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ASTHMA &
ALLERGIES

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in multi-organ failure.” “I am proud to be a part of the UT Health healing community,”
Dr. Peters is currently a Professor and Chief of Pulmonary and Adams said. “In my experience, a white coat sometimes adds an-
Critical Care at UT Health San Antonio. other layer of apprehension and intimidation that may take months
“Over the past 10 years, I worked with the Department of Mi- or years to gain the confidence of a patient. Removing them from
crobiology studying the role of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in chronic the white coat scenario brings down barriers and confidence is
asthma,” Peters said. “Our NIH grant allowed us to study patients gained.
with difficult to control asthma and the potential effect of My- “You’d be surprised how much information I’m able to discover
coplasma CARDS toxin (Community-Acquired Respiratory Distress when a patient feels comfortable talking with me. Not wearing a
Syndrome) in the initiation and persistence of asthma. For many white coat and not having my patients call me Doctor does not
years, I have been interested in patients with severe asthma and try- negate the fact that I am a pulmonologist,” she adds. “They quickly
ing to improve the medical care of these patients.” learn that I believe I earn respect by how I treat others, rather than
Both Peters and Adams say there is a benefit to researching simply by how many years I’ve spent in training. I’m here to heal
asthma treatments in San Antonio and at UT Health. and to care.”
“Having practiced in other communities, I was surprised by the
close sense of family ties that we see in Bexar County,” Peters said.
“When a patient is ill, there is tremendous support by both the di-
rect and extended family.”
There is also a sense of caring and collaboration at UT Health
that you cannot find at many other institutions, he adds. The faculty
and staff at UT Health are unique and special individuals.
Adams said that UT Health has many forward-thinking physicians
and other health care professionals who work as a team to provide
advice, guidance and healing.

14 San Antonio Medicine • October 2018