University Hospital receives additional $1 million from unsafe driver fines
-States ranked by children's accidental injury deaths during summer, a deadly time for kids -
(SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS — September 20, 2007) Bad drivers are responsible for causing many of the
critical injuries treated at the Level I Trauma Center at University Hospital. Those caught driving
while intoxicated, recklessly or without liability insurance are also responsible for the $1 million
check recently sent to the hospital to help cover the costs of providing around-the-clock care for the
seriously injured.
The $1,052,309 received by University Health System is part of $16.1 million released this month
by the Texas Department of State Health Services to reimburse hospitals just a fraction of the cost
of providing trauma care to uninsured patients.
Last year, University Hospital spent $12.2 million providing trauma care to patients with no means
to pay. Including this latest reimbursement, University Health System has received just over $3.1
million - or about 25 percent of its cost - this year from the Texas Driver Responsibility Program.
Established by the Texas Legislature in 2003, the program imposes additional fines and surcharges
on those habitually caught driving recklessly or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
"The Driver Responsibility Program is a highly appropriate and tremendously important source of
revenue for our trauma center," said University Health System President/CEO George B.
Hernández, Jr. "The trauma center is a life-saving community and regional resource that remains
open around-the-clock, 365 days a year. It's an expensive undertaking, but a responsibility we take
very seriously."
Trauma is the leading cause of death among U.S. children and young adults (up to age 44). University Hospital is the lead trauma center for 22 counties, including Bexar and most of South Texas. The Trauma Center at University Hospital provides care for about 8,000 trauma patients
each year.
"Trauma does not discriminate. It impacts the poorest of the poor, as well as the wealthiest business
professionals," added Ronald Stewart, MD, trauma medical director for University Hospital and
chief of the division of trauma at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio.
"The responsibility of a trauma center is to provide rapid assessment and stabilizing treatments
without regard to patients' insurance status or perceived ability to pay for services."
The Texas Driver Responsibility Program is Texas' first stable source of funding to reimburse
trauma centers a portion of the cost of providing uncompensated care. Prior to its enactment,
regional trauma care was largely the financial responsibility of local taxpayers in only those
counties - like Bexar, Dallas and Harris - where the state's largest Level I trauma centers are part of
county hospital districts which levy local property taxes.
"While we must continue our efforts to assure that all of the trauma funds raised through this
program are distributed to trauma centers as intended by state law, we are very grateful to Governor
Perry, Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst, and the Bexar County Legislative Delegation for their
continued support of University Hospital and the Texas Trauma System," said Hernández.
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