DFWHC

DFWHC Membership Directory available this summer

Chris Wilson — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:22:18 +0000

A communications guide for North Texas hospitals, the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council’s (DFWHC) Membership Directory has been a popular tool for more than 30 years. The 2013 version will be distributed to members this summer. The directory will be available as a pocket guide or an electronic .pdf document.

The DFWHC Membership Directory serves as resource for members interested in communicating with area healthcare employees. It includes 150 pages listing member hospitals, staffs, business addresses, websites and phone numbers.

This year’s directory will also provide detail of DFWHC sponsors, helpful statewide telephone numbers and contact information for DFWHC staff members.

The DFWHC marketing and communications team will be collecting updated hospital and associate member information over the next two weeks. Complimentary copies will be mailed to members this summer. For information on how to receive a copy, please contact Chris Wilson at chrisw@dfwhc.org or call 972-719-4900.

Devastating loss of life

Steve Love — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:49:43 +0000

Communities subjected to devastating storms and loss of life over the past days makes us mindful that life is fragile. We express our condolences to all who have lost family and friends in these unthinkable storms. We stand with the survivors as they rebuild their communities and lives.

As we watch news reports describing the destruction of Granbury, Cleburne, Moore and so many other towns and cities, we immediately feel compassion. Such a significant loss of life leaves us feeling empty and helpless. We can only imagine the pain and suffering of survivors. My wife Rebecca and I were blessed with a beautiful granddaughter last September. Emotions ran high as we watched a grandfather on television wandering around the remains of Moore’s elementary school. His granddaughter was missing. He wanted to find her. He could not.

As in all tragedies, we must help our neighbors during this healing process. Today, let’s put health care reform, the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion on the “back burner.” Political debate should be silent. Our primary focus should be to assist our friends in Texas and Oklahoma. Let’s help them during the rebuilding process, underscoring the compassion and dependability of our health care system.

Like our heroic first responders, emergency teams and volunteers, we too can be heroes by rendering compassion to our citizens in need.

Doris Kearns Goodwin to serve as keynote speaker

admin — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:51:59 +0000

The Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council announced in April that Doris Kearns Goodwin, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, would serve as keynote speaker of the 65th Annual Awards Luncheon, Oct. 24 at the Arlington Convention Center.

A world-renowned historian, Goodwin has reported on politics for over two decades. She is a best-selling author and was an on-air consultant for PBS documentaries on Lyndon B. Johnson, the Kennedys and Ken Burns’ “The History of Baseball.”

Her most recent work was the monumental history of Abraham Lincoln “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” Published in 2005, the book reached #1 on The New York Times Best-Seller List. The 2012 feature film “Lincoln,” directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Daniel Day Lewis, was based on “Team of Rivals.” The film opened to rave reviews and received 12 Academy Award nominations.

Goodwin was born and raised on Long Island, New York. She received her B.A. from Colby College and her Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University. Goodwin served as assistant to Lyndon Johnson in his last year in the White House. She later assisted Johnson with his memoirs.

In 1976, Goodwin authored “Lyndon Johnson & The American Dream,” which became a New York Times best-seller. She followed in 1987 with, “The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys,” which stayed on The New York Times Best-Seller List for five months. Her next book, “No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The American Home Front During World War II,” was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1995. It was a New York Times best seller for six months.

For information on the luncheon, please contact Kristin Alexander at kalexander@dfwhc.org or Chris Wilson at chrisw@dfwhc.org.

Let’s Roll “Rolling Blackouts” out of Committee

Steve Love — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:34:13 +0000

The hospitals of North Texas thank State Senator John Carona (R – Dallas) for introducing Senate Bill 1139 this legislative session. This bill would exempt hospitals from rolling blackouts. In February 2011, North Texas hospitals were subjected to rolling blackouts without prior warning. Our community was lucky no one died, although hospitals had several close calls.

The same laws and regulations exist today as in 2011, with no modifications to address what happened to area hospitals while performing surgery and treating trauma patients. Simply put, we need Senate Bill 1139 enacted into law to protect patients.

The problem is the bill remains in the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce while time is running out. The committee must release Senate Bill 1139 so appropriate discussion, debate and resolution happens in May. This is not about health care reform or the Affordable Care Act. This bill addresses safety for patients treated in hospitals throughout Texas. Patient safety must be our top priority, and we should not be silent on this issue.

We ask each committee member to imagine they are involved in a serious car accident on Interstate 35 and flown by helicopter to one of our North Texas hospitals. Visualize this trauma team working intensely to save your life. They are using critical care equipment as precious minutes of your “Golden Hour” tick away and then…the electricity goes out.

Like trauma teams attempting to work without electricity, action on Senate Bill 1139 cannot be taken until it is released from the committee.

We thank committee members for their public service and efforts on behalf of Texans. For the sake of all Texas patients, let’s roll the “rolling blackouts” bill out of committee.

Spring Interlocutor is now available

Chris Wilson — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:30:40 +0000

The spring edition of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council’s (DFWHC) magazine Interlocutor was released to membership this week. The issue highlights the nominees and recipients of the April 18 Employee of the Year Luncheon at the Irving Convention Center. The event celebrated 17 years of success honoring North Texas hospital employees before more than 700 attendees. Additional highlights include the filing of Senate Bill 1139 that could possibly make hospitals exempt from rolling blackouts. You can also read about THR Day in Austin, the second annual Speed Networking Event and the upcoming Nurse Preceptor Academy. Click the graphic below for the full story.

You can also view a .pdf of the magazine here.

Will the Real Medicaid Program Please Stand Up

Steve Love — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:05:39 +0000

When U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law Medicare 45 years ago, Title XIX was included in the legislation. Title XIX was known as Medicaid and introduced as a welfare program for states to administer to citizens in need. In 1996, U.S. President Bill Clinton separated Medicaid from the welfare status and today, many working Americans qualify for Medicaid reimbursement. In the near future, Medicaid may in fact cover 25 percent of the population and be one of the largest payers for health care coverage.

Rather than approach Medicaid as a problem, let’s look at potential opportunities to position the program as an insurance product rather than welfare health coverage. Texas has intelligent professionals who could sit down in a bipartisan and collaborative meeting. They could look at a truly state-based Medicaid insurance product with fair and equitable payment levels. Perhaps we could place state employees within this plan, have sound actuarial assumptions and place this qualified health plan (QHP) on the state health insurance exchange.

This QHP would have tremendous purchasing power, allowing the state to shape the landscape of rates, coverage and payment methods. This would help Texas to examine state staffing shortages in the Health and Human Services Commission. Our state could clearly define coverage, including mental health, and control its own destiny when administrating the Medicaid program.

No plan is perfect. Utilizing funds from the Affordable Care Act, increasing coverage through Medicaid expansion and the qualified health plan on the insurance exchange would provide a solid foundation to help many of the six million uninsured Texans.

This approach to reform would include the Medicaid 1115 waiver, patient payment responsibility, long-term sustainability and a state-controlled payer to help Texas pave the way to health care delivery reform.

Area hospital employees awarded at April 18 luncheon

Chris Wilson — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:01:08 +0000

IRVING, TX – A salute to the North Texas hospital workforce, the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council Foundation’s (DFWHC Foundation) Annual Employee of the Year Luncheon celebrated its 17th year April 18 with the announcement of the 2013 recipients at Irving Convention Center. Thirteen winners were introduced from a pool of 50-plus area hospitals.

“This event paid tribute to our nurses, physicians, volunteers and so many other dedicated professionals. They are healthcare heroes of North Texas,” said Kristin Jenkins, president of the DFWHC Foundation. “This event is an opportunity to honor the positive spirit and efforts of these dedicated employees allowing our hospitals to function smoothly.”

The recipients were:
Rex McRae Scholarship
• Vanita Currin, Nurse Extern, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, Student, El Centro College

Physician Award
• Dr. Hoyt Frenzel, Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital

Volunteer Award
• Al Wexler, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth

Community Service Award
• Adam Whitman, Registered Nurse, HCA’s Medical Center of Lewisville

System Award
• Gaylene Stengel, Program Manager, Texas Health Resources

Special Recognition Awards
• Laura Sullivan, Registered Nurse, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen
• Sharon Smith, Registered Nurse, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center
• Mary Jo Walters, Nursing Clinical Coordinator, Methodist Charlton Medical Center
• Erica Lax, Exercise Physiologist, HCA’s Medical City Dallas Hospital

Employee of the Year Awards
• Jill Hannebaum, Speech Therapist, Our Children’s House at Baylor
• Valorie Graves, Food Service Cashier, Hunt Regional Medical Center
• Christine Roberts, Registered Nurse, Educator, Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine
• Heather Storie, Speech Pathologist, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth

The Drum Cafe, a communal drumming team with a motivational message, served as guest speakers in support of the luncheon’s theme, “The HeartBeat of Healthcare.” Rick Merrill, president/CEO of Cook Children’s Health Care System, served as master of ceremonies. Board members of the Dallas-Fort Worth Healthcare Human Resources Association judged the nominations with the names of individuals and hospitals removed. Selections were based on the facts presented.

Unsung Heroes

Steve Love — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:29:24 +0000

I blogged last year on the terrible shooting tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The first responders, emergency workers and trauma teams were prepared but distressed as only three injured people survived the incident.

Sadly, we learned this week at the Boston Marathon about the human devastation related to terrorism. The first responders, emergency workers, trauma teams and physicians saved lives and minimized the physical damage to the injured. We learned last week in Irving, Texas how our first responders, trauma teams, hospitals and communities could rise to the occasion as they quickly cared for the injured in the horrible highway bus accident.

Our region is blessed with caring first responders, emergency physicians, trauma unit teams and support personnel. Like those heroic teams in Connecticut and Boston, they are prepared for the unexpected emergence of tragic events. At this very moment, many patients are alive because they received immediate treatment from our professional medical emergency teams.

As I said before, a simple “thank you” is not enough. But it is a start, as they are truly unsung heroes.

UPDATE: I wrote this blog on Wednesday, April 17 and a tragedy occurred last night in West, Texas. Once again, we are so thankful for the emergency teams that continually serve our communities.

Healthcare costs examined in Dallas Business Journal blog

DFWHC — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:16:11 +0000

In response to a Wall Street Journal article giving state-by-state comparisons of health care costs, Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council President and CEO Steve Love was interviewed by Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal in his blog posted April 9.

Health-care spending in the U.S. averaged $6,815 per person in 2009; in Texas it averaged $5,924, according to The Wall Street Journal article.

“Not bad, but there’s room for improvement,” Love said. “Obesity is hurting us in Texas. It’s one of the highest obesity rates in the nation.”

Love also said reimbursement reductions to hospital providers in the U.S. since 2010 have totaled $250 billion counting health care reform-related Medicare and Medicaid cuts, sequester-related cuts and others.

“We cannot afford to reduce reimbursement in the coming months as operating margins and capital equipment investments have already been greatly reduced,” he said.

Hethcock is the health care, law, education and nonprofits reporter for the Dallas Business Journal. The blog can be found here.

Love interviewed by CBS Channel 11

DFWHC — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:35:52 +0000

In a April 9 television news story on hospital monitors inside patients rooms beeping, leading to a condition for health care workers known as “alarm fatigue,” the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council’s (DFWHC) President and CEO Steve Love was interviewed by CBS Channel 11 reporter Carol Cavazos.

Alarm fatigue has led to an average of two dozen deaths every year says an independent survey group known as the Joint Commission.

Love, speaking on behalf of the 80 member hospitals of DFWHC, said he had not heard of any deaths from it in North Texas. “Alarm fatigue is something we’re aware of and something we work at,” he said.

Ashley Yount, the nurse supervisor at HCA’s Medical City Children’s Hospital, was also interviewed for the story.

The view the segment, please click on the video below.