Devastating loss of life

05/21/2013

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 … Read More

Doris Kearns Goodwin to serve as keynote speaker

05/17/2013

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 … Read More

Let’s Roll “Rolling Blackouts” out of Committee

05/10/2013

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 … Read More

Spring Interlocutor is now available

05/09/2013

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 … Read More

Will the Real Medicaid Program Please Stand Up

04/29/2013

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 … Read More

Area hospital employees awarded at April 18 luncheon

04/18/2013

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, … Read More

Unsung Heroes

04/17/2013

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 … Read More

Healthcare costs examined in Dallas Business Journal blog

04/11/2013

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 … Read More

Love interviewed by CBS Channel 11

04/11/2013

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 … Read More

What About Hospital Patient Care Costs?

04/09/2013

About five years ago, a “think tank” and university published total Medicare costs per beneficiary in different regions of the country. They stated Texas had some of the highest health care costs in the nation. I contacted the people who conducted the study, reviewed their raw data and extracted only acute care hospital expenses. My analysis revealed acute care hospital … Read More