Harris Health System

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The Harris County Hospital District was created by voter referendum on November 20, 1965 and was formally designated as a political subdivision with taxing authority on January 1, 1966. Its creation is largely attributed to the publication of Jan de Hartog's novel The Hospital, which described the horrific conditions of the Jefferson Davis Charity Hospital. The new district replaced an existing city-county system in which the two governmental bodies shared funding responsibility.{{cite web |last1=Gonzales |first1=J. R. |title=The Hospital |url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/kxh01 |website=Handbook of Texas Online |publisher=Texas State Historical Association |access-date=3 December 2019}} Quentin Ronald Mease was a founder and chairman of the Harris County Hospital District and chaired the Harris County Hospital Foundation.{{cite web |title=Quentin Mease Biography |url=https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/quentin-mease-40 |website=The History Makers |access-date=3 December 2019}}

A Hospital District is a governmental entity in Texas, established pursuant to the Texas Constitution. See Tex. Const. art. IX, § 4; Tex. Health & Safety Code § 281.002 or the general statutes of Texas, and its purpose is to provide medical care to the needy residents of a particular county.Tex. Const. art. IX, § 4; Tex. Health & Safety Code Ann. §§ 281.002, 282.049.

By 1989, the hospital had exceeded U.S. federal patient mortality rates for two years in a row; Ben Taub and Jefferson Davis were the sole Houston hospitals above their predicted mortality rates. Roger Widmeyer, the district spokesperson, said "We are a very unique hospital because of the number of acutely ill patients we receive. We think the taxpayers understand that we handle a lot of sick people here. A lot of the people we treat don't come to the hospitals until they are very, very sick."Perry, Earnest L. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20110522034940/http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1989_672744 Hospital district exceeds mortality rates]." Houston Chronicle. Thursday December 21, 1989. A39.

By 1990, when Lyndon Baines Johnson General Hospital (LBJ) received an emergency room and Ben Taub General Hospital received an emergency care facility, the district began to assign county residents to each hospital depending on zip code. Residents of northern areas in the county, including patients treated at Acres Home, Settegast, Bordersville and Baytown clinics were assigned to LBJ. Residents of southern areas, including patients at Casa de Amigos, Martin Luther King, Ripley House, Strawberry Road, and West End county clinics were assigned to Ben Taub.Zuniga, Jo Ann and Mitch Whitten. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20110522041441/http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1990_712738 Hospitals to divide patients]." Houston Chronicle. Friday June 29, 1990. A24.

In January 2012, board members of Harris County Hospital District approved a rebranding to Harris Health System.{{cite web|author=Johnson, Laurie|url=https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/2012/01/27/32693/changes-ahead-for-harris-county-hospital-district/|title=Changes Ahead for Harris County Hospital District|publisher=Houston Public Media|date=2012-01-27|access-date=2019-06-05}} The rebranding became effective in promotion of the system starting September 6,{{cite web|url=https://www.harrishealth.org/en/news/pages/introducing-harris-health-system.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714183937/https://www.harrishealth.org/en/news/pages/introducing-harris-health-system.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-07-14|title=The Future Starts Today for Harris Health System|publisher=Harris Health System|access-date=2019-06-05}} 2012.

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Its two main hospitals serve approximately one million under-insured and uninsured people, nearly a quarter of the entire population of Harris County, the third most-populous county in the United States. Harris County includes Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States. Ben Taub General Hospital is a level I trauma center with 650 licensed beds. It is located in the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world, and is staffed by faculty, residents, and students of Baylor College of Medicine.{{cite web|url=https://www.harrishealth.org/locations-hh/Pages/ben-taub.aspx|title=Ben Taub Hospital|accessdate=2023-09-10}}

Lyndon Baines Johnson General Hospital is expanding to a 450 bed general hospital with a level 1 trauma center located northeast of Downtown Houston.{{Cite web |last=AnthonyHV |date=2025-02-25 |title=LBJ Hospital Brings Hope and Transformation to Northeast Houston |url=https://houstonvideo.com/lbj-hospital-harris-health-lyndon-b-johnson-hospital-construction-update/ |access-date=2025-03-22 |website=LBJ Hospital Update - Harris Health Construction Project Interview |language=en-US}} It is staffed by the faculty, residents, and students of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} After Jefferson Davis Hospital closed, LBJ opened in 1989.{{cite web|url=http://www.tmc.edu/hchd/051799.HTM|title=LBJ Hospital celebrates 10 years of service|publisher=Harris County Hospital District|date=May 1999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991009020607/http://www.tmc.edu/hchd/051799.HTM|accessdate=2021-04-08|archive-date=1999-10-09}} An outpatient center next to the hospital opened in 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/pasadena/news/article/Harris-Health-System-dedicates-new-Outpatient-9511781.php|title=Harris Health System dedicates new Outpatient Center|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=2013-10-28|accessdate=2021-04-09}}

Quentin Mease Community Hospital has 25 beds for long-term physical rehabilitation and 24 beds in its geriatric services program. It is staffed by the faculty, residents, and students of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Baylor College of Medicine.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}

In August 2009 Memorial Hermann Hospital announced possible plans to sell its Southwest Hospital in Greater Sharpstown to the Harris Health System, which, if purchased would make the hospital its third general hospital.O'Hare, Peggy. "[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/alief/news/6563741.html County wants to buy Memorial Hermann SW]." Houston Chronicle. August 7, 2009. Retrieved on August 8, 2009. The county withdrew its bid in September 2009."[http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2009/09/14/daily45.html?s=industry&i=high_tech Harris County Hospital District withdraws bid for Memorial Hermann Southwest]." Houston Business Journal. Thursday September 17, 2009. Retrieved on September 25, 2009.

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File:MLK Health Center Houston.jpg Health Center]]

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Harris Health System operates 12 Community Health Centers, a dental center, eight School-Based Clinics, 13 homeless shelter clinics and four mobile health clinics.{{cite web| url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=4204377|title=Company Overview of Harris Health System|publisher=Bloomberg|date=March 4, 2019}} These clinics offer primary care as well as a variety of specialty care such as psychiatry, dentistry, obstetrical/gynecological, podiatry, ophthalmology, pharmacy, psychiatry and counseling, laboratory and x-ray services, HIV/AIDS case management, and a variety of nutrition, health education and social services. Thomas Street Health Center was the first freestanding HIV/AIDS clinic in the United States, and today treats nearly a third of all HIV/AIDS patients in Harris County.

Community-based health care centers include:

• Baytown: Baytown Health Center"[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/baytown.htm Baytown Health Center]." Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 17, 2008.
• Houston
• Acres Home Health Center"[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/acres.htm Acres Home Health Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090329013947/http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/acres.htm |date=2009-03-29 }}." Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 17, 2008. - The health center opened on May 17, 1971."[https://www.hchdonline.com/en/about-us/who-we-are/pages/history.aspx A Proud History of Caring for More Than 45 Years] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20121206034235/https://www.hchdonline.com/en/about-us/who-we-are/pages/history.aspx |date=2012-12-06 }}." Harris County Hospital District. Retrieved on February 9, 2012.
• Casa de Amigos Health Center"[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/casa.htm Casa de Amigos Health Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921193449/http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/casa.htm |date=2008-09-21 }}." Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 17, 2008.
• El Franco Lee Health Center (opened on May 19, 2009)"[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/elfranco.htm El Franco Lee Health Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502194441/http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/elfranco.htm |date=2009-05-02 }}." Harris County Hospital District. Accessed April 26, 2009.
• Gulfgate Health Center (opened on September 18, 2000)"[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/gulfgate.htm Gulfgate Health Center]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20040301005737/http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/gulfgate.htm Archive]). Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 17, 2008.
• Martin Luther King Health Center"[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/mlk.htm Martin Luther King Health Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810104815/http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/mlk.htm |date=2007-08-10 }}." Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 17, 2008.
• Northwest Health Center"[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/northwest.htm Northwest Health Center]." Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 17, 2008. (formerly the West End Health Center, opened 1974"[http://www.texmedctr.tmc.edu/root/en/GetToKnow/History/1965-1974.htm A Chronology of the Texas Medical Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100624171027/http://www.texmedctr.tmc.edu/root/en/GetToKnow/History/1965-1974.htm |date=2010-06-24 }}." Texas Medical Center. Accessed October 17, 2008.)
• Settegast Health Center"[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/settegast.htm Settegast Health Center]." Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 17, 2008.
• Thomas Street Health Center"[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/thomasstreet.htm Thomas Street Health Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017125935/http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/thomasstreet.htm |date=2008-10-17 }}." Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 17, 2008. - It opened in 1989 and serves AIDS patients.{{cite web|url=http://www.tmc.edu/hchd/051299B.HTM|title=Hospital District's HIV/AIDS Clinic Celebrates 10th Anniversary|publisher=Harris County Hospital District|date=May 1999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991009011432/http://www.tmc.edu/hchd/051299B.HTM|accessdate=2021-04-08|archive-date=1999-10-09}}
• Valbona Health Center (formerly People's Health Center"[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/peoples.htm People's Health Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040223100551/http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/peoples.htm |date=2004-02-23 }}." Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 17, 2008.)
• Humble: E. A. "Squatty" Lyons Health Center (opened 1991)"[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/squatty.htm E. A. "Squatty" Lyons Health Center]." Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 17, 2008."[https://web.archive.org/web/20110522041454/http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1991_787101 Dedicated to Squatty]." Houston Chronicle. Monday June 3, 1991. A13.
• Pasadena:
• Strawberry Health Center"[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/strawberry.htm Strawberry Health Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040305020416/http://hchdonline.com/about/facilities/strawberry.htm |date=2004-03-05 }}." Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 17, 2008.
• Pediatric and Adolescent Health Center - Pasadena
• ''Unincorporated areas
• Aldine Health Center"[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/aldine.htm Aldine Health Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090329033041/http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/aldine.htm |date=2009-03-29 }}." Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 17, 2008.
• Cypress Health Center (Cypress)
• Danny Jackson Health Center (Greater Katy)
• Pediatric & Adolescent Health Center - Bear Creek

Prior to 1991 the county operated a clinic in the Bordersville area of Houston. In 1991 the Lyons Clinic opened and the county closed the Bordersville clinic. The county's Ripley clinic closed as a result of the opening of the Gulfgate clinic in 2000.

The Martin Luther King Health Center first opened on April 28, 1972. Quentin Mease opened in 1983."[https://archive.today/20121206034235/https://www.hchdonline.com/en/about-us/who-we-are/pages/history.aspx A Proud History of Caring for More Than 45 Years]." Harris County Hospital District. Retrieved on February 9, 2012. At one point, the MLK health center was located on the first and third floors of Quentin Mease."[https://web.archive.org/web/20070810104815/http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/mlk.htm Martin Luther King Health Center]." Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 28, 2008. MLK's standalone facility on Cullen Boulevard was scheduled to open in 2009 and free space at Quentin Mease."[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/qmch.htm Quentin Mease Community Hospital]." ([https://web.archive.org/web/20080917075725/http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/qmch.htm Archive]) Harris County Hospital District. Accessed October 28, 2008. On May 14, 2010, MLK relocated to a site in southern Houston, on Swingle Road."[http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/mlk.htm Martin Luther King Jr. Health Center]." Harris County Hospital District. Retrieved on September 30, 2010.

Acres Homes clinic got a $3.5 million expansion that broke ground in 1999.{{cite web|url=http://www.tmc.edu/hchd/051799B.HTM|title=HCHD makes history in Acres Home Community|publisher=Harris County Hospital District|date=May 1999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991009030739/http://www.tmc.edu/hchd/051799B.HTM|accessdate=2021-04-08|archive-date=1999-10-09}}

{{As of|2011}} the dental centers take patients of ages 16 and up with patients under that age referred to the City of Houston's dental clinics.{{cite web|url=http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/dental.htm|title=HCHD Dental Program|publisher=Harris County Hospital District|date=2011-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011233437/http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/dental.htm|accessdate=2021-04-06|archive-date=2011-10-11}}

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Its current administrative office is the Fournace facility in Bellaire, Texas. The facility has ten floors, of which the district occupies seven. The district moved employees from the 2525 Holly Hall, 9240 Kirby and 9250 Kirby facilities, all in the city of Houston, into Fournace.{{cite web|url=https://www.harrishealth.org:443/about-us-hh/news/Pages/harris-health-system-relocates-three-locations.aspx|title=Harris Health System Consolidates Three Locations|publisher=Harris Health System|accessdate=2021-10-19}} In addition to 2525 Holly Hall and 9250 Kirby, 2636 S. Loop in Houston once housed the Community Health Choice offices."[https://web.archive.org/web/20100430184310/http://www.hchdonline.com/about/facilities/directions.htm HCHD Directions]." Harris County Hospital District. Retrieved on March 6, 2010.

In 1992 the district moved into the Holly Hall building, which has {{convert|110000|sqft|sqm}} of space. In 2017 the district named the Holly Hall building after Elvin Franklin Jr.{{cite web|url=https://www.harrishealth.org/about-us-hh/news/Pages/harris-healths-administration-building-named-after-long-time-trustee.aspx|title=Harris Health's Administration Building Named after Long-Time Trustee |publisher=Harris Health System|date=2017-04-18|accessdate=2021-10-19}}

{{Portal|Texas}}

• Parkland Health & Hospital System (Dallas County)
• JPS Health Network (Tarrant County)
• University Health System (Bexar County)

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{{Reflist}}

• Harris County Block Book Map: Aldine Community Health Clinic: [http://books.tax.hctx.net/v119/AE1997_119-1_0234.jpg JPG] and [http://books.tax.hctx.net/BlockBooksPDF/v119/AE1997_119-1_0234.pdf PDF] - Volume 119, Page 207.

{{Commons category}}

• [https://www.harrishealth.org Harris Health System]
• [https://web.archive.org/*/http://www.hchdonline.com Harris County Hospital District Official Website] (Archive)
• [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5655064.html County worried over decrease in patient load] - Houston Chronicle - March 27, 2008
• [https://www.houstoncasemanagers.com/how-to-apply-for-harris-health-gold-card/ How To Apply For Harris Health Gold Card]

{{Hospitals in Houston}}

{{Houston, Texas}}

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Category:Healthcare in Texas

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Category:Harris County, Texas

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