The designated USFHP provider in Southeast Texas, Southwest Louisiana is Christus Health. St. Joseph’s Medical Center – Downtown is one of the nine Southeast Texas, Southwest Louisiana locations of CHRISTUS Health.
The website for St. Joseph’s Medical Center, found here, claims a tradition of firsts.
Note: all emphasis & italics throughout this article are mine.
“As we move ahead, we will continue to think of you and your family first. When it comes to your health, we understand you want high-quality care delivered with unsurpassed kindness and compassion.”
The St. Joseph’s website makes reference, at the bottom of the page, to a Quality Performance Report supplied by the Hospital Quality Alliance.
On the home page of the Hospital Quality Alliance is this statement;
“The HQA is a national public-private collaboration that is committed to making meaningful, relevant and easily understood information about hospital performance accessible to the public and to informing and encouraging efforts to improve quality.”
The “About Us” section of the website identifies the HQA Principals:
- · AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor, Congress of Industrial Organizations) – Gerry Shea
- · Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – Donald Berwick
- · Department of Veterans Affairs – Robert Petzel
The “Meetings” section, specifically the December 7th, 2010 section has a link to a PDF Meeting Summary:
“On December 7th, 2010 the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) principals met at the Washington, DC headquarters of AFL-CIO”
Some of the unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO have a presence in Houston:
- · American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
- · Communications Workers of America (CWA)
A search of the AFSCME State Directory for Texas shows one affiliate in Houston is the HOPE,SEIU / AFSCME Local 123 .
The Houston Organization of Public Employees, SEIU/AFSCME Local 123 union supported Mayor Parker, Wanda Adams and Jolanda Jones. (Click the Politics tab.)
The SEIU website lists a Gerry Hudson as one of the SEIU “leaders”:
“He’s also served on the board for Redefining Progress, the nation’s leading public policy think tank dedicated to developing innovative public policies that balance economic well-being, environmental preservation and social justice”
In a 2008 You Tube video titled “12 Million Illegals Must Be Given Citizenship” Gerry Hudson, SEIU Leader, tells attendees the SEIU wants healthcare for every man, woman and child in the country. Contrast that statement from three years ago to this recent list of union waivers from health care reform and the picture emerging begs the question:
“What are the motives of Gerry Hudson, the SEIU and their supporters?
In another Gerry Hudson video filmed at Georgetown University, Mr. Hudson displayed his true feelings towards African-American workers when he said (adult language warning, not suitable for the workplace computer):
“It doesn’t take a whole lot to argue, at least African American workers, to another place, doesn’t take a whole lot, and I’ve spent not a whole lotta time doing it”…
further stating that:
“you can organize them quicker”…
..and towards white SEIU workers when he described them as “rabidly racist”.
Donald Berwick is President Obama’s recess appointed Administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Donald Berwick thinks health care should be run by politicians, not you, when he says:
“any plan that is just, equitable, civilized and humane must redistribute the wealth from the richer among us to the poorer and less fortunate”
Does Donald Berwick consider our beloved military the “wealthy”, requiring redistribution from them to others or the other way around?
There’s no “compassion and kindness” or improvement in quality” in the exploitative sentiments of Gerry Hudson and he should be rejected by everyone associated with St. Joseph’s Medical Center – Downtown; and that includes YOU.
Donald Berwick’s anti-fair market beliefs that the health care of our precious military, not to mention of the entire country, should be run by politicians is evidence that the Senate should force the withdrawal of Berwick’s nomination.
The phrases “labor boss”, “SEIU Leader” and “health care run by politicians” have no place in the lexicon of a country with the best health care delivery system in the world. The medical care of Houston military retirees is under the influence of union bosses and a health care rationing czar.
Say NO.