GRAPEVINE State Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) today received the Texas Hospital Associations Texas Hospital Advocacy Tribute award in recognition of her legislative accomplishments on behalf of health care during the 81st Regular Session of the Texas Legislature.
Joel Allison president and CEO of Baylor Health Care System presented the award at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine where Sen. Nelson toured the facility and met with hospital leaders.
With a workload and work ethic matched by few others in the Texas Legislature Sen. Nelson brings determined problem-solving to the table for the benefit of all Texans" noted Dan Stultz M.D. FACP FACHE president/CEO of THA. She is a true advocate for Texas hospitals and Texas health care."
Helping hospitals meet their staffing technology and other needs is critical to improving outcomes for patients" said Sen. Nelson. I am honored to receive this award and look forward to continued work with the Texas Hospital Association on important health care initiatives."
Stultz pointed to a number of measures championed or supported by Nelson in 2009 including:
- Working to ensure that Texas hospitals have flexible nurse staffing plans to ensure patient safety
- Securing nearly $50 million for Texas nursing schools to graduate more nurses and address the states critical nursing shortage;
- Shepherding measures that address health information technology quality and efficiency while pressing for reforms that will move
- Texas toward an outcome-based model of health care; and
- Passing legislation to protect those in need of medical assistance during natural disasters.
Sen. Nelson has worked diligently and admirably to improve the quality of health care for all and protect those most in need" Stultz said.
The Texas Hospital Association is not the only organization to recognize Nelsons efforts this year. Susan G. Komen for the Cure honored Nelson with its first-ever Legislative Champion Award and the American Cancer Society honored Nelson with its True Grit Award.
Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine is honored to have Sen. Jane Nelson accept her award at our hospital" said Doug Lawson president of Baylor Grapevine. Jane has made a significant positive impact in the community and we are grateful for her strong leadership in driving health care initiatives."
The Texas Hospital Association created the award in 1997 to honor state legislators and other public officials who are highly supportive of issues important to hospitals and health systems during legislative sessions. Nelson is one of 12 recipients chosen from the 81st Session. This is her fourth Texas Hospital Advocacy Tribute award.
About the Texas Hospital Association
Founded in 1930 the Texas Hospital Association is the leadership organization and principal advocate for the states hospitals and health care systems. Based in Austin THA enhances its members abilities to improve accessibility quality and cost-effectiveness of health care for all Texans. One of the largest hospital associations in the country THA represents more than 85 percent of the states acute-care hospitals and health care systems which employ some 355000 health care professionals statewide. Learn more about THA on
www.tha.org or follow THA on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/texashospitals.
About Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine
Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine is a full-service fully-accredited not-for-profit hospital serving residents in more than 20 cities throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth region. Focused on being the best place to give and receive quality safe and compassionate care Baylor Grapevine works to lead the transformation of health care. The 233-bed hospital offers advanced medical services for cardiovascular services womens services diagnostic imaging neonatal intensive care sleep disorders intensive and emergency care.
About Baylor Health Care System
Baylor Health Care System is a network of hospitals primary care and specialty care centers rehabilitation clinics affiliated ambulatory surgery centers and the Baylor Research Institute. One of the largest private-sector employers in Dallas/Fort Worth Baylor employs more than 18000 people and has more than 2700 physicians on its medical staffs. Baylor University Medical Center flagship hospital of the system is a major patient care teaching and research center for the Southwest. Baylors goal in treating all patients is to appropriately address their health care needs from the time they enter the health care system to discharge. For the fiscal year ended June 30 2008 Baylor Health Care System reported $446 million in community benefit which includes providing care for charity patients and patients enrolled in government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid as well as the unreimbursed costs of medical education research and community programs. Total community benefit was calculated in accordance with Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 311. For more information about Baylor visit
www.BaylorHealth.com.
