"We promised you a community hospital in 1956. We are keeping our promise. Our community's generosity, so important in the beginning, is critical today."  – Tom Cravens, Trustee, Campaign Chair

Q: How was the expansion and improvement of emergency care and creating chronic disease-management clinics chosen as the beneficiary of our campaign?

A: Our community (employees, trustees, medical staff, volunteers, other community leaders) told us what they want to see improved and expanded and what they are interested in supporting. Our community told us through:

• Face-to-face, 45-minute interviews with 58 employees, trustees, medical staff and auxiliary members and other community leaders.
• Mail survey of 68 employees, 400 auxiliary members, 600 medical staff members and 75 other community leaders.
• Face-to-face, one-on-one meetings with a dozen top community leaders.

Q: Why is our community supporting the acceleration of the expansion and improvement of our Emergency Department (ED) and the creation of chronic disease-management clinics?

A: As part of Texas Health Resources, a faith-based, nonprofit health care system, Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital continues its founding mission of caring for our community. But while our mission of caring for the community has not changed, "caring" requires facilities and technologies unimagined at the time of the hospital's inception. Likewise, "community" means something more now, as our area continues its stunning population growth. At the same time, we must be good stewards of our community's resources.

In the past, emergency departments were thought of as areas where people only went for treatment of life- or limb-threatening emergencies. As you know, this has not existed for the past 10 to 15 years. Emergency Departments have evolved into much different entities. People with chronic diseases are responsible for 55 percent of emergency room visits. Chronic diseases are major threats to the independence of people, especially those who are young, less fortunate and/or frail. Patients with numerous and serious chronic diseases often become overwhelmed and need information, support and resources 24 hours a day. Simply put, patients who are self-confident in their ability to manage their condition have better outcomes and utilize the ED and are admitted to the hospital less frequently than those who lack this self-confidence.

The results of this campaign will improve our emergency and chronic disease-management services in three main areas: 

1. Facilities, equipment and personnel;
2. Ability to perform emergency services dependably and effectively;
3. The ability to provide prompt chronic disease management services.

We are at a crossroads. This Emergency Department expansion and the related chronic disease management clinics will shape the future of Arlington. Here is why:

• Almost everyone in our community has a story about our Emergency Department. Emergency medical care at Texas Health Arlington Memorial is our community's health care safety net, providing $22 million in charity care each year, available around-the-clock and responding immediately to life-threatening illness or injury.
• Drugs are now available that can turn what was once a death sentence into a manageable chronic disease.
• Through our proposed clinics, we can access drug manufacturer assistance programs to care for people with chronic diseases.
• The chances are great that you or someone you love may need the emergency services we offer. Three out of every four people in the United States are likely to face a disabling or life-threatening disease involving their heart, lungs or blood vessels. Our new accreditation as an Emergency Chest Pain Center and approval for a 64-slice CT scanner with cardiac module will set new standards of emergency chest pain care, allowing non-invasive evaluation of the heart and coronary arteries.
• Our ED is very busy (70,000 patients in 2006).
• Our ED is extremely efficient. It serves 20 percent more patients with 20 percent less space than the average ED in the Texas Health Resources family of hospitals.
• Our ED physicians screen patients within 30 minutes after triage. 
• Our ED staff provides exceptional emergency care. High patient satisfaction scores - 91 percent in July 2006 when the nationwide average for ED is significantly lower. Our average length of stay is 170 minutes when the nationwide average is 330 minutes. 
• The ED is the front to the hospital. Our ED patients are acutely sick and injured. Thirty three percent receive life-saving treatment and 54 percent of all hospital admissions originate in the ED. 
• When the current Emergency Department was built, the number of patient visits was around 15,000 annually. In a facility originally designed to treat a maximum of less than 40,000 patients a year, our ED treats 70,000 people a year. It is estimated that the ED will serve 80 percent more people annually by 2015.

Q: Why doesn't Texas Health Resources provide the funds for all our capital needs?

A: Over the past five years, Texas Health has invested $35 million in facility improvements and Texas Health Arlington Memorial has reinvested $6 million per year in new technology and equipment. The investments resulted in impressive renovations to our ICU, heart pavilion and radiology department. 

• Texas Health Arlington Memorial is conducting and planning more than $100 million in new and expanded patient care improvements - facilities, equipment and technology - over the next few years. On February 9, 2006, we broke ground on our $76-million tower that will increase the hospital's size by more than 200,000 square feet, adding 48 new private rooms, with space for 48 more. We are also adding new heart catheterization labs, a dedicated gastrointestinal service area and a new MRI. Our master campus plans also include an expanded Emergency Department, a new medical office building and the addition of a new level to the south parking garage.
• The board recently voted to conduct a $10 million campaign over the next five years to accelerate the expansion and improvement of emergency care, which is part of our $100 million in campus renovations and expansion. Of the $10 million campaign goal, we are asking our employees to give $1 million, over five years. We are also asking other members of our hospital "family" - medical staff, trustees, and auxiliary - to support this campaign. The total goal for the hospital family is $3.35 million. We will ask our community at-large to contribute the remaining $6.65 million.
• Including the $35 million over the past five years and $90 million over the next few years, Texas Health Arlington Memorial is receiving our fair share of capital investment. The financing for our new facilities, equipment and technology includes philanthropy, which is the standard for other Texas Helath hospitals. (Example: the Texas Health Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation has raised more than $70 million since 2004, much of which will help fund their new $150 million acute-care tower.) The board of trustees and senior management carefully designed a funding formula to allow our continued financial health, preserve our bond rating (the basis for maintaining the lowest possible interest payments) and maintain adequate reserves for the future.

Q: How do I know that Texas Health Arlington Memorial understands the needs of my community?

A: Texas Health Arlington Memorial's assets are owned by the community, so understanding and responding to community health care needs are essential to our success. We stay informed by surveying the needs of our patients, staff, volunteers and medical staff. We stay informed by involving local citizens at the board level in directing and guiding our organization and by encouraging our staff to participate in a wide variety of community organizations. The board is comprised of 11 local community members who are charged with representing the needs of the community.

Q: How will my gift make a difference?

A: Your gift will:

• Create new clinics to help people who frequent the ED with chronic diseases including asthma, coronary artery disease, chronic pain, renal disease, heart failure, diabetes, sickle cell and hypertension. Our clinics will reduce ED visits by providing early and aggressive disease management.
• Benefit a particular area within this project's broad scope - creation of the chronic disease-management clinics and improvement and expansion of services, technology and facilities.
• Expand the ED to more than double the size of the existing facility, providing more private rooms.
• Expand and enhance the triage area, allowing patients to be routed more quickly, decreasing the wait times for rooms.
• Add a separate, Fast-Track exam space that will speed care for patients in need of treatment for non-life-threatening ailments - such as a rash, broken arm or earache - by providing quick, non-invasive care.

Q: I give to other health-related causes. Why should I give to Texas Health Arlington Memorial?

A: "It's My Hospital." Texas Health Arlington Memorial is THE community hospital in Arlington. It is not for profit - it is for Arlington - it is for you. More than 50 years ago, a dedicated group of community leaders raised the funds required to help build Arlington Memorial Hospital. They promised to build a full-service, community hospital in 1956. You are keeping the promise to the community.

Our hospital family is very generous. Each year, our employees, volunteers and physicians give back more than $550,000 to the community. In addition, our family gives more than 85,000 hours each year through daily service, health screenings and blood, food, clothing and fund drives. Our emergency physicians provide almost $10 million of uncompensated emergency patient care annually. Many other physicians regularly contribute large amounts of their time to the hospital.

Q: Why now?

A: The sooner we can reach our goal, the sooner we can begin to expand and improve our emergency services improvement and expansion and chronic disease management clinics. With increasing demands caused by the aging of baby boomers, beginning the first phase within a year, rather than waiting until 2009 to 2010, will improve and save many lives.

Q: What special challenges prompted Texas Health Arlington Memorial to take this action? 

A: The challenge of attracting good people, exceptional people. The expanded and improved facilities and equipment will enhance our ability to recruit and retain highly skilled and caring hospital staff, volunteers and physicians.

• The challenge of providing charitable care and emergency care. We provide $22 million in care for the poor and other uncompensated care each year, an amount that does not include the value of educational services. In 2006, our ED treated more than 70,000 people.
• The challenge of reaching out to surrounding communities. Rapid growth in our area creates new demands for health care. Texas Health Arlington Memorial provides rehabilitation services located at Interstate 20 and Matlock. In 2005, Texas Health purchased land in Mansfield, paving the way for the development of a new hospital campus.

Q: What is the timeframe for the campaign?

A: Texas Health Arlington Memorial will conduct the $10 million campaign over the next five years. We are requesting that you consider making a five-year pledge. A five-year pledge is merely your intent - it is not a legal obligation.

Q: May I make a gift in honor or memory of someone?

A: Yes. Many people give in honor or memory of someone else. We have a list of naming opportunities that are available for five-year pledges of $1,000 per year and above.

Q: May I designate my gift for a particular area or service other than the improvement and expansion of emergency care?

A: Yes. If another area is of interest to you, we can arrange for your gift to benefit a specific service or area and be recognized in the area you choose.

Q: Are gifts other than cash accepted? I have limited financial resources and my cash flow is very important. Can I make a campaign pledge or gift?

A: Yes. There is a gift or pledge for all seasons and to fit every objective. Our campaign will also gladly accept gifts of stock, life insurance, real estate, personal property, art, or other items. Some people are surprised to learn that the gifts they make to Texas Health Arlington Memorial can also bring life income benefits.

Q: Who can I call for more information?

A: Please contact the Texas Health Arlington Memorial Development Office at 817-960-7278.

Office of Development
Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital
800 W. Randol Mill Road
Arlington, TX 76012
817-317-5200