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Note: This report was originally published on May 31, 2009, in the
"World Class" special advertising section of The Dallas Morning News. |
"For those who participate in the U.S. health care system, it's clear that there's an urgent need for transformation," according to a recent study from The Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that aims to promote a high performing health care system.
"Reform will be difficult to achieve until we transform our approach from thinking in terms of "sick care" to thinking in terms of prevention and wellness," said Doug Hawthorne, CEO of Texas Health Resources and its 14 hospitals - Texas Health Presbyterian, Texas Health Harris Methodist and Texas Health Arlington Memorial. "This is not a partisan issue. Both parties must reach across the aisle with the goal of making our country healthier.
"The challenges we face cannot be solved overnight. It will require tough policy decisions that go beyond the bounds of a two-year or four-year election cycle. It will require significant financial investment, and it will require courage. We have to stand behind the people in Austin and Washington, D.C., who are willing to make the necessary tough choices."
As the largest health care provider in North Texas in terms of patients served, Texas Health is committed to collaborating with other health care organizations, policy makers, businesses and community leaders to find workable approaches to health care reform.
Last year, Texas Health joined with North Texas Commission, The Health Industry Council, Texas Hospital Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Arlington Chamber Foundation to host the 2008 North Texas Health Care Forum. More than 200 business and community leaders attended the forum and shared ideas on how to drive transformation of our healthcare system. Business and community leaders worked to define challenges, identify root causes, and generate workable solutions for North Texas.
Building on the momentum created by the Forum, several organizations continued collaborating to address the troubled state of our health care system. In addition to the original Forum sponsors, these organizations include The University of Texas at Arlington, Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council, Dallas Regional Chamber, Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Texas Health Institute, and Dallas County Medical Society. The group developed the 2008-2009 North Texas Health Care Reform Policy Agenda that includes five areas:
- Focus on wellness
- Most efficient affordable care
- Highest quality care
- Best information
- Health coverage for all paid for by all.
More information on each of these areas is available at TexasHealth.org.
As the health care reform debate takes center stage in Washington, D.C., Texas Health urges citizens to pay attention to the discussions at the local, state and national levels, and support development of a national health care policy.
Texas Health is committed to working with business and community leaders to find solutions to create healthier communities and reach the goal of health care in North Texas that is accessible, affordable, efficient, and of the highest quality.
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