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| Vol. 24, No. 23 |
| December 15, 2002 |
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FROM THE PRESIDENT As 2002 comes to an end, we are inspired to take a retrospective look back at the events that have happened in the Texas Medical Center this past year. Many marvelous developments have occurred, resulting in significant health contributions. For instance, the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital moved into a spectacular new building on the corner of Bates and Bertner in January. The new 10-story, 327,000 square-foot building is “high tech, high touch,” featuring the most advanced technology in cardiac care available today, combined with many personal touches to help patients feel at ease. Currently, doctors at the institute are participating in a study in which stem cells, designed to encourage the growth of new blood vessels and replace damaged heart muscle, are implanted into the hearts of patients with end-stage heart failure in Brazil. Eventually, the Texas Heart Institute hopes to offer this investigational treatment to Houston patients. At The Methodist Hospital, history was made when two women became the first patients in Texas to receive a new treatment for diabetes that essentially freed them from insulin injections. The women were participating in a clinical study conducted jointly by Baylor College of Medicine, Methodist and the University of Miami. Meanwhile, at Memorial Hermann Hospital, doctors perfected a technique that cut in half the recovery time involved in donating a kidney for use by a transplant patient. Shortly thereafter, Memorial Hermann became a household name nationwide when it was featured in a network television series, “Houston Medical.” A gene that kills prostate cancer cells was discovered by Baylor researchers. The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston took a lead role in educating the public about bioterrorism preparedness. Texas A&M’s Institute of Biosciences and Technology opened its newest research center which will investigate causes of birth defects. The Houston VA Medical Center developed a technology called “Telerehab” that beams house calls into patients’ homes, eliminating the need for doctor and patient travel in some instances. Methodist joined St. Luke’s and The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in receiving Magnet distinction, the nation’s highest honor for excellence in nursing. And this year, as in years past, several Texas Medical Center hospitals were named to U.S. News & World Report’s list of “America’s Best Hospitals,” including M.D. Anderson, The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, Texas Heart Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Methodist, and Memorial Hermann. In addition to promoting health, the Texas Medical Center also provides an important economic boost to Houston and the surrounding area. A Federal Reserve Bank report released in February revealed that the Texas Medical Center, with its 42 member institutions, spent an estimated $5.8 billion in Harris County and the surrounding region, and provided or supported 142,000 jobs that produced $3.8 billion in take-home pay for employees. If the Texas Medical Center were an industrial complex, the report said, it would be listed in the Fortune 500. Finally, this year saw the completion of the new John P. McGovern Texas Medical Center Commons, a facility that offers patients, students, employees and visitors to the Texas Medical Center a place to meet, eat, and shop under one roof. With this period of unprecedented growth, the future promises a continuation of the excellence we have witnessed during the past year. Happy holidays.
©2006 Texas Medical Center
E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
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