Hello,
During National Nurses Week, and every week, we are grateful for the more than 4,000 nurses who go above and beyond to serve our communities at St. Luke’s Health. Our hospitals and clinics are better because of these people who are truly passionate about what they do. In fact, several of our exceptional nurses were recognized this month in the Houston Chronicle's Salute to Nurses Program.
We are proud of the entire clinical team who contribute to St. Luke’s Health’s ability to provide high-quality care and humankindness to our communities.
St. Luke’s is honored partner with local organizations to ensure the health and well-being of all Texans. So far this year, we have been pleased to present 13 local nonprofits with 19 grants through the CommonSpirit Health Community Health Improvement Grants program , totaling nearly $1 million. These grants are dedicated to serving the health care needs of vulnerable and underserved populations. You can view the full list of recipient organizations here.
When Allison and Steve were first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at a young age, they had no idea finding love would be part of the journey. During Parkinson’s Awareness Month, hear their story of how Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center helped the couple undergo deep brain stimulation surgery together – on the same day – so they could focus more on enjoying life with each other and less on their diagnosis.
Baylor St. Luke’s is proud to be the only hospital in the Texas Medical Center to receive the HeartCare Center of Excellence designation from ACC Accreditation for the fifth consecutive year. This award is based on demonstrated commitment to comprehensive, high-quality culture and cardiovascular care, professional excellence and community engagement.
59 million people worldwide are affected by atrial fibrillation (AF). That’s why Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center is excited to be the very first hospital in the Texas Medical Center to offer the breakthrough Medtronic PulseSelect™ Pulsed Field Ablation System.
This innovative technology uses pulsed electric fields to effectively, efficiently and safely treat persistent AF and restore patients to a higher quality of life.
Five of our St. Luke’s Health hospitals, including St. Luke's Health-Memorial Hospital Livingston, St. Luke's Health-Memorial Hospital Lufkin, St. Luke’s Health-Patients Medical Center, St. Luke’s Health-The Vintage Hospital, and St. Luke’s Health-The Woodlands Hospital, earned the highest grade “A” in hospital safety for Spring 2024 from The Leapfrog Group. We remain unwaveringly committed to the safety of our patients and employees!
Both hospitals and patients feel the burden of raised health care costs. A new report from the American Hospital Association highlights some key contributors to those elevated costs. As the AHA reports, “A 2021 study by McKinsey estimated that hospitals spent $10 billion annually on dealing with insurer prior authorizations. Additionally, a 2023 study by Premier found that hospitals are spending just under $20 billion annually in appealing denials — more than half which was wasted on claims that should have been paid out at the time of submission.”
Watch this video to hear real patients’ stories of how the cost of insurance denials goes beyond money.
Interim charges are directives given to legislative committees between regular legislative sessions, tasking committees with conducting research, holding hearings and developing recommendations on specific issues or policy areas. They serve as a means for the legislature to address pressing concerns, gather information and prepare for the next legislative session. Interim charges cover a wide range of topics, including health care, education, infrastructure, criminal justice and more, reflecting the diverse needs and priorities of the state. The findings and recommendations resulting from interim charge work often inform the development of legislation for consideration during the subsequent legislative session.
We will highlight interim charges in Texas that affect health care so you can stay informed about potential legislation that may influence compliance, benefit plans, reporting disclosures and cost management, among other things. Look for the “Legislative Update” section in our upcoming monthly newsletters.
Here’s to another season of health and safety,
Physicians and health care leaders have an opportunity to increase awareness about prostate cancer risks and encourage patient-provider discussions.
Read More Additional information about How Providers Can Increase Prostate Cancer Awareness in Patients
St. Luke’s Health is leading the way in putting patient perspectives at the forefront of neurosurgery practices to ensure ideal outcomes for each person.
Read More Additional information about Strange New Worlds: Centering Patient Perspectives on Neurosurgery
September is Healthy Aging Month. St. Luke’s Health has the advice you need to thrive independently in the years to come.
Read More Additional information about Healthy Aging Month: Plan Early to Live Independently