From the CEO: Thankful for All You Do
When you receive an email from us at TETAF, we often express how much we appreciate all that you do. That is true everyday, not just during this season of thanks. It takes an entire team of dedicated individuals at TETAF, on our Board of Directors, our surveyors, our hospital partners, our Regional Advisory Councils (RACs), our committee members, and many others. We are grateful to work with all of you who are devoted to strengthening trauma, stroke, maternal, and neonatal care in Texas.
Many of you continue to persevere through challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the surge of the delta variant. We are thankful for your dedication and everything you have done to make local, regional, and state health care systems more adaptive through everything that has been learned.
Speaking of learning, this is a busy week for educational offerings at TETAF with our Hospital Data Management Course and our TETAF Trauma Nurse Documentation Webinar. We are pleased to see so many taking advantage of these opportunities.
Additionally, the TETAF Advocacy team is thankful for this time during the interim after a regular legislative session and three special legislative sessions. Our team is working on a robust strategy to be prepared when the 88th Texas Legislature convenes in January 2023.
These final weeks of 2021 will be busy and productive with education, planning, and meetings, including our TETAF Board of Directors meeting in December. I am thankful we are finally able to meet in person after nearly two years of meeting virtually.
It cannot be said enough, so I will close with my gratitude for each one of you and the opportunities we have to strengthen health care for Texans. I hope all of you have a safe and healthy Thanksgiving holiday.
Stay well,
Dinah
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TETAF Board of Directors, TETAF General Assembly, and RAC Summit Meetings Return to San Antonio in December |
The next quarterly meeting of the TETAF Board of Directors will be Thursday, December 16 at 10:00 a.m. in San Antonio at the Courtyard by Marriott San Antonio Riverwalk.
In addition to the quarterly board meeting, the TETAF General Assembly will conduct its annual meeting at 1:00 p.m. The TETAF General Assembly consists of two members from each Regional Advisory Council (RAC) who vote in the TETAF Board of Directors election.
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Deadline Approaching to Submit Nominations for the TETAF Board of Directors |
Board members serve a three year term. Every effort shall be made to recruit and nominate individuals who will result in a multi-disciplinary board with diversity of geography and experience.
TETAF’s mission is to strengthen regional healthcare delivery systems through collaboration, advocacy, and education. The Board seeks membership that reflects the mission, and our represented organizations. Leaders should have demonstrated expertise in EMS, trauma, stroke, neonatal, and maternal care from across Texas.
Please take a moment to submit nominations via the form linked below.
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Interested in Joining the TETAF Finance Committee? |
If you or someone you know has interest in serving on a TETAF committee, the TETAF Finance Committee is seeking individuals who have an interest in spending time on the details of the budgeting process. The Finance Committee meets monthly by Zoom for 1-2 hours to review and approve monthly budget reports for submission to the TETAF Board. The committee also proposes an annual budget, recommends budget policy to the board, and addresses any budget related issues that arise. It is helpful for candidates to have a background in budgeting, accounting, or finance, but it is not a requirement.
Interested candidates should submit their names and a brief background summary to Dinah Welsh (dwelsh@tetaf.org) and Kathy Perkins (cperkins68@earthlink.net) for consideration by TETAF Board Chair, Dr. Craig Rhyne, who appoints all Committee members.
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TETAF Advocacy Committee Prepares for 88th Texas Legislative Session |
The third special legislative session ended in October and there are currently no plans for a fourth special legislative session. During the third special session, TETAF Advocacy team supported legislative efforts to provide funding that addressed the EMS and hospital staffing workforce shortages. Additionally, the TETAF Advocacy team submitted a proposal letter to legislators outlining the requests for funding and submitted an amendment to provide funding for the RACs. Christine Reeves, a TETAF board member and executive director of the Heart of Texas Regional Advisory Council (HOTRAC) and the Central Texas Regional Advisory Council (CTRAC), testified during a House Appropriations Committee meeting on behalf of the RACs and TETAF.
- $2 billion appropriated to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) that will provide funding for surge staffing at state and local hospitals, long-term care facilities, psychiatric hospitals, and nursing facilities; purchasing therapeutic drugs, and providing funding for regional infusion centers.
- $75 million appropriated to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) that will go toward supporting rural hospitals affected by COVID-19 for the next two years.
- $21.7 million appropriated to DSHS to provide funding for EMS staffing including programs to increase the number of EMTs and paramedics. This includes possible workforce development initiatives at the Regional Advisory Councils (RACs). Additionally, the funding is to be used for EMS education and distance learning programs to increase the number of EMTs and paramedics graduating from EMS programs.
- DSHS was directed by the legislature to prioritize this funding for rural and underserved areas.
TETAF greatly appreciates everyones efforts during this recent session. The TETAF Advocacy team will monitor DSHS' distribution of ARPA appropriations and continue with strategies for the 88th Texas Legislative Session and ongoing participation in other statewide initiatives.
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Texas Trauma and Acute Care News |
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Stop the Bleed Texas Collecting Tourniquet Data From Trauma Centers |
The Stop the Bleed Texas Coalition is collecting information about tourniquet data from trauma centers. The brief survey includes questions about the 16 ICD-10 procedure codes and what software is being used.
Additionally, the Stop the Bleed Texas Coalition is seeking a Level III and a Level IV trauma center and EMS representatives to join its Registry Workgroup. This group is currently involved in the development of a "how-to" manual for tourniquet abstraction and submission. Email Brett Dodwell with your interest.
Trauma centers and EMS providers are welcome to participate in the survey. Please click the button below to begin the survey.
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GETAC Quarterly Meeting to be Held in Austin |
The Governor's EMS and Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC) will host its fourth quarter council meeting and committee meetings on November 20-22, 2021 in conjunction with the Texas EMS Conference at the Austin Convention Center in Austin.
For more information on GETAC agenda items, please visit the GETAC webpage.
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Texas EMS Conference is November 21-24, 2021 |
The Texas EMS Conference will be held in Austin at the Austin Convention Center on November 21-24, 2021. In addition to the exhibits, there are 14 pre-conference classes available.
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Texas Trauma Coordinators Forum Will Meet in Austin |
The Texas Trauma Coordinators Forum (TTCF) will meet in Austin on Friday, November 19 at at Embassy Suites Central.
If you would like to attend, please visit the TTCF website for complete meeting and hotel details.
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