December 2021
From the CEO: Farewell to 2021
In a year that continued to face challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, TETAF was not alone as we continued to adapt and learn with the rest of the world. As many of us started the year with protocols established and had a greater sense of how to manage in the pandemic, the entire state was hit in February with a brutal winter storm, adding to the challenges and stretching resources thin for many.

Fortunately, we have made significant strides since the start of the pandemic in 2020. I continued to be humbled by the work that all of you have done to ensure a quality health care system in Texas through this unprecedented time.

It is also nice to look forward to what lies ahead for TETAF. After nearly two years of conducting virtual board meetings and the first virtual TETAF General Assembly meeting, we will finally get to see everyone's faces in person as we meet in San Antonio on December 16-17 for the TETAF Board of Directors meeting, TETAF General Assembly, and Regional Advisory Council (RAC) Summit.

We also look forward to January when we will have a new member to the team. I am proud to announce we have hired a new perinatal program director, Jessica Phillips. We were very impressed with the candidates who applied for the position and Jessica continued to impress us throughout the selection process. You can learn more about her in a profile article below.

As I reflect on 2021, I am reminded that it takes our staff, surveyors, hospital partners, Board of Directors, RACs, and stakeholders all working together to ensure Texas has world class trauma, stroke, maternal, and neonatal health care systems. I am grateful for all that you do. I wish health and happiness for all of you during the holiday season.

I look forward to what we can accomplish in 2022!


Stay well,
Dinah
TETAF News
TETAF and Texas Perinatal Services Welcome Jessica Phillips as Perinatal Program Director
TETAF is pleased to announce Jessica Phillips, MAS, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, C-ONQS, as its new perinatal program director for Texas Perinatal Services. 
 
The start of Jessica’s nursing career began more than 15 years ago in labor and delivery. Since then, Jessica has also worked in childbirth education, quality improvement, and maternal program development and management. Jessica comes to Texas Perinatal Services from Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital HEB as its maternal program coordinator. 
 
Her passions include perinatal quality and safety, supporting healthcare providers involved in difficult workplace events, and improving health care for all Texans.
 
Jessica will join the team in January 2022. 
TETAF Board of Directors to Meet in San Antonio
The next quarterly meeting of the TETAF Board of Directors will be Thursday, December 16 at 10:00 a.m. in San Antonio at the Courtyard by Marriott San Antonio Riverwalk.

If you are not able to attend in person, the meeting will be streamed via Zoom. TETAF would like to extend a special thank you to the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC) for providing resources to make the live stream possible.
TETAF General Assembly to Vote on Board of Directors and Bylaws
The TETAF General Assembly will also meet in San Antonio at the Courtyard by Marriott San Antonio Riverwalk on Thursday, December 16 at 1:00 p.m. to vote on the TETAF Board of Directors and on proposed revisions to the TETAF Bylaws.

The TETAF General Assembly is comprised of two designated members from each of the 22 Regional Advisory Councils (RACs). The 44 individuals will vote for five people from a slate of nominees to serve on the TETAF Board of Directors. Here are the 11 nominees on the TETAF Board of Directors' ballot this year:

Scott Christopher, BBA, BSN, RN, LP - Lufkin (Current board member)
Nilda Garcia, MD - Austin (Current board member)
Angela Gentry, BSN, RN, TCRN - Temple (Current board member)
David Lam, MD, FAAP - San Antonio
Dan Little, MD - Temple
Cassie Lyell, DNP, RN, TCRN - Dalls/Fort Worth
Rhonda Manor-Coombes, BSN, RN, TCRN - Austin
Travis Newberry, PT, DPT, MBA, CWS - Wichita Falls
Kathy Perkins, RN, MBA - San Antonio (Current board member)
Joseph Petty, MD - Houston
Danny Updike, RN, CCRN, EMT-LP - San Angelo (Current board member)

TETAF will share the board election results via email and the TETAF website after the General Assembly meeting.
Thank You to Our Hospital Partners and Surveyors
TETAF would like to extend a special thank you to our hospital partners and to our surveyors. All of us adapted and strengthened our procedures during 2020 and continued to adapt this year.

Thank you for your dedication to quality healthcare at all times.
Texas Trauma and Acute Care News
GETAC Hosts Quarterly Meeting in Austin
After several virtual meetings, the Governor's EMS and Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC) met in Austin last month.

Among the items discussed were updates to the rules. The Stroke Rule 157.133 will be enforced in June 2022. The Trauma Designation Rules 157.125 and 157.128, the RAC Rule 157.123, and the maternal and neonatal rules are all in progress. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is conducting meeting with the RAC chairs and executive directors as the RAC Rule is developed.

Additionally, DSHS continues to evaluate its current process for designation application review to improve efficiency and move to a paperless system.

You can listen to the complete meeting or view the PowerPoint on the DSHS website.

The next GETAC quarterly meeting will be held at the Morton building in Austin on February 9-11, 2022.
Texas EMS Awards Presented During 2021 Texas EMS Conference
The annual Texas EMS Awards were presented during the Texas EMS Conference held in Austin last month.

Among the award recipients were Jane Guerrero, RN who earned the Lifetime Achievement Award and Robert Greenberg, MD who earned the GETAC Journey of Excellence Award.

Congratulations to all of the winners! A complete list can be viewed on the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) website.

Future dates for the Texas EMS Conference in 2022 and 2023 are available on the website.
In the News
Mark Your Calendar

TETAF General Assembly meeting - December 16

Regional Advisory Council (RAC) Summit - December 16-17