BY Ted Shaw, President/CEO, Texas Hospital Association   Measles ranks as one of the leading causes of childhood mortality in the world. Prior to the availability of the measles vaccine, measles cases were estimated at 130 million a year. Despite the progress made in measles control with the introduction of measles vaccination, it is estimated that nearly one million deaths from measles still occurred in 1997. And outbreaks of measles continue to occur even in...

By Ted Shaw, President/CEO, Texas Hospital Association   As the health care landscape has continued to evolve, health care consumers have been asked to bear a larger share of the costs of their health care–whether because of high-deductible health plans or increased cost-sharing requirements. As a result, patients’ interest in the amount they pay for health care services has increased, and Texas hospitals have been at the forefront of providing meaningful price transparency.   Although...

BY Ted Shaw, President/CEO, Texas Hospital Association   Every Memorial Day during odd-numbered years, the Texas Legislature adjourns from its 140-day legislative session. But, this Memorial Day was unlike those in the recent past. It was calm, cool and collected. By sine die, the 86th Legislature already had passed the leadership’s priority items—the 2020-2021 budget and property tax reform and school finance bills. Unlike the 140th day of the 2017 legislative session, discussions of a...

By Ted Shaw, President/CEO, Texas Hospital Association   Patients should never be surprised by unexpected bills for out-of-pocket costs for emergency or unplanned health care services.   Unexpected bills distract patients from healing and recovery and a perpetuate a false notion that health care works against patients. This deters some from seeking the care they need, which ultimately exacerbates the severity of existing conditions and prolongs recovery—health outcomes and philosophies that Texas hospitals, physicians and...

Special to Medical Journal – Houston By TED SHAW, President/CEO, Texas Hospital Association When Hurricane Harvey made landfall between Port Aransas and Port O’Connor in late August 2017, it was the first Category 4 hurricane to hit the U.S. in 13 years. Over the course of a week, the storm dumped more than 60 inches of rain and forged a path of destruction from Rockport, Texas to Cameron, Louisiana. Twenty hospitals were forced to close...

Special to Medical Journal – Houston By TED SHAW, President/CEO, Texas Hospital Association Of Texas’ 254 counties, 70 percent are considered rural. Yet, just 160 of the state’s 600 hospitals are in rural areas. In addition to the shuttering of nearly 30 Dairy Queens and 87 of the Texas Department of Public Safety driver’s license offices in rural Texas, another rural hospital closed its doors in 2018. That brings the total to 20 since 2013....

Special to Medical Journal – Houston By TED SHAW, President/CEO, Texas Hospital Association Promoting the health of mothers and babies is a priority for everyone who works in health care. A healthy baby has a better chance of growing into a healthy child and a healthy and productive adult. Texas hospitals have a privileged and cherished role in this work. Beginning in 2018, nearly all Texas hospitals that offer labor and delivery services voluntarily participate...

Special to Medical Journal – Houston By TED SHAW, President/CEO, Texas Hospital Association From car crashes, falls, assaults or accidents, traumatic injuries can take many forms. When a traumatic injury occurs, trauma care is needed quickly. And when a large-scale natural or manmade disaster occurs, the entire trauma care system is needed. This was never clearer than when Hurricane Harvey struck Texas’ Gulf Coast in August 2017. In the parlance of emergency preparedness professionals, a...