Background
House Bill (HB) 1874, 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015 established the Palliative Care Interdisciplinary Advisory Council to assess the availability of patient-centered and family-focused palliative care in Texas. HB 1874 charges the council to consult with and advise the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) on matters related to the establishment, maintenance, operation, and outcome evaluation of the statewide palliative care consumer and professional information and education program.
In addition, the council must submit a biennial report assessing
- the availability of palliative care in Texas,
- barriers to greater access to palliative care and
- policies, practices, and protocols in Texas concerning patients' rights related to palliative care.
The Council will publish its first report by Oct. 1, 2016. The Palliative Care Interdisciplinary Advisory Council is codified under Chapter 118, Texas Health and Safety Code.
Upcoming Meetings:
Note: The above dates are tentative
Members
Physician Representatives
- Larry Driver, MD, Chair, Houston
- Robert Fine, MD, Dallas
- Craig Hurwitz, MD, Austin
- Amy Moss, DO, Grapevine
- Roger Mike Ragain, MD, Lubbock
- Gary Gross, MD Tyler
- Joshua Reed, Do, Abilene
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Representatives
- Heather Paterson, MS, RN, Dallas
- Erin Perez, AGNP-MSN, San Antonio
Physician Assistant Representative
- Bruce Christensen, DHSc., San Antonio
Nurse Representative
- Jo Ann Carmona, RN, Edinburg
Social Worker Representative
- Barbara Jones, PhD, MSW, Vice Chair, Austin
Pharmacist Representative
- Nat Jones Jr., RPh, Spring
Spiritual Care Professional Representative
- Jerry Fenter, Beaumont
Advocate for Patients and Families Representatives
- Jennifer Carr Allmon, MA, Austin
- Hattie Henderson, MD, Houston
- Cam Scott, MDiv, Round Rock
- Bhavani Madisetti-Vemireddy, JD, Round Rock
Ex-Officio Members
- Karen Hardwick, PhD, Texas Health and Human Services Commission , Austin
- Rajendra C. Parikh, MD, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Austin
For Additional Information
Please email Jimmy Blanton or call 512-380-4372.