Caught in the Act: Hospitals in Action!
Hospitals across the state are heeding the call to act in support of THA's Some Cuts Don't Heal campaign. Click on a region for a snapshot of what's happening around the state:
 |
|
West
Alpine
Big Bend Regional Medical Center met with the local chamber and Rep. Pete Gallego, submitted a newspaper column and hosted a Senior Circle brown bag.
Childress
John Henderson at Childress Regional Medical Center was in a front-page article in Austin American-Statesman on Sunday, March 27.
El Paso
Jose Luna, M.D., chairman of the board of the El Paso County Hospital District, wrote a guest column in the El Paso Times on Sunday, April 17, regarding the impact of the budget cuts on health care in El Paso. It's great to see hospital trustees getting involved.
Jim Valenti, CEO of University Medical Center, reaches 20,000 readers in his weekly newsletter. The El Paso Times ran an article in which he raised the possibility of a local tax increase as a consequence of state budget cuts.
University Medical Center held a news conference, and added the Some Cuts Don’t Heal logo to its website.
Lubbock
Tony Privett with High Plains Research and Gwen Stafford with Covenant Health System are working with the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce to issue a resolution urging legislators to use the rainy day fund and find additional revenue to help minimize any cuts to public health.
Midland
Russell Meyers at Midland Memorial Hospital had a spot-on letter in the Midland Reporter-Telegram.
San Angelo
Hospitals held rally on courthouse steps: Local hospitals rally to voice budget concerns
Brad Holland, CEO of San Angelo Community Medical Center, was quoted in an AHA News article.
San Angelo Community Medical Center and Shannon Medical Center obtained a letter from the chamber board to state leaders and legislators.
South
Austin
Texas Organization of Nurse Executives and Texas Association for Healthcare Financial Administration have the Stop Cuts banner ad front and center on their home pages.
Bryan Sperry of Children's Hospital Association of Texas has placed more than seven letters-to-the-editor across the state regarding the impact of the budget cuts on Texas children. Check out these examples in the Amarillo Globe-News and Seguin Gazette.
THA and health care leaders held Capitol news conference: Hospitals in danger of state budget cuts
Methodist pastors got involved.
Corpus Christi
KIII-TV interviewed Steve Woerner, president/CEO of Driscoll Children’s Hospital.
New Braunfels
Jim Wesson with CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital-New Braunfels wrote an op-ed that was published in the Herald-Zeitung.
Rio Grande Valley
Linda Resendez, CEO of Edinburg Regional Medical Center/Edinburg Children’s Hospital, presented a resolution to the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce.
Doctors Hospital of Laredo CEO Elmo Lopez Jr. and Laredo Medical Center CEO Tim Schmidt spoke to Laredo Kiwanis club about the impact of proposed state budget cuts.
Tim Schmidt, CEO of Laredo Medical Center, used his hospital’s KXXX weekly program to talk about Medicaid cuts.
Joe Riley, CEO of McAllen Medical Center, Mike Adams, COO of McAllen Heart Hospital and Greg Seiler, CEO of Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen secured a resolution from the McAllen Chamber of Commerce.
James Summersett, CEO of Knapp Medical Center, was interviewed by the McAllen Monitor.
Doug Matney, group vice president for South Texas Health System, spoke to the Valley Partnership (aka Rio Grande Valley Chamber of Commerce) and the board adopted a resolution supporting health care funding. Matney also spoke out in the Rio Grande Guardian.
San Antonio
San Antonio hospitals held a joint news conference which garnered excellent media coverage.
Bexar County Hospital District passed a resolution.
CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System and Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio reps are "tweeting."
Weslaco
Jim Summersett with Knapp Medical Center is using social media tools to move the hospital budget message. He has a video on YouTube, a blog and postings on Twitter and Facebook.
North
Corsicana
Xavier Villarreal at Navarro Regional Hospital held a press conference at the courthouse about the Medicaid budget cuts, and his activities were recognized by the executive director of the Corsicana/Navarro County Chamber of Commerce in his column in the Corsicana Daily Sun.
Dallas
Ron Anderson, M.D., focused his recent Message from Parkland on the impact of Medicaid budget cuts, and their ripple effects.
Area hospitals held news conference: Hospital execs concerned about state budget cuts to Medicaid
Dallas-Fort Worth hospitals spoke out against proposed state cuts to Medicaid.
Steve Mansfield, CEO of Methodist Health System issued a call to action to 6,000 employees, trustees and volunteers.
Methodist Health System brought 50 hospital advocates to Austin.
Texas Health Resources hosted "Day at the Capitol" with 50 governing board and administrative team members.
CHRISTUS Health System held "Day at the Capitol."
David Orcutt of Lake Granbury Medical Center wrote an op-ed for his local newspaper.
Decatur
Steve Summers at Wise Regional Health System generated a great article in Wise County Messenger.
Fort Worth
Ken Finch at Huguley Memorial Medical Center is taking the legislative overview provided by THA to Rotary Club meetings and other community functions so he can answer questions on the issues.
Graham
North Central Texas hospitals held a workshop for CEOs, trustees and physicians on proposed Medicaid cuts.
Longview
Good Shepherd Medical Center ran the Some Cuts Don’t Heal "clock" ad in local newspapers. The ad, produced by the Texas Hospital Association, reminds readers of the importance of access to emergency care.
Texarkana
CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System and Wadley Regional Medical Center joined with the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce to conduct a news conference to urge legislators to tap into a portion of the rainy day fund. The hospitals also issued a call to action by area residents to contact Sen. Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler).
East
College Station
College Station Medical Center, as well as each Community Health System hospital in Texas, added the Some Cuts Don’t Heal banner on its home page, linking to the hospital’s legislative page and more information.
Houston
David Lopez of the Harris County Hospital District spoke out about the negative impact of the House budget cuts in a recent Houston Chronicle article.
Harris County Hospital District CEO was interviewed: Hospitals bracing for budget cuts by state
David Lopez, CEO of Harris County Hospital District, was quoted in Houston Business Journal.
Huntsville
Sally Nelson at Huntsville Memorial Hospital has taken the message to the City Council, County Commissioners Court, Rotary, AARP and Lions Club. Her CFO Bob Gray was quoted in the lead front page story in the Huntsville Item about the Medicaid cuts, and employees are contacting their state senator and representative. The hospital’s website home page features the campaign banner with audio.
Sally Nelson at Huntsville Memorial Hospital emailed her board regarding her plan to fight state budget cuts. She’s working THA’s Legislative Planning Checklist.
Huntsville Memorial Hospital CEO Sally Nelson hosted workshop for trustees.
Lufkin
Bryant Krenek of Memorial Health System of East Texas, and Casey Robertson of Woodland Heights Medical Center held a joint op-ed in The Lufkin Daily News on Sunday, April 3.
