Texas Medical Center was formed and exists today exclusively for benevolent, charitable, and educational purposes to form the foundation and continuing support for a "City of Medicine." Since its inception in 1948, the Texas Medical Center has sought to attract non-profit, academically-oriented institutions dedicated to medical care, health care, education, and research. Its land, provided to the member institutions for nominal fees, must be dedicated to this purpose.

Texas Medical Center manages the land of its member institutions and provides the infrastructure for this City of Medicine, including the continued maintenance and provision of roads, utilities, parking, security and overall property management. In doing so, it functions much like a City Hall for 43 member institutions with 100 permanent buildings located on nearly 740 acres and 20 miles of public or private streets. It publishes a widely read newspaper, Texas Medical Center News; manages Favrot Tower, a residence building; and operates both the Edwin Hornberger Conference Center and the John P. McGovern Texas Medical Center Commons.

Texas Medical Center frequently coordinates center-wide efforts with METRO (Houston's public transportation), the City of Houston, Harris County, and as needed, state and federal governments. The corporation works with the Flood Control District and the Subsidence District, both County entities, to provide emergency services, especially during times of hurricanes and flooding.

The corporation leads strategic planning programs and serves as a forum for joint planning and cooperation between institutions. Councils which the corporation convene include:

• Policy Council
• Public Relations Advisory Council
• International Affairs Advisory Council
• Information Executives Advisory Council
• Security Advisory Council
• Parking and Mobility Advisory Council
• Government Relations Advisory Council
• Council of Research Executives
• Council of Volunteers' Directors
• other ad hoc groups.

When viewed as a single entity, the Texas Medical Center institutions are the largest employer in Houston (61,030). Through its many activities on behalf of its institutions, Texas Medical Center strives to provide whatever support and cooperation its members request to further the goals of encouraging the non-profit, academic health care environment.

For more information, call the Texas Medical Center's Public Affairs office, 713/791-8805.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
URL: http://www.tmc.edu/tmc-corporation.html