Sam Johnson Stands up for Physician-Owned Specialty Hospitals

Statement

Sam Johnson stands up for physician-owned specialty hospitals

Today U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (3rd Dist.-Texas) released the following statement to showcase his strong support for physician-owned specialty hospitals.

Johnson's statement comes in the wake of a new study that shows some concern regarding physician-owned specialty hospitals' emergency care procedures, as reported in The Washington Post. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under Health and Human Services (HHS) does not require participating hospitals to maintain emergency departments, but does require that hospitals have a detailed emergency policy.

The study only examines this one type of hospital and fails to compare the report's findings with policies of similar community hospitals, among others.

In North Texas, physician-owned hospitals rank among the most premiere medical facilities in the Lone Star State and the country. Those include: Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart & Vascular Hospital, The Heart Hospital at Baylor Plano, the Presbyterian Plano Center for Diagnostics and Surgery, Texas Institute for Surgery in Dallas, and the Baylor Medical Center at Frisco, among others.

A member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Johnson serves on the Health Subcommittee. Johnson promotes physician-owned hospitals as much-needed competition in the health care industry to ensure that patients receive top-notch care from leading medical providers, many of who are often considered among the best in their areas of expertise.

"Doctors and nurses who practice in physician-owned hospitals usually boast the best credentials and the most experience in their field of medicine.

"At the end of the day, when my constituents want or need high-quality medical attention, North Texas is the place to be. I hear of doctors and nurses who help patients who travel from all over the country just to go to a certain hospital. It's a glowing example of free enterprise at work.

"Of course, safety must be priority number one. Any hospital that breaks the law must be punished. Preventable medical mistakes just make my blood boil and that is why I am encouraged to hear that HHS is embracing many of the report's recommendations.

"But I think that today's news comes with a big bias. The study did not examine the emergency services of any other kind of hospital. It's unfair to tarnish the reputation of one group when there is no true metric of comparison. That is why I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to see that all hospitals are held to the very high standard of care Americans want, need and deserve."

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