Thomason Accepted Into National Children’s Hospital Organization
EL PASO, TX – Thomason Hospital has been accepted as an Associate Member of the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI).
“We welcome Thomason to the family of care givers devoted to improving the health of children, and we look forward to its active involvement,” says NACHRI President & CEO Lawrence A. McAndrews. “Because of their focus on children, institutions like Thomason are able to identify emerging trends and problems associated with the health of children.”
According to the NACHRI website, Thomason is the only local hospital with an Associate Membership. However, Providence Hospital is listed as affiliated to the association. The website lists the children’s hospital at Providence under a “Supporter” status. This means Providence is not eligible for Associate Membership but still supports some of the organization’s child healthcare advocacy programs.
An Associate Membership is given to medical institutions that are not-for-profit, have a graduate pediatric program and have an affiliation to a medical school, according to the website.
NACHRI is a not-for-profit association of 215 children’s hospitals across the U.S. It was first established in 1968 to promote the health and well-being of children and their families, according to organization officials.
“We are proud that NACHRI has recognized the work our physicians, nurses and ancillary staff are doing at Thomason on behalf of the children of our community,” says Jim Valenti, President & CEO of the El Paso County Hospital District. “We look forward to achieving Institutional Member Status in this national organization when we open El Paso’s first full-service, separately licensed Children’s Hospital in just a few years,” said Valenti, referring to the proposed Children’s Hospital.
If approved by voters in the November 6 election, construction on the $120-million dollar hospital is expected to begin in the fall of 2008. It will be based in the Thomason/Texas Tech campus and will be set to open by 2011.
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By Joe Villasana, ABC-7
