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Contents
A Note from the Chairman
Members in Action
Fall Leadership Receptions
HOSPAC Fundraising Update
HOSPAC Star Leaders
Join HOSPAC Today!
HOSPAC Fundraising Update
The 2007 fundraising campaign deadline is fast approaching and the primary elections are just a few months away! Only you can help raise the $38,000 still needed to reach HOSPAC’s 2007 goals. Be sure your name is included on the 2007 Leadership Recognition Roster – make your 2007 HOSPAC membership contribution today! Do so by faxing or mailing this reply form, by contributing online or by contacting HOSPAC director Lisa Kepple.
Total contributions and pledges as of Nov. 7:
Overall: $209,432 (85% of the $247,600 goal)
State PAC: $99,426 (84% of the $118,000 goal)
Federal PAC: $86,691 (81% of the $106,600 goal)
THA Political Education Fund: $23,315 (101% of the $23,000 goal)
HOSPAC Notes is a periodic publication of the Texas Hospital Association's Political Action Committee, 6225 U.S. Highway 290 East, P.O. Box 145587, Austin, Texas 78761-5587. Telephone 512/465-1047 for information. No part of this publican may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.
Director, HOSPAC –
Lisa Kepple
Public Affairs Specialist –
Jennifer O'Neil
Managing Editor – Pam English
Production Editor -
Kathy Li
According to Texas Government Code 305.02, portions of this material may be considered “legislative advertising.” Authorization for its publication is made by John Hawkins, Texas Hospital Association, P.O. Box 15587, Austin, TX 78761-5587.
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A Note from the Chairman
It is always an honor to be chosen by your peers for a leadership role, and being selected as the 2007-09 chair for HOSPAC is no exception. I am passionate about our responsibility to be involved in the political process and that includes HOSPAC.
Other than individual contributions that many of us do within our own community and with our respective elected officials, HOSPAC is our only vehicle to impact the entire state with regard to elected politicians. It is our opportunity to educate political candidates about critical issues for Texas hospitals. And most importantly, we desire to exert influence with those candidates whom HOSPAC support financially and endorse to the public. We want Texas hospitals to have access to elected officials and their willingness to hear our point of view on the issues. We want elected officials whom we support and endorse to support those issues most important to Texas hospitals and the communities they serve.
I hope to achieve and or exceed the HOSPAC goals for contributions; to significantly increase the number of health care executives who contribute to HOSPAC; and measure the success rate of candidates being elected that are supported by HOSPAC. In collaboration with the HOSPAC board, the THA board and THA staff strive to develop creative ways to involve and motivate health care executives, especially, to contribute to HOSPAC.
I have learned that the political and legislative process for Texas hospitals cannot be a spectator sport. We have to get involved. This is not and should not be a process where the 80/20 rule applies. We cannot have 20 percent of the health care executives in this state participating in HOSPAC and 80 percent sit on the sidelines. It will not work and the meager PAC that we have in comparison to others in Texas is proof of that fact. We are one of the largest employers in Texas – our issues are enormous and I believe that we can do better.
So, to our HOSPAC members, I'd like to say: Keep up the good work and thanks for your support!
Steve Sanders,
Chairman, HOSPAC Board of Directors
Serving with Sanders is a 32-member HOSPAC Board of Directors
HOSPAC Members in Action
HOSPAC Chairman Steve Sanders, chief executive officer of Memorial Hermann and other hospital executives met with U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) to update the congressman on the challenges their hospitals face and the changes to the current health care system they would recommend. The Texas Hospital Association hosted and organized the events at Rep. Brady’s request.
The first roundtable was held at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital on Aug. 16 where participants discussed the lack of psychiatric beds and Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services regulations, among other topics. CHRISTUS Jasper Memorial Hospital hosted the congressman the following day and they discussed problems facing smaller, rural hospitals.
HOSPAC Fall Leadership Receptions
A key benefit of being a HOSPAC member who joins at the Chairman’s Club level or above, is being invited, with a guest, to leadership receptions held across Texas. You have the opportunity to meet and network with your colleagues and hear about important issues in health care policy from state legislators.
The fall leadership receptions are listed below and were held in San Antonio, The Woodlands and Austin.
Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) was the special guest speaker at the HOSPAC Leadership Reception on Aug. 30 in San Antonio at Club Giraud. The senator is chair of the Senate Higher Education
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Sen. Zaffirini (second from left) speaks with (from left) Peggy Allison, trustee, Methodist Healthcare System Board of Governors; Jaime Weslowski, president/CEO Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio; and William Rasco, president/CEO, Greater San Antonio Hospital Council; at the Aug. 30 reception in San Antonio.
| Subcommittee, vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee, and a member of the Senate Administration, Education and Health and Human Services Committees. Sen. Zaffirini is the first Hispanic woman senator in Texas and the first to serve as President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate. She served three consecutive terms as Chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, six terms on the Appropriations Conference Committee, eight terms on the Senate Committee on Finance, and 10 consecutive terms on the Senate Committee on Education.
Nearly 70 hospital leaders, trustees and business leaders were in attendance, including HOSPAC leadership members such as: Palmira Arellano, vice president, marketing and public relations, Methodist Healthcare System; Don A. Beeler, FACHE, president/CEO CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care; Barry Blackman, trustee, Methodist Healthcare System; Tim Brierty, FACHE, president/CEO, McKenna Health System; Doug Cardon, president/CEO, Cardon Healthcare Network; Geoffrey Crabtree, senior vice president, Methodist Healthcare System; Michael Duffy, FACHE, CEO, Methodist Healthcare System Medical Center; Graceann Durr, trustee, Methodist Healthcare System; John Aldev, president/CEO, Legacy Energy Management Solutions; Gerald Hill, senior vice president of advocacy, Seton Family of Hospitals; Karl Hittle, FACHE, COO, McKenna Health System; Dan Johnson, trustee, Methodist Healthcare System; Michael McBride, FACHE, regional vice president/administrator, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care; Chuck Norris, CEO, Gonzales Healthcare System; Trip Pilgrim III, president/CEO, Baptist Health System; Bill Rasco, FACHE, president/CEO, Greater San Antonio Hospital Council; Jamie Wesolowski, president/CEO, Methodist Healthcare System; and many others.
Rep. Rob Eissler (R-The Woodlands) was the special guest speaker at the Sept. 20 Leadership Reception in The Woodlands. Rep.
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Rep. Rob Eissler (second from left) speaks with (from left) Taylor Watkins, CFO, Cardon Healthcare Network; HOSPAC Board Chairman Steve Sanders; and Rosie Valadez-McStay, government relations director of Texas Children’s Hospital, at the Sept. 20 reception in The Woodlands.
| Eissler was elected for his first term as state representative in 2002. Now in his third session, he serves on the Human Services Committee, as Chairman of the Public Education Committee, and has been appointed by the Governor to serve on the State Regional Education Board for both the 78th and 79th Legislative Sessions.
More than 80 leaders from the region, as well as CHRISTUS Health System executives from across the state, attended, including HOSPAC members such as: Pat Carrier, president/CEO CHRISTUS Gulf Coast Regional; Dr. Richard Davis, M.D., vice president of medical affairs, CHRISTUS Health System; Mark Easterly, regional general counsel, CHRISTUS Health System; Cary Fox, regional vice president, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care; Patti Harper, system director, advocacy and public affairs, CHRISTUS Health System; Jeff Holland, FACHE, CEO, Bayshore Medical Center-HCA; Gabriela Moreno, director, public policy, CHRISTUS Health System; Bob Pascasio, FACHE, CEO, Bayside Community Hospital; Thomas Royer, M.D., president/CEO, CHRISTUS Health System; Ernie Sadau, senior vice president, patient operations, CHRISTUS Health System; Steve Sanders, CEO, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital; Tim Schauer, system executive, Memorial Hermann Healthcare System; Rosie McStay, director of government relations, Texas Children’s Hospital; Taylor Watkins, CFO, Cardon Healthcare Network; and many others.
State Rep. Donna Howard, RN (D-Austin), was the featured guest speaker at the HOSPAC Leadership Reception at the Renaissance Austin Hotel on Oct. 14. Jon Foster, president/CEO of St. David’s HealthCare and THA board chairman, presented Rep. Howard with THA’s Texas Hospital Advocacy Tribute award. The Texas Hospital Advocacy Tribute, or THAT award, is presented to
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Rep. Howard is congratulated on her THAT award by (from left) THA Board Chairman Jon Foster, HOSPAC Board Chairman Steve Sanders and THA CEO/President Dan Stultz.
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selected Texas legislators for their outstanding efforts and contributions to shaping health care policy issues important to hospitals and health systems. THA has named nine Texas legislators as recipients of the 2007 award…all recipients previously were endorsed by HOSPAC.
A member of the Higher Education Committee, Rep. Howard sponsored a bill to dedicate $4 million of the state’s tobacco funds to solving the nursing shortage and fought for the bill’s passage through the tough appropriations process. She also sponsored THA-supported legislation to clarify whistleblower protections and prevent retaliation against nurses who report unsafe patient care. At Gov. Perry’s request, Rep. Howard passed a bill creating the Hospital-Based Nursing Education Partnership Program and then worked with the governor to direct the tobacco funds to this program so hospitals can be innovative in the search for more nurses. Rep. Howard was able to find middle ground and pass language designed to strengthen and improve the immunization registry in Texas. Other THAT award recipients are: Sen. Robert Deuell, M.D. (R-Greenville); Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston); Sen. Robert Duncan (R- Lubbock); Rep. Dianne Delisi (R-Temple); Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound); Rep. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham); Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas); and Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Houston).
More than 100 Texas hospital leaders and their guests attended the reception.
Final Call...
Help us close out our 2007 Annual Campaign and move HOSPAC up in rank by making a contribution so that the PAC will reach its goal!
The THA Board and the HOSPAC Board are calling all those who care about hospitals to please make a contribution today and join them on the Leadership Recognition Roster. Your 2007 contribution is urgently needed to help hospital-friendly legislators win their tough election races.
We look forward to receiving your contribution today!
Lisa Kepple
Director, HOSPAC
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