A brighter future ahead?

Parkland Hospital down to 4 finalists for pivotal new CEO

Parkland Health & Hospital System is in the midst of a building campaign.
Photo by Conner Howell
Parkland Hospital's emergency room has been under intense scrutiny for patientsafety related issues.
Photo by Conner Howell
Dr. Larry Gentilello filed a slew of lawsuits against UT Southwestern andParkland Memorial Hospital in 2007. A billing fraud lawsuit was settled in 2011and a state whistleblower case is still pending.
Photo by Marissa Rocke Photography

Parkland Health & Hospital System revealed its four remaining candidates for CEO. Parkland board chair Debbie Branson said the list has been culled down from a field of 20.

The candidates are Pete Delgado, CEO of Los Angeles County+University of Southern California Healthcare Network; Wright L. Lassiter III, CEO of Alameda County Medical Center; Walter "Ted" Shaw, interim executive vice president and CFO of Parkland Health & Hospital System; and Larry E. Volkmar, CEO of Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

Former CEO Ron Anderson, who was at the hospital's helm for 30 years, was ousted by the board in August 2011.

Former CEO Ron Anderson, who was at the hospital's helm for 30 years, was ousted by the board in August 2011. The first interim CEO, Thomas Royer, held the reigns from December 2011 to September 2012, when Robert Smith signed a four-month contract with the beleaguered medical center. Under the terms of his contract, Smith is being paid $60,000 a month and is not in the running for the position.

This is a critical appointment because Parkland is in the midst of a stringent improvement agreement with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. If it fails to meet standards, the hospital could lose significant funding in April 2013 and be forced to shut down.

Parkland is the teaching hospital for University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. It has been found negligent in a variety of areas, including patient care and resident supervision.

Dr. Larry Gentilello filed whistleblower and billing fraud lawsuits related to lax resident supervision in the emergency room. Gentilello's billing fraud lawsuit, which the federal government joined, was settled for $1.4 million in 2011. His state whistleblower suit is still pending.

In August, Parkland reached an unprecedented $1 million settlement with the Department of State Health Services for patient safety claims. The largest hospital fine previously levied by the entity was $50,000.

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E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

Unsplash

Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

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