to take part in a viral health craze on TikTok. The Coconut Cult trend involves people documenting their daily intake of probiotic yogurt on TikTok and Instagram. But what he noticed watching back his videos wasn't digestive benefits—it was a lump forming in his neck. "I took the daily videos after seeing the craze with Coconut Cult and wanted to see any results from its daily intake," Felipe told Newsweek. "I noticed something was wrong after the left side of my neck appeared swollen; I saw it was curvy on the video, and then that's when I felt the bump." Pictures from the TikTok video that prompted Felipe to visit the emergency room. Pictures from the TikTok video that prompted Felipe to visit the emergency room. @felipedkl2/TikTok Concerned, Felipe sought medical attention, initially receiving a suspected diagnosis of bacterial infections like strep throat or mononucleosis. But doctors recommended a biopsy to be sure. "The ER had initially told me they suspected bacterial infections like strep throat or mononucleosis," Felipe said. "They immediately recommended a biopsy to see what's causing them to be inflamed." When that result came back, it wasn't what anyone was expecting—Felipe was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer. What Is Hodgkin's Lymphoma? "Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph glands, and if the lymph glands contain specific characteristic cells, they fall under the category of Hodgkin's lymphoma," Dr. Siddhartha Ganguly, section chief of hematology at Houston Methodist and an academic professor for Weill Cornell Medical College, told Newsweek. "It is relatively rare. There are only about 8,000 to 8,500 new cases across the country a year." Thankfully, when caught quickly, it is very treatable. "If we catch Hodgkin's lymphoma in the early stage of the disease, then the cure rate reaches as high as 95 percent to 98 percent in young Hodgkin's patients," Ganguly said. Felipe, who didn't share his surname, posted the video that prompted him to get checked out on TikTok where it now has over 722,000 views. Ganguly said the symptoms of Hodgkin's lymphoma you should look out for: "If somebody has enlargement of a gland, whether they have symptoms of unintentional weight loss, night sweats or fever, and the gland is present for more than seven to 10 days, see your primary care physician," he said. "They may prescribe an antibiotic to make sure it's not an infection. If it is still there after that antibiotic, make an appointment to see a hematologist who deals with lymphoma. The only way to make a diagnosis is through a biopsy." For Felipe, the next steps include a PET scan and chemotherapy sessions with the lymphoma medical team. He has continued to share parts of his journey on TikTok and remains positive, and is thankful for the support from viewers. "I feel better now that I have an answer. I'm taking things day by day," he said.
