July 2023
Dr. Elisabeth Potter
Breast Reconstruction and Plastic Surgery
A fervent advocate is how to describe TCMS member Dr. Elisabeth Potter. Patient access to care and animals in need are her hot buttons.
Dr. Potter is especially passionate about protecting modern breast reconstruction from insurance denials spurred by recent medical coding changes. The DIEP flap is a natural breast reconstruction surgery that Potter specializes in, and when access to this procedure was threatened, “I realized I had to get involved in advocacy and health policy. I couldn’t let others do it for me if I wasn’t willing to step up and do the work myself.” Potter was recently featured on CBS Morning News discussing this coding change and the impact it would have on breast cancer survivors. Click on the button below to see the news clip and read the article.
In Dr. Potter’s arsenal is organized medicine. TCMS/TMA have been strong allies in her fight to protect the DIEP flap. “We recently sent a letter to CMS signed by 34 patient advocacy organizations, 12 medical professional societies, 231 health care professionals (including hospitals, practices, and individual health care providers). Soon after, CIGNA announced a delay in implementing their reimbursement change for DIEP flaps.”
In her free time, Potter rescues animals—specifically dogs. “I have rescued numerous dogs over the past few years. You can find me doting on my pack of four whenever I have the chance!”
CBS Morning News Clip
June 2023
Dr. Heidi Abraham
Deputy Medical Director
Austin/Travis County EMS
“Do hard things. Stay dangerous” is how Heidi Abraham, MD signs her messages. And judging by her passion for emergency medicine, she’s one to listen to. As one of the first board-certified EMS physicians, Dr. Abraham explains, “I love being a pioneer! Today I am leading a team that is at the forefront of innovation for the entire EMS industry. EMS is now an essential part of the healthcare system, not simply the transport to healthcare.”
Her role with Austin/Travis County EMS centers around telehealth and urgent care. “Essentially if a patient who calls 911 doesn’t actually need an ambulance and an ER department, I’m responsible for their care,” she explains. Thanks to her ability to match the care needed with the appropriate facility, the county has saved countless dollars and labor hours. “We’ve saved the EMS system hundreds of ambulance hours per month, saved hospitals several hundred ER bed hours, and we’ve saved our patients $4 million in FY23 alone,” she says proudly.
Another example of the effectiveness her team demonstrates has to do with the actions of the county’s mental health paramedics. “When one of our mental health paramedics is involved in a psychiatric emergency call, they are able to manage those calls 95% of the time without involving law enforcement.” There are more examples of Austin/Travis County successes—many of which she credits with listening to the medics in the field.
“Empower your subordinates,” is the best professional advice Dr. Abraham ever received. “Many of our best ideas come from the boots on the ground medics trying to solve the problems in front of them.” From their input, Austin/Travis County EMS has developed a revolutionary program that agencies across the country are seeking to model.
The sometimes-frantic pace of the EMS department is balanced by Abraham’s love of music and quilting. “I have been playing the harp since college. I also enjoy sewing quilts for the nieces and nephews—it’s great getting to use the other half of my brain!”
It’s obvious that Dr. Heidi Abraham’s role with Austin/Travis County is fast paced and rewarding. “There’s never a dull moment in this new specialty, and I get the chance to be involved with everything from patient care to education, to relationship building with healthcare partners throughout the community.”
May 2023
Dr. DeVry Anderson
Chief Medical Officer, St David's South Austin Medical Center
Designated Institutional Official for St David's Healthcare Graduate
Medical Educational Program
“Life is about relationships—the rest is just details,” stated one of Dr. DeVry Anderson’s mentors.Through the years he has realized just how true the statement is. He explains, “The details matter, but by strengthening existing relationships with our patients, our healthcare partners and with others who share the environments in which we work and live in—and by enlarging our network of new relationships—we can provide better healthcare to those in our community. We are also able to better understand, represent and love those within the communities we serve.”
As the chief medical officer for St. David’s South Austin Medical Center and the designated institutional official for St. David’s HealthCare’s residency training programs, Dr. Anderson is grateful for the leadership roles he holds because of the impact he can make on the different facets of healthcare—administrative, educational, and medical. “I am able to bridge some gaps between operational components of providing patient care and the overarching responsibility we all share to ensure our city’s public health needs are addressed,” he says. “In this role, I have the unique opportunity to not only serve our patients, but also to develop, represent and serve our doctors, healthcare staff and community members.”
But Dr. Anderson holds yet another important leadership position—he is the current president of the Austin Black Physician’s Association (ABPA). Since 2016 the ABPA has made it their goal to inspire and nurture the next generation of Black doctors with scholarships and mentorships. The organization establishes partnerships with supportive entities to help decrease the health disparities that affect Austin and the surrounding communities—and they do much more. “You can partner with us as a volunteer, as a mentor or as a member! Joining is easy, go to https://austinbpa.org/ and click the JOIN NOW button.”
When the luxury of free time presents itself, Dr. Anderson plays jazz piano, travels with his wife Keiko Anderson Esq., and enjoys hiking, camping, four wheeling and canyoneering.
April 2023
Dr. Tony Aventa
Internal Medicine
Capital Medical Clinic
After more than 20 years with his practice, Dr. Tony Aventa still treasures those moments with patients, “When you’re there at the right time, make just the right diagnosis, and see the relief and gratitude on your patient’s face.” And though he continues to have great satisfaction with his chosen career, Dr. Aventa takes on much more by choice. He is a strong believer in organized medicine and a physician’s responsibility to advocate for the profession and for patients. “I firmly believe that advocacy is the responsibility of each and every physician in Texas. Through organized medicine, our collective voices and actions become united and far stronger. We can move the needle towards protecting both our patients and medicine through legislative efforts—from minimizing prior authorization hassles to extending Medicaid coverage for new mothers and more.”
Dr. Aventa has held numerous positions with TCMS—he is a past president as well as delegation chair. In addition, he is active within TMA—currently running for TMA Board of Trustees. “We have all heard if you want change—step up and participate. I have taken that advice to heart. At this point in my career, I am ready to help the Board continue TMA’s tradition of excellence.” Specifically, Aventa wants to represent the primary care and independent practices on the TMA Board. “I’m so appreciative to Dr. Gary Floyd and our current Board of Trustees for making the preservation of independent practice a priority.”
When he’s not working or thinking about the state of medicine, Dr. Aventa enjoys family time with his wife and two daughters. Travel, game/movie nights, pickleball and hiking are among his favorite leisure activities. “Someday I will work on finding a hobby, but for now relaxing outside of the office takes priority,” he says with a smile.
March 2023
Dr. Ghassan Salman
Internal Medicine,
Associate Chief Medical Officer
Baylor Scott & White Health
“Make the patient the center of your attention,” is the best professional advice Dr. Ghassan Salman every received. And he strives to live by that advice daily. Specializing in internal medicine, Dr. Salman received his medical degree from the American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine in Lebanon. From there, he completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Rochester/ Strong Memorial Hospital. A fellowship in primary care preventative medicine followed at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
When your life’s ambition is to help people, there is immense satisfaction in being a physician. “I work hard to decrease my patients’ burden of illness, and at the same time I treat their families in a kind and caring manner,” he explains. “I treat the families the way I want my family to be treated.” In addition to his practice, Salman serves as the Associate Chief Medical Officer for Baylor Scott & White Health. “I do spend a significant amount of time in healthcare administration—it’s important to support our physicians and advance practice professionals.” Since the value of supporting physicians is not lost on Dr. Salman, it is no surprise that he is an active member of TCMS. “A few years ago, I was sitting with a physician at a TCMS dinner event. He practiced in Austin in the 1970s. He was telling me how Austin physicians have always worked together collaboratively and productively no matter where they had privileges. I tend to believe we still do that and thanks to TCMS, we are able to stay connected.”
Free time often finds him with his family, his interests being travel, reading books on leadership, running (see above marathon photo with his wife), and playing chess.
February 2023
Dr. James Bray, Sports Medicine
How cool is it to be the UT team physician? Dr. James Bray would know—he has held this position since 2012. But his UT loyalties existed prior to this dream job. Bray attended UT as an undergraduate and attended medical school at UT Medical School in San Antonio, so his Longhorn ties are not new. He went on to complete a family medicine residency and a sports medicine fellowship at Moses Cone Hospital in North Carolina. Summing up his current position Bray says, “As a primary care sports medicine physician, I have the privilege of working with not only elite athletes as my patients, but also colleagues that are extraordinary health care professionals. My favorite part of my profession is having the opportunity to discuss cutting edge nutrition, sports science and medicine with some of the most knowledgeable clinicians in the country and being able to convey that to a truly exceptional patient population.”
Being focused on maximizing health and performance, there is no way Bray could avoid applying some of these practices to his own life. His self-professed hobby is measuring his own health activities. “I like to apply longevity data to my daily rituals. When I’m not working, I spend an inordinate amount of time on monitoring and measuring activities including but not limited to sleep, diet, exercise, meditation and deliberate heat and cold exposure. It doesn’t seem to work though; I still am getting older!”
Dr. Bray joined TCMS after seeing the lengths the society went to during the pandemic. "The pandemic introduced me to the myriad of ways the TCMS supports physicians in our community. When masks were scarce and hard to find, TCMS helped acquire and distributed them. When there was so much speculation and uncertainty about COVID, the TCMS webinars provided facts and were a clear signal in all the noise, so I decided I needed to be a supporter of such a benevolent organization.”
The best professional advice he ever received was, “Always have a differential of three, always do what’s best for your patient, and to live beneath your means.”
Dr. Bray lives in Georgetown with his wife Kendall Britt, MD and their two children.