tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71818900618347141362012-01-30T11:53:15.688-06:00CHRISTUS Health CEO's blog for comments and opinions on health careDr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.comBlogger2261100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-2458228166528386852011-03-09T16:58:00.001-06:002011-03-09T16:58:56.349-06:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I transitioned to the CEO Emeritus role at CHRISTUS Health on March 1, 2011. This is a time of many great changes, and my blog is one of them!While I have truly enjoyed interacting with each of you in this forum, I’m moving to a new blog that will allow me more flexibility and an enhanced ability to share what I’m doing and learning in my new pursuits.One of those

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-42732484616493894522011-03-02T12:12:00.000-06:002011-03-02T12:14:25.531-06:00

As I transitioned to the CEO Emeritus role at CHRISTUS Health on March 1, 2011, I wanted to share with you some reflections in my final days as the team leader of the CHRISTUS Health ministry.As a health system, in principle, we know what we need to do over the next decade to be successful. From the five strategic directions which emanated from our Futures Task Force II work and the proposals

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-51913291461599419902011-02-23T12:23:00.001-06:002011-02-23T12:23:54.710-06:00

I have said for many years—and health care reform is increasingly clarifying this fact—that if we are to increase the quality of our care and reduce our costs, we need to have efficient and effective technology systems in place that support consumer interaction and make it easier to implement evidence-based medical protocols.At CHRISTUS, we have been focusing on:• IT systems that are data-driven•

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-67562838708875372402011-02-16T10:41:00.002-06:002011-02-16T10:46:10.835-06:00

Those of you who stop by my blog regularly probably remember our trip to Haiti last year and how it changed all of us. (To read the posts about Haiti, click here.)In February 2010, I led a 20-member medical team who served for a week in Port-au-Prince, but we knew that was just a drop in the bucket of what the country and its people would need. That’s why CHRISTUS Health recently announced that

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-78246528585233170832011-02-09T08:51:00.000-06:002011-02-09T08:52:53.893-06:00

Today, I’d like to share with you some newsletter articles from our system publications about how federal funds are supporting the work of CHRISTUS in our regions.CHRISTUS St. Michael Awarded $1.8 Million Grant for Kids Care CollaborativeThe Texas Health and Human Services Commission awarded CHRISTUS St. Michael a $1.8 million grant to implement a two-year health home (medical home) pilot program

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-19556068095314284612011-01-26T10:58:00.001-06:002011-01-26T11:00:34.404-06:00

On numerous occasions you have read here that the high cost and low quality of some health care in the U.S. is due to overuse or misuse of many therapies and the lack of coordination of care among various delivery points, causing duplication of services. If ACOs do what they are supposed to do, they will hold providers truly accountable for a patient’s care through its entirety by creating

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-27330125699989179592011-01-19T16:44:00.001-06:002011-01-19T16:50:57.343-06:00

As I’m sure you are aware, the U. S. House of Representatives will be holding a vote today on H.R.2, “Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act." As a health care entity still subject to the requirements of the Accountable Care Act, CHRISTUS will move forward with implementing the provisions of health care reform in accordance with the law. We will also continue to advocate for additional

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-23373502709363498382011-01-12T10:10:00.001-06:002011-01-12T10:13:37.282-06:00

There is no denying that we live in an era of rising health care costs. As a result, we have seen many strategies like health care reform to reduce these costs and ensure that everyone in our country has access to the care they need. It is clear that our shared goals of higher quality care at a lower cost can only be achieved through collaboration. This means collaboration between hospitals and

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-20041386519497719132011-01-05T14:30:00.002-06:002011-01-05T14:32:50.394-06:00

I was overcome with disbelief when I saw an article yesterday morning in The Dallas Morning News claiming that flu cases are good medicine for hospitals. Why?First and foremost, it’s hard to imagine that any illness could be good medicine for anyone, including hospitals. Yes, we know that the “good medicine” referred to in the headline was the “good financial outcome” for the hospital that an

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-84626889364147714922010-12-29T14:18:00.000-06:002010-12-29T14:19:41.027-06:00

Like in years past, as 2011 unfolds, the CHRISTUS family will again experience many blessings and face numerous challenges. As we prepare to celebrate the 12th birthday of the CHRISTUS Health ministry on Feb. 1, 2011, we should all pause not only to reflect on our accomplishments, but also embrace the clear action plans which will be necessary to address and hopefully mitigate future

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-65477903508366345752010-12-22T15:11:00.000-06:002010-12-22T15:12:36.953-06:00

When we first think of the Christmas season, many images initially pass through our minds – presents, decorations and parties. But as Christmas Eve approaches and some of the flurry of holiday activities subside, the image of the Christmas miracle – the birth of Jesus – becomes clearer. It is that miracle centuries ago that set the stage for the CHRISTUS Health mission – to carry out the

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-32598291134617763322010-12-20T17:13:00.001-06:002010-12-20T17:16:19.896-06:00

Many of you have probably read an article published this weekend in the New York Times about tort reform in Texas which featured a story from a patient at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa in San Antonio, Texas.In an effort to protect Americans and their personal information, federal privacy laws (like HIPAA) threaten us with legal action if we comment on the care of any patient. Therefore, I can’t discuss Ms

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-41905370545027134042010-12-15T16:15:00.001-06:002010-12-15T16:16:29.279-06:00

As health care reform is seeking to restructure how care is delivered and reimbursed, the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) has come forth as a preferred model. A myriad of articles and conferences have appeared in response to the direction from the federal government in the hopes of educating both providers and insurers of not only what will constitute an ACO, but how they must operate to be

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-73482390418992847342010-12-08T12:24:00.002-06:002010-12-08T12:29:29.464-06:00

Since CHRISTUS Health began Feb. 1, 1999, its Senior Leadership Team has had performance goals to enhance diversity focus in our health care ministry. In 2000 when we embarked on our journey across the border to work with the Muguerza family in Mexico, we knew we would have to develop a culture competency as we worked with and developed health care delivery processes for the people who lived in

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-72885891957798097072010-12-02T12:21:00.002-06:002010-12-02T12:25:13.790-06:00

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today unveiled Healthy People 2020, the nation’s new 10-year goals and objectives for health promotion and disease prevention, and “myHealthyPeople,” a new challenge for technology application developers. The Healthy People program aims is to improve the quality of our nation’s health by producing a framework for public health prevention priorities

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-23818552504416901782010-11-23T16:18:00.001-06:002010-11-23T16:18:26.652-06:00

As we approach another Thanksgiving Day in the U.S., it is appropriate to pause and give thanks for the many blessings in our lives. I am thankful of course for my family and friends, but also for the wonderful CHRISTUS Associates, volunteers and physicians who provide excellent care to our patients, residents, consumers, and their families every day. It truly takes a sacred calling to work in

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-67696580746833442592010-11-17T14:23:00.000-06:002010-11-17T14:24:30.192-06:00

Patient satisfaction has been one of our main areas of focus since CHRISTUS was formed in 1999. As we have moved through this journey to ensure that our care is compassionate as well as excellent in clinical quality, we have seen other health systems take note of the importance of patient satisfaction, especially with the national HCAHPS survey.When I have confronted physicians and Associates

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-39375536590921263012010-11-10T14:18:00.001-06:002010-11-10T14:20:11.218-06:00

This week, I’ll be providing the final installment of my answers to the questions posed by leaders from across CHRISTUS Health at our recent leadership retreat.Q. You mentioned that physician integration, seeing physicians as our partners and not customers or competitors, will be essential for our future success. Do we have strategies in place to make that happen? A. Under the leadership

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-4921798259675429892010-11-03T15:51:00.002-05:002010-11-03T15:57:55.102-05:00

We continue again this week with my answers to the questions posed by leaders from across CHRISTUS Health at our recent leadership retreat.Q. What is the direction you see for our international partnerships?A. CHRISTUS Muguerza has many opportunities to grow in Mexico. And as capital in that country becomes more widely available, I am sure they will continue to explore and undertake opportunities

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-84958935187663014632010-11-02T11:46:00.002-05:002010-11-03T10:28:37.718-05:00

I asked our communication teams around the CHRISTUS system to send the following message from me to all our Associates. Although we have not scheduled any future medical assistance trips to Haiti, we join with Associates, physicians, volunteers, patients, residents and friends around the CHRISTUS system to pray for support, comfort, and safety for our brothers and sisters in Haiti.The chances are

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-1863987486344411002010-10-20T15:20:00.004-05:002010-10-27T12:15:28.596-05:00

We continue again this week with my answers to the questions posed by leaders from across CHRISTUS Health at our recent leadership retreat.Q. How would you succinctly define quality care? A. In concise terms, I think a quality outcome has four metrics: 1. Morbidity and mortality 2. Functional status 3. Patient satisfaction 4. Adherence to best

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-36861768449920068932010-10-20T14:29:00.001-05:002010-10-20T14:31:49.847-05:00

As I mentioned in my last post, we recently gathered leaders from across CHRISTUS Health for a leadership retreat. In my opening presentation to these leaders, I asked them to submit questions for me, one of which was, “If this was your last chance to meet with me, what burning questions would you like to ask?”Our leaders submitted over 90 different inquiries, of which I answered about 50 at a

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-44749666902446283312010-10-13T14:25:00.001-05:002010-10-20T14:32:57.155-05:00

Last week, we gathered leaders from across CHRISTUS Health for a leadership retreat. In my opening presentation to these leaders, I asked them to submit questions for me, one of which was, “If this was your last chance to meet with me, what burning questions would you like to ask?”Our leaders submitted over 90 different inquiries, of which I answered about 50 at a later session. Over the next

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-84574135340714986212010-09-30T08:58:00.002-05:002010-09-30T09:10:41.694-05:00

I recently shared an article with our leaders from Becker’s Hospital Review entitled, ”5 Ways Hospitals will Change Over the Next 10 Years”. I believe the information presented reaffirms what we have been saying, and supports the CHRISTUS vision, as well as our 5 Strategic Directions and 8 Enablers. In fact, I have blogged about all of the changes listed in this publication over the years. If

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-24433703760725066782010-09-22T17:03:00.002-05:002010-09-22T17:21:00.133-05:00

As we have now enhanced our focus on health and wellness as articulated in our current vision statement, it is imperative that our system, regional and business unit governance boards, in partnership with management, embrace, in a more focused way, the “Seven Determinants of Health.” These include:• Primary outpatient locations that are convenient;• Schools with quality teachers and educational

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-27027248373977017272010-09-15T10:16:00.000-05:002010-09-15T10:18:55.780-05:00

In discussions about the future of medicine, I often say that we will understand the brain in the next 25 years as well as we understand the heart today, the majority of knowledge about which we gained just in the last 25 years. Supporting my assertion was information in a recent article in The Dallas Morning News about a new center for brain research associated with the University of Texas at

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-5529742830499629572010-09-08T14:14:00.001-05:002010-09-08T14:16:33.283-05:00

As we regularly must make decisions about the future of CHRISTUS Health, we are familiar with the tension that some companies feel between “the board’s role” and “leadership’s role.” However, we have clearly defined these roles with a focus on “generative thinking” and have made it a part of our governance processes across the CHRISTUS system.The greatest example of generative thinking in the

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-74042928650521532972010-09-01T13:08:00.002-05:002010-09-01T13:12:20.945-05:00

I have repeatedly said since becoming the team leader for CHRISTUS Health that I feel this Catholic, faith-based health care system embodies my personal commitments to treating everyone who needs us with high quality, low cost health care in an accessible manner. Although I have worked in three other systems where I believe people were comfortable treating everyone who presented themselves, the

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-21269785543492945732010-08-25T12:07:00.001-05:002010-08-25T12:09:11.500-05:00

I’ve blogged before about Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) and reform. ACOs were one of the few specific programs mentioned in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and have therefore received much attention from health care organizations around the country.But perhaps more important than the “how” of ACOs is the “why” of ACOs. It is the hope of health care reform that by better

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-82981076796402657262010-08-18T13:17:00.000-05:002010-08-18T13:19:00.197-05:00

Reaffirmation of CHRISTUS Health’s Balanced ScorecardIn December of 2006, three CHRISTUS Health Associates published an article in hfm, the journal of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), entitled, “A search for the ‘Holy Grail’ of Healthcare: A Correlation Between Quality and Profitability.”In the article, CHRISTUS sought to ascertain whether there is a favorable,

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-71678107098550186832010-08-11T14:55:00.001-05:002010-08-11T14:57:26.040-05:00

Lately, I’ve been looking back on my career thus far and considering how I may continue to serve patients and the health care industry in the future. Part of this process has included looking over and reorganizing articles I have written over the years, and it appears that we are still confronting issues that I was writing articles about 10 years ago.In 1998, I wrote an article for Crossroads

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-51775924185508987122010-08-04T12:19:00.001-05:002010-08-04T12:24:02.873-05:00

The Wall Street Journal recently ran a story entitled, “Americans Cut Back on Visits to Doctor”. This story reflects our belief that health care usage in a weak economy would decline, particularly in acute care settings. Instead, people are seeking alternative and complementary medicines and self-medication/treatments to address some of their medical conditions, and are certainly re-evaluating

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-34811496619794395672010-07-28T14:38:00.000-05:002010-07-28T14:39:58.975-05:00

In many previous posts, I’ve written about the need to increase the number of primary care providers if we are to increase access and create a medical home for as many people as possible.The recent passage of health care reform which intends to provide health insurance for millions of previously uninsured Americans has only accelerated the need to rapidly increase the primary provider pool. And

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-11741394258652821382010-07-21T10:24:00.000-05:002010-07-21T10:25:02.027-05:00

Recently, I heard a local business owner who had been affected by the BP oil spill in the Gulf repeatedly state on a national TV interview that the government’s intervention to address this disaster has been minimal, disorganized and ineffective, often hampering the positive actions of the local inhabitants and volunteers. In essence, he was giving the same advice not only CHRISTUS Health, but

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-40029761629487918932010-07-14T15:41:00.004-05:002010-07-14T15:46:58.173-05:00

Over the Fourth of July weekend, the remnants of Hurricane Alex struck Northern Mexico, dropping torrents of rain in what President Felipe Calderón called the worst storm “in recent memory” in the region. The storms left thousands of residents in the Monterrey area homeless and without water, electricity and in need of massive assistance. Multiple CHRISTUS facilities, including hospitals and

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-49169092980721295752010-07-07T16:42:00.000-05:002010-07-07T16:44:04.737-05:00

Although many articles have been written on the implications of the health care reform legislation, I thought a recent brief summary by Bill Jessee, the president and CEO of the Medical Group Management Association, in the May/June issue of MGMA Connexion journal was most informative. (To read the article, you must subscribe to the journal.)A good deal of the value of Dr. Jessee’s commentary

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-72195553866953668442010-07-01T19:54:00.001-05:002010-07-01T19:56:19.437-05:00

Although CEOs of organizations, including health care, have a myriad of important roles and responsibilities, none might be more important for the stability and growth of the company than succession.With that in mind, I have been working with my senior leadership team and our board of directors to plan a smooth and effective transition process. This has been officially announced and will

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-4411113439699416432010-06-23T10:01:00.001-05:002010-06-23T10:04:02.719-05:00

I have harped on the overuse of medical equipment, procedures and tests as a major cause for the high cost of health care in the U.S. in numerous blog posts. In addition, I have occasionally spoken to the fact that this excessive use is leading to harm in many instances in the patients we treat.Although we hope that the greater acceptance of evidence-based medical and surgical protocols will

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-21755638955504261192010-06-15T15:44:00.000-05:002010-06-15T15:46:01.811-05:00

In last week’s blog post, I talked about my growing impatience with public apologies, connecting the dots to the importance of effective, honest, and transparent communication for excellence in leadership, including those of us on leadership teams in the health care industry!Unfortunately, this week I have reached the same level of impatience with recalls, which are escalating in car companies as

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-65117204341247849782010-06-09T17:40:00.001-05:002010-06-09T17:40:56.238-05:00

Are there others out there who are sick of hearing apologies? It seems recently that almost every day, some government or public leader, present or past, is apologizing for remarks he or she made. In addition, company CEOs are having to apologize for both their unfavorable actions’ outcomes as well as explanations they are giving initially to us—the consumers—to support these actions.Has everyone

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-79378939766526207882010-06-02T18:07:00.000-05:002010-06-02T18:08:15.856-05:00

A significant saving in health care costs in the U.S. has been produced due to the increased incentives tied to the use of evidence based medicine-driven protocols. An article I read recently entitled “Rational Arguments – Evidence is Only one Part of the Story,” clearly highlights the challenges that evidence-based medicine and their outcomes will face.For me, it was again a reminder that

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-40064656857777070882010-05-26T16:34:00.000-05:002010-05-26T16:36:10.158-05:00

In April, I presented at the Four Corners MGMA Conference in Albuquerque about the future of health care in the next 10 years. I have long believed that future planning is a key to success, as the “correct future” must address the realities of the present. CHRISTUS is a very future-looking organization, and we have learned from our Futures Task Forces and future planning activities some things

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-35973300092715788772010-05-19T13:59:00.005-05:002010-05-19T14:15:30.876-05:00

Over the last eleven years, I have often said that if we are to develop action plans to mitigate the challenges on our Journey to Excellence, we must always seek the truth regarding the challenges we face. Therefore, I believe that it is important not to be surrounded by a senior team that is loyal to a fault (i.e., people that want to tell you what you want to hear, and not what you need to hear

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-77967040668557172372010-05-12T16:43:00.005-05:002010-05-12T17:02:39.283-05:00

Many companies—including health care providers—have been reluctant to enter the social media sphere. But because of our commitment to transparency and serving as a national influencer, CHRISTUS has participated in social media for almost three years, utilizing a variety of sites to educate and engage our Associates and various publics. In addition, CHRISTUS’ Futures Task Force II identified

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-38550683598638203432010-05-05T12:50:00.000-05:002010-05-05T12:51:36.818-05:00

As another individual award was announced recently, and I was reminded again of the importance of two things: a key system initiative and the importance of teamwork.Since CHRISTUS Health was formed over 11 years ago, one of our system initiatives has been to serve as an “influencer,” creating positive change in the health care delivery processes in both the U.S. and Mexico. The pathways for

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-14351202694006484152010-04-28T15:45:00.005-05:002010-04-28T16:08:53.531-05:00

I have blogged before about the CHRISTUS Health experience with hurricanes multiple times. As many of our facilities are located on the Gulf Coast, we learned first-hand the importance of having a clear disaster response strategy in place.This commitment to a disaster response strategy extends beyond just hurricanes, though. The world’s experience with H1N1 flu last year reminded all of us how

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-33771359337942744162010-04-21T15:36:00.001-05:002010-04-21T15:43:37.072-05:00

It is abundantly clear that a significant portion of the cost savings predicted by the CBO as a result of health care reform depends on the successful implementation of a myriad of accountable care organizations within the U.S. health care delivery system. Although the models for an ACO may vary in different geographical locations (depending on the service sites available and the degree of

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-30820873945001728322010-04-14T15:21:00.000-05:002010-04-14T15:22:13.087-05:00

In multiple health care-related journals over the last several weeks, readers viewed numerous articles as well as invitations to attend conferences to learn more about “accountable care organizations” or “creating high-performing care organizations.”This new terminology, Accountable Care Organization, or ACO, is one of the critical efforts in the recent health care reform law that is proposed to

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-383870570591130622010-04-07T10:11:00.001-05:002010-04-07T10:11:41.567-05:00

I am excited about attending the 2010 World Health Executive forum in Montreal in early November, so wanted to share some information with you about it now! I will absolutely share more learnings and information after I return.The theme of the forum is “Paving the Way toward Healthcare Sustainability,” and will be attended by a select group of international ministers, senators, permanent

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-74382616769986275042010-03-31T15:36:00.001-05:002010-03-31T15:38:08.448-05:00

As Holy Week approaches, leading to the crucifixion on Good Friday and the resurrection on Easter, I am reminded of the inherent message of eternal hope that the season brings. As CHRISTUS continues our Journey to Excellence, we have, and will continue to have, many challenges which may seem insurmountable. However, we all know that with time, effort and focus, potential solutions will be

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-22778381768103705632010-03-24T16:14:00.002-05:002010-03-24T16:19:20.268-05:00

Healthcare Finance News recently published an article about a new study by the Health Resources and Services Administration, which found that the nursing workforce is growing and diversifying.The study reported that the number of licensed registered nurses in the U.S. grew to a new high of 3.1 million between 2004 and 2008, an increase of more than 5 percent. The study also found a 4.6 percent

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-70528320105997336552010-03-17T18:37:00.001-05:002010-03-17T18:40:02.654-05:00

As I mentioned previously, CHRISTUS’ 20-member team worked in Haiti from Feb. 20-27 and performed 85 surgeries, hundreds of procedures and outpatient visits and delivered nine babies.We have since debriefed with team members who traveled to Haiti as well as with the task force that worked to identify and vet partner organizations in Haiti and select, organize, orient and commission the Haiti team

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-34738824954451967822010-03-10T14:26:00.001-06:002010-03-10T14:28:22.721-06:00

Brandon posted a comment on my previous post about aggregators and health care that I thought deserved a thorough response.First, let me say that I very much appreciated Brandon’s comment. This is such an interesting topic, and one that deserves much attention and discussion as all parts of the care delivery spectrum—providers, patients and their families and even lawmakers and

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-7602048980116491582010-03-05T10:59:00.001-06:002010-03-05T11:17:02.100-06:00

Health care in the U.S. is famously fragmented. We’ve heard many times in the health care debate that this problem needs to be fixed so we can ensure that the health care system works to serve patients and not providers. In fact, these breakdowns are well-illustrated by the following video, “If air travel worked like health care,” which we’re showing in one of our breakout sessions.It’s obvious

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-3803402150394996152010-03-05T07:41:00.002-06:002010-03-05T07:47:38.630-06:00

CHRISTUS Health’s Futures Task Force II embarked on a year-long journey to identify the emerging trends that would shape the world, the health care industry and the CHRISTUS Health ministry in 2020 and beyond. This journey included a deep exploration of trends in a vast array of areas including social paradigms, science, technology, energy, consumer empowerment, the environment, geopolitics,

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-9815228981164959292010-03-04T14:06:00.000-06:002010-03-04T14:07:20.629-06:00

The findings of Futures Task Force I included:1) The declining reimbursement under the control of both the federal and state governments, and2) The rapid introduction of technology that would move a significant amount of health care from an inpatient setting to the non-acute arena. At CHRISTUS, we define non-acute care as “care and services that do not require an inpatient acute care hospital

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-58573389451204201352010-03-04T08:45:00.003-06:002010-03-04T08:51:27.602-06:00

We will be sharing and building upon the findings of our second Futures Task Force at the CHRISTUS Leadership retreat, which begins today. I know I have mentioned our learnings from these task forces in previous blog posts, but thought it would be useful to start with a description of our task force process. Later today and tomorrow we will share some of the learnings of the task force and how

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-80784366622331192252010-03-03T11:23:00.005-06:002010-03-03T11:30:27.246-06:00

Our flight left Haiti around 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, which was fortunate for the patients, because many caregivers left at noon, with the next team not arriving until around 3 p.m. The CHRISTUS team worked until 2 p.m. in all areas, and then packed and left for the airport around 3:30 p.m. We worked to ensure that there were knowledgeable and hard-working leaders for each of the patient care

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-82355184581978851462010-02-26T18:36:00.000-06:002010-02-26T18:37:38.977-06:00

As Dr. Royer is in Haiti with the CHRISTUS team, updates on the team’s work there will be posted by the CHRISTUS Communications team in Dallas.Friday marks day 7 of the mission, and the team has designated this day for training and transition so that the next team of clinicians can be appropriately trained and prepared for their work in the days ahead. They reported that all areas of the

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-45110833190186179472010-02-26T18:24:00.000-06:002010-02-26T18:25:04.060-06:00

As Dr. Royer is in Haiti with the CHRISTUS team, updates on the team’s work there will be posted by the CHRISTUS Communications team in Dallas.At the end of their sixth day in Haiti, Dr. Royer identified two major themes that resonate with the team’s experiences in Haiti:1. They have seen the best of times and the worst of times, with both of those extremes being lived out every day to the

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-90877069553790213442010-02-25T21:03:00.006-06:002010-02-25T21:11:16.281-06:00

As Dr. Royer is in Haiti with the CHRISTUS team, updates on the team’s work there will be posted by the CHRISTUS Communications team in Dallas.Each day this week, we will post photos and biographies of members of the CHRISTUS team in Haiti, as well as a prayer to offer on their behalf. Dr. Manish Wani currently serves as Chief of Staff-elect at CHRISTUS St. Catherine Hospital in Katy, Texas. He

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-73486687662409231302010-02-24T18:48:00.006-06:002010-02-26T18:25:24.022-06:00

As Dr. Royer is in Haiti with the CHRISTUS team, updates on the team’s work there will be posted by the CHRISTUS Communications team in Dallas.Each day this week, we will post photos and biographies of members of the CHRISTUS team in Haiti, as well as a prayer to offer on their behalf. Aaron Mason, MD, currently serves as a pediatric plastic surgeon at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital in

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-66390890644486001192010-02-24T18:21:00.000-06:002010-02-24T18:22:43.402-06:00

As Dr. Royer is in Haiti with the CHRISTUS team, updates on the team’s work there will be posted by the CHRISTUS Communications team in Dallas.This is the team’s 5th day in Haiti, and the heat and humidity are still hard on those working outside in the Emergency Department and other outside clinics. But even in the heat, the team seems energized! Dr. Royer said it is important to know that our

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-52014320139940201702010-02-24T08:20:00.000-06:002010-02-24T08:21:42.875-06:00

As Dr. Royer is in Haiti with the CHRISTUS team, updates on the team’s work there will be posted by the CHRISTUS Communications team in Dallas.Each day this week, we will post photos and biographies of members of the CHRISTUS team in Haiti, as well as a prayer to offer on their behalf. John Cunningham, MD, is an Anesthesiologist at CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe, New

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-91562785407650818712010-02-23T18:10:00.003-06:002010-02-23T18:13:38.857-06:00

As Dr. Royer is in Haiti with the CHRISTUS team, updates on the team’s work there will be posted by the CHRISTUS Communications team in Dallas.There was another tremor at 1 a.m. It was mild, but did frighten several of the staff members. It was still very hot today, but luckily there has been no rain at the Miami hospital, so they have not had flooding like many other camps have. They feel

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-25756261352859110312010-02-22T21:41:00.006-06:002010-02-23T10:17:34.523-06:00

As Dr. Royer is in Haiti with the CHRISTUS team, updates on the team’s work there will be posted by the CHRISTUS Communications team in Dallas.Each day this week, we will post photos and biographies of members of the CHRISTUS team in Haiti, as well as a prayer to offer on their behalf.Laura Lee, CRNA, is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist at CHRISTUS St. Francis Cabrini Hospital in

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-70520062545366523452010-02-22T17:36:00.000-06:002010-02-22T17:37:25.255-06:00

As Dr. Royer is in Haiti with the CHRISTUS team, updates on the team’s work there will be posted by the CHRISTUS Communications team in Dallas.In the tremor at 4 a.m, the team’s sleeping tent shook a little, but nothing fell down. They had another tremor about 10 a.m., which some of the wound patients felt, but had no major damage. They saw 2 people In the ER about 5 a.m. as a result of the

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-61823810100809981442010-02-22T12:44:00.006-06:002010-02-22T13:32:16.794-06:00

As Dr. Royer is in Haiti with the CHRISTUS team, updates on the team’s work there will be posted by the CHRISTUS Communications team in Dallas.Each day this week, we will post photos and biographies of members of the CHRISTUS team in Haiti, as well as a prayer to offer on their behalf.Thomas Royer, MD, is president and CEO of CHRISTUS Health. He leads day-to-day operations for CHRISTUS Health,

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-51540588558059272952010-02-21T21:14:00.000-06:002010-02-21T21:16:36.560-06:00

As Dr. Royer is in Haiti with the CHRISTUS team, updates on the team’s work there will be posted by the CHRISTUS Communications team in Dallas.It is the rainy season in Haiti, and the team was slightly worried that rain would affect their work there, as the hospital is made up of 4 tents that are situated on lower ground. Luckily, though, there were a few sprinkles this morning, but they have

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-74162957769697601292010-02-20T22:56:00.001-06:002010-02-20T22:56:31.682-06:00

As Dr. Royer is in Haiti with the CHRISTUS team, updates on the team’s work there will be posted by the CHRISTUS Communications team in Dallas.The CHRISTUS team flew out of Dallas around 3 on Saturday morning, and arrived safely in Port-au-Prince around 7:30 a.m. The team was able to unload medical supplies as well as food and water from the plane, and hit the ground running. CHRISTUS

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-64650462864657582762010-02-20T22:33:00.001-06:002010-02-20T22:35:23.153-06:00

As Dr. Royer is in Haiti with the CHRISTUS team, updates on the team’s work there will be posted by the CHRISTUS Communications team in Dallas.On Friday, the 20-member team comprised of 18 clinicians and 2 chaplains gathered in the CHRISTUS Health headquarters in Dallas for orientation and commissioning. Members of CHRISTUS’ Task Force on Haitian Relief gave presentations to the team about the

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-86396324852908309722010-02-17T21:19:00.002-06:002010-02-17T21:23:45.684-06:00

As we prepare to send our 20-member team to Haiti on Saturday to provide medical and spiritual care there, Associates from across the CHRISTUS system have asked how they can help, or if we will be sending additional teams to Haiti to serve.It is clear that many, many members of our CHRISTUS family have the skills and expertise necessary to help our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Unfortunately, we

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-81093234799918365232010-02-12T13:36:00.000-06:002010-02-12T13:37:16.736-06:00

After the devastating earthquake in Haiti on Jan. 12, I commissioned a Task Force on Haitian Relief to coordinate CHRISTUS’ response. The task force has now finalized plans to send a 20-member team and medical supplies to Port-au-Prince to provide clinical care and spiritual assistance from Feb. 20-27 in partnership with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. I will attend as part

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-80383895863565418672010-02-10T16:43:00.001-06:002010-02-10T16:46:02.698-06:00

I recently participated in an interview with Modern Healthcare about a report released by the American Hospital Association on how hospitals ought to prepare for future workforce shortage challenges. As we have always believed that our most important asset isn’t on our balance sheet, but is our Associates, it’s incredibly important to have the right people and the right number of people doing

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-71801348220127749982010-02-02T16:58:00.002-06:002010-02-03T21:52:54.515-06:00

As an organization, our tradition is to celebrate Feb. 1 as CHRISTUS Day (the anniversary of the founding of CHRISTUS Health), honoring the formation of this organization built upon the strong, enduring legacy of our founding Sisters. Across CHRISTUS, our Associates, physicians and volunteers will gather this week to recognize the journey we have taken and the incredible commitment of everyone

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-12498058780922856942010-01-27T15:47:00.001-06:002010-01-27T15:48:38.922-06:00

We all know that there are continuing challenges that we in heath care face each day. But with all the global challenges including wars and the recent Haiti earthquake and its unbelievable devastation, it is important to remember each day that it is the miracle moments--however small--that you make happen that continue to truly make the difference in people’s lives. It is usually the

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-70689178283571284622010-01-20T17:05:00.001-06:002010-01-20T17:06:42.319-06:00

In a previous blog post, I the first 3 truths from a article appearing on the Reflections on Nursing Leadership magazine’s Website, entitled “What Nursing Leaders Know: Seven Truths From top Health Care Professionals.” This week, I would like to discuss truths 4-7.4. The biggest value in being designated a Magnet hospital is creating a Magnet culture. We all know that culture trumps strategy and

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-7231350792402383192010-01-14T08:41:00.003-06:002010-01-14T08:46:06.581-06:00

Yesterday evening, we distributed the following message to the members of the CHRISTUS family about our response to the tragic circumstances in Haiti.CHRISTUS Health joins with all members of the Catholic health ministry to extend our thoughts and prayers on behalf of the people of Haiti, the Haitian community in the U.S. and our colleagues in country, who are responding to the humanitarian

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-29324229612416337352010-01-13T13:01:00.001-06:002010-01-14T08:41:29.216-06:00

Recognizing that our nursing professionals—their leadership, qualities and skill sets—are critical for the CHRISTUS Health ministry to reach the goals on our Journey to Excellence, I was most intrigued by a recent article appearing on the Reflections on Nursing Leadership magazine’s Website, entitled “What Nursing Leaders Know: Seven Truths From top Health Care Professionals.” It is most

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-86145305341583094772010-01-06T17:01:00.001-06:002010-01-06T17:03:48.735-06:00

On Dec. 30, the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s (HFMA) HFMA Wants You to Know Newsletter carried an article titled, “Effectively Communicating with Credit Markets.” I shared it with the CHRISTUS leaders as many had asked about the reasons for our successes this year in maintaining our credit ratings as well as in our refinancing of a significant portion of our variable debt.

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-33824220451115565822009-12-30T17:08:00.000-06:002009-12-30T17:09:21.026-06:00

As we look forward to New Year’s Eve and the dawning of another new year, many of us are probably contemplating our New Year’s resolutions. We will start the year freshly focused on the habits we would like to improve or on learning new skills in order to continually shape ourselves into the men and women we would like to become.It strikes me once again that our pursuit of excellence in our

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-81936959028356501532009-12-23T19:41:00.004-06:002009-12-23T19:47:04.727-06:00

The lighted trees and glittering decorations assure one that the holiday season has arrived. The traditional Christmas shopping begins in preparation for the much-awaited gift-giving among family and friends. As we ponder some of the greatest gifts we have been given, it is probably the reality that the image of a watch, piece of jewelry, or even a bottle of cologne or sweater could quickly pop

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-63159354792685083862009-12-16T15:08:00.002-06:002009-12-16T15:12:34.893-06:00

Discussions on health care reform continue in the Senate, which may be on target to meet its self-imposed deadline of passing a bill by Christmas. Of course this will not be the last word—the Senate bill and House bills must be reconciled before a final bill reaches the President’s desk, so a definite picture of a final bill is still a ways off. However, a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-5418832039564730702009-12-09T15:35:00.000-06:002009-12-09T15:36:57.378-06:00

Since most health news these days seems to carry the urgency or complexity of discussions on reform, disappointing statistics or lists of behaviors to avoid, it’s nice to hear some good news for a change! Melinda Beck of the Wall Street Journal recently published a list of 20 health care advances to be thankful for this season. They include:• Life expectancy in the U.S. reached an all-time high

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-15320864150361207972009-12-02T17:54:00.001-06:002009-12-02T17:55:20.126-06:00

Approximately two years ago, we evolved our traditional risk management into a strong, system-wide enterprise risk management program. We recognized that in our economically complex health care environment, risk was moving far beyond medical liabilities. The importance of this transition is highlighted in an article featured in the October 2009 edition of Risk Management magazine.Entitled “Eyes

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-54779567596852803682009-11-24T12:37:00.001-06:002009-11-24T12:39:57.816-06:00

At this time of year, it is so important for each member of the CHRISTUS Family to pause and review all for which we should be thankful, both in our personal and professional lives. We are truly blessed in so many ways as we have been called to serve in this sacred ministry.As we continue our Journey to Excellence, guided not only by our three strategic drivers, five strategic directions and

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-40330790360758329862009-11-18T10:25:00.001-06:002009-11-18T10:25:44.581-06:00

I recently presented the keynote Donald Dunn Memorial lecture at the 31st Annual Iowa Healthcare Executive Symposium, which I want to share with you. My presentation, "Leadership at this Moment in Time: How to Lead an Organization through a Perfect Storm," was about the perfect storm health care in the U.S. has found itself in and how leaders can best react and respond to all the changes in our

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-72667148484704528452009-11-11T13:29:00.002-06:002009-11-11T13:33:05.575-06:00

In the Gospel of John, chapter 10 verse 10, when Jesus is describing himself as the good shepherd, he speaks about how he protects his sheep (which we interpret to be the people he has created and loves). He said, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” It is no secret that the 46 million uninsured Americans live sicker lives and die younger than those with insurance

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-19728655465426784592009-11-04T13:46:00.000-06:002009-11-04T13:47:10.482-06:00

In last week’s post, I discussed my interview with two representatives from IBM who asked to hear my thoughts for their 2010 Global CEO study entitled, “Leading in the New Economic Environment.” Many of their questions dealt with change and the external forces that CHRISTUS has been forced to respond to in order to remain successful and continue fulfilling our mission of extending the healing

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-64140974215838612182009-10-28T14:53:00.002-05:002009-11-04T13:46:05.402-06:00

Early this week, I met with two representatives from IBM who asked to hear my thoughts for their 2010 Global CEO study entitled, “Leading in the New Economic Environment.” IBM publishes a CEO report every two years, and interviews 1,200 CEOs across the world regarding how they will lead into the future. This is useful for IBM, as it also provides them with a chance to survey their audience

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-65316932097151792282009-10-21T16:30:00.003-05:002009-10-28T15:17:15.486-05:00

The fifth and final section of the Dallas Morning News’ series called “The Cost of Care” featured the approach of Scott & White Healthcare (sometimes called “The Mayo of Texas”) to collaboration instead of competition, examined why primary care physicians may be choosing to move to other models of care delivery and what the U.S. can learn from other countries’ health systems. You can access the

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-58553514834771175552009-10-14T15:47:00.001-05:002009-10-21T16:30:18.747-05:00

The fourth part of the Dallas Morning News’ five part series called “The Cost of Care” covered home health agencies in Texas and the soaring amount of spending on home health care in the state. You can access the series here. The article once again aims to examine the fine line between the need for home health agencies and the great services they provide and the abuses of the system and its

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-18632714303862609912009-10-06T17:00:00.001-05:002009-10-06T17:01:42.234-05:00

The third part of the Dallas Morning News’ five part series called “The Cost of Care” covered the medical imaging industry, which is quickly growing in size and scope. However, some worry that unnecessary scans are driving up expenses. You can access the series here. The article examines why business is so good for those in medical imaging, which generates $100 billion a year nationally. As

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-913837712736473662009-09-30T16:16:00.000-05:002009-09-30T16:17:37.031-05:00

The second part of the Dallas Morning News’ five part series called “The Cost of Care” tackled the doctor-owned hospital dilemma. You can access the series here. The article does a fantastic job of examining physician-owned hospitals from a variety of angles, admitting that it is a complex issue and that not all physician-owned facilities are created equal. We know that some physician/system

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-27109231110997700682009-09-23T16:46:00.002-05:002009-09-23T16:50:45.399-05:00

The Dallas Morning News began a five part series called “The Cost of Care” on the cost of medical care in Dallas in this Sunday’s paper. The news outlet has devoted a section of their Website to this series, which you can access here. It contains polls, interactive maps and links to the online versions of the stories from the series which appeared in print. I would like to take the next few

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-50756903866427476992009-09-16T13:11:00.004-05:002009-09-16T13:17:25.236-05:00

Physicians and their role in the delivery and cost of health care have been in the spotlight recently as the health care debate rages on. Much of these early discussions seemed to result from Atul Gawande’s article in the New Yorker called “The The Cost Conundrum, What a Texas town can teach us about health care” and his follow-up, “The Cost Conundrum Redux.” Gawande suggested that physician

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-57293564814859028702009-09-09T16:01:00.000-05:002009-09-09T16:02:25.321-05:00

One of our Associates recently sent me this story, written by a physician who urges doctors to return to the healing power of touch, and cautions that the rush to use the latest high-tech diagnostic tools often ignores the intrinsic value of a physical exam.As I have often said, one of the reasons for the skyrocketing cost of health care is not misuse, but overuse. The author of the article

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-24062534438894806852009-09-02T11:30:00.001-05:002009-09-02T11:30:38.644-05:00

As the U.S. health care debate accelerates, it continues to be important to compare and contrast the U.S. health system with those of other countries as part of our learning journey.Our travels for our Futures Task Force II work provided us with an opportunity to grow some knowledge of the health care delivery systems in both Canada and England.The National Health System (NHS) in Britain is

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-42891907239616205202009-08-26T17:10:00.000-05:002009-08-26T17:12:04.366-05:00

Before I begin my blog post today, I would like to extend my sympathy to the Kennedy family on the loss of Sen. Ted Kennedy. Regardless of one’s political views or affiliations, it is clear that yesterday, health care reform lost a great friend, and our country lost a great legislator and a bright light upon the death of Sen. Kennedy. His legislative legacy is great, but I am disappointed that

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181890061834714136.post-85835501691743077232009-08-19T16:29:00.000-05:002009-08-19T16:30:55.767-05:00

Good customer service springs from individuals within an organization. It requires compassion and understanding that it is only by putting the needs of our customers, patients and residents first during each and every interaction with them that we can hope to excel as an organization and ensure we are fully living out our mission.By the very nature of our work in health care, we are fortunate to

Dr. Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16280900960532174137noreply@blogger.com0