This election, there’s a $2.5 billion bond issue on the ballot that seeks to finance the rebuilding and upgrading of Harris Health’s facilities, which are quickly reaching their end of use and have been operating at near-full capacity for years. If passed, proponents contend this bond referendum will provide much-needed investment for the public safety net.
The American College of Surgeons recommends having one high-level trauma center for every one million people. Currently, Harris County has two adult Level I trauma centers, serving a population of almost 4.8 million. With Houston being the second fastest-growing major metropolitan area in the U.S., and Harris County projected to have over six million residents by 2050 (with more than 1.5 million uninsured), more care capacity is needed.
Here are some of the reasons to consider supporting this bond with a “yes” vote.
Reason 1: Harris Health provides medical care to uninsured and underinsured people in our county, but also serves first responders, particularly law enforcement officers who are severely injured on the job. Yet the Harris Health system has been sorely neglected over the last few decades.
Reason 2: The infrastructure at Harris County’s two hospitals, Ben Taub and LBJ, is outdated and in need of serious repair. Some of the Bond funds will go towards the construction of a new Level I-capable trauma center outside the Texas Medical Center, replacing the current Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Hospital and providing the necessary investments into Harris Health Ben Taub Hospital to extend its life span.
“Without immediate public investment, our hospitals and emergency rooms will continue to exceed capacity on a daily basis. We need to act now to address the immediate needs but also prepare for the inevitable growth in demand as Harris County grows,” said Arthur Bracey, MD, chair, Harris Health System Board of Trustees.
Reason 3: Harris County needs to be able to care for its people who need mental health services. Thurgood Marshall Schol of Law professor Marcia Johnson says, “Funds from this bond will allow the system to expand services Harris Health provides to address mental healthcare.”
Reason 4: Johnson added that bond funds would allow Harris Health to expand its capacity for care by adding community clinics. Harris Health seeks to establish new community clinics in northwest, southwest and east Harris County to reach high-density, low socio-economic communities. Moreover, capacity will be expanded via the establishment of a new and much-needed trauma center, avoiding delays in treatment for patients who are victims of a major trauma.
“Anyone today who is the victim of a major trauma, a stab wound, a gunshot wound, in the north, northwest, northeast Harris County would have to be driven or flown into the Texas Medical Center,” said Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, CEO of the Harris Health System.
Porsa added over half of the bond funds would be used to build a new trauma hospital and provide mental healthcare services at LBJ.
Reason 5: Usage of bond funds will include the needs of the community as identified by the community.
“Harris Health has agreed with the community to establish an institute to study and identify solutions to medical disparities that plague so many of our residents; we include opportunities for community inclusion in the jobs created by building and operating these facilities; we agreed to ensure that all parts of the community will have the opportunity to participate in contracting and vendor solicitations.”
Houston Public Media contributed to this article.
