OPEN LETTER to Constituents
from Precinct 2 Harris County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia

One thing we do a lot of in government is planning. We strategize. We develop. We study. We form committees and task forces and blue ribbon commissions. We talk a lot. And, to some folks, all the talking can seem incredibly frustrating and time consuming.

Now, don’t get me wrong. A lot of this work is good. We’re spending your money. You pay the bills and I always believe in having a plan and doing my homework before one cent of your money is spent. When I was elected to this job I promised to protect your pocketbook, and I have. I also promised to look out for people who had no one else to look out for them. That’s what today’s column is about.

One of the jobs I share with my colleagues on Commissioners Court is to oversee the budget and operations of the Harris County Hospital District – a public health system that consists of three hospitals, 11 neighborhood health centers, five school-based clinics and 12 satellite treatment facilities in homeless shelters. The taxpayer-supported district, which is where the uninsured and underinsured can get help, also has two mobile units that provide immunizations and medical screenings.

It’s one big operation. It handles more than 1 million patient visits a year. Harris County taxpayers pump more than $360 million a year into it. And, as it expands in future years to meet the demands of a growing community, the cost will most certainly rise.

How we handle that growth and the increased demand for services is something that’s been discussed in county government for a while now. Talks have intensified in recent months and a special committee has put together a strategic plan for the district that is to be our road map to the year 2015.

There were a lot of people involved in putting this plan together, including members of the district’s Board of Managers – volunteers appointed by Commissioners Court. And, I want to say clearly there are a lot of good ideas in the plan. But, I have a few concerns.

I want more facilities in Precinct Two and that’s what I will continue to fight for. We need more clinics and we need more hospital facilities. We need a trauma center in our precinct. I’m not going to give up that fight. But I need your help!

The district has been hosting town hall-style public meetings to discuss this roadmap. I hope you attended some of those meetings. But, if you didn’t, there’s still a chance to make your voice heard.

If you have questions about the plan or want to look at it call Jean Dols at the district at 713-566-6424. You can also e-mail her at Jean_Dols@hchd.tmc.edu. Don’t hesitate to call her. And, don’t hesitate to contact my office.

You deserve a voice in this important planning process. One of the things I love about county government is that we look out for people who don’t have the resources to always look out for themselves. That’s one of the things the hospital district does. As community leaders, that’s one of the things we need to make sure they continue to do.

Let me give you just one example of the problems we face in the hospital district. Take, for example, women who might be facing breast cancer. If you need a mammogram from the district you could wait three to six weeks for that first test.

It gets worse. Let’s say you need a diagnostic mammogram as a follow-up. You should be prepared to wait at least two more weeks and then as long as eight weeks for a breast ultrasound. Then, there’s a six week wait for a breast biopsy and a wait of anywhere from two to 15 weeks for breast surgery.

And remember, our trauma centers are placed on drive-by status – closed to severe cases – almost 30 percent of the time.

Obviously, there is a lot of work to be done. Some fine folks are working on the problems and they’re looking at some pretty creative solutions. But we cannot and should not look for solutions without your help. Please get involved. Please make your voice heard.

This medical system belongs to the people. It can do better. It must be better.

Without your input, any planning process that government undertakes is an empty shell of what it should be. Join me in looking for solutions. The stakes are too high and the waiting rooms too crowded to avoid this problem.