| August 2022 Recap |

Here's a look at UT Health RGV's August Newsletter!

In this issue:

• New UT Health RGV Provider, Brianna Woodliff, MD
• New UT Health RGV Provider, Jennifer Walt, MD
• UT Health RGV Cosmetic Surgery - NOW OPEN! 
• UT Health RGV physicians stress importance of back-to-school checkups
• UT Health RGV diagnostic imaging - NOW OPEN!
• UT Health RGV Student Health accreditation renewed by AAAHC
• UT Health RGV pediatrician, board-certified lactation consultant, talks benefits of breastfeeding
• Bravo to our UT Health RGV team members! 

Sports Physicals

with:

Jimmy Gonzales, MD

Adult Primary Care

Vaccines and Flu Shots with:

Lori Berry, MD

Pediatrics

Eye Exams

with:

Lorena Flores-Hernandez, OD

Vision

 UT Health RGV Student Health, which helps meet the medical needs of UTRGV students free of charge, has been renewed for accreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.  

As an accredited organization, UT Health RGV Student Health continuously has met the nationally recognized standards for quality health care set by the accreditation association.   

UT Health RGV Student Health currently has two locations serving UTRGV students in both Brownsville and Edinburg.   

Rick Gray, RN, director of Health Services at UTRGV, said the accreditation is attributed to the service the UT Health RGV clinical staff provides to the more than 10,000 students who visit the clinics annually.   

“AAAHC accreditation helps our students to be confident that they receive the highest quality care when they are seen in one of the Student Health clinics,” Gray said. “Our certificate of accreditation makes it clear that they have closely examined our facility and procedures.”   

UT Health RGV Student Health is the first in the UT System to hold AAAHC accreditation, according to the UT Health RGV website.    

Currently, only 10 college health facilities are accredited in the state of Texas.  

Read More Here

Congratulations to Board-Certified UT Health RGV Pediatrician and UTRGV School of Medicine Assistant Professor, Dr. Keila Rodriguez, who is now an international board -certified lactation consultant. 

Dr. Rodriguez is one of the few board-certified lactation consultants in the Rio Grande Valley. With these skills she will provide great care to new mothers and educate medical students on helping their patients.

Rodriguez believes that, as important as breastfeeding is to both mother and baby, it is crucial not to pressure women to do so because all women are different.  

Normalizing breastfeeding is a big step toward encouraging more women to breastfeed.

In addition, advocating for more access to community support, like peer counseling and supplemental nutrition programs, can help inform more women about the benefits of breastfeeding, she said. 

As a way to support mothers who breastfeed, UTRGV offers Nursing Mother Suites to all faculty, staff and students who are in need of a private, sanitary place to express breast milk and a secure, comfortable location to breastfeed.

Rodriguez also recommends visiting the CDC website.  

"It has good resources online on breastfeeding. And you can ask your OB/GYN for more resources on lactation," she said. 

She believes normalizing breastfeeding is a community effort that starts by: 

• Encouraging moms who want to breastfeed. 
• Helping them troubleshoot their issues. 
• Giving nursing moms pumping breaks and helping them stay hydrated.

"We need to normalize, encourage and support women who want to breastfeed, so they are able to," Rodriguez said. 

For more information on breastfeeding, lactation and mother-baby dyads, contact Rodriguez or other UT Health RGV physicians at UTHealthRGV.org or to find UTHealth locations available for appointments.

"Bravo" 

to our

UT Health RGV Staff!