Inside CHIME: CHIME to Give Proceeds from Fall Forum’s Charitable Events to Hurricane Relief Efforts

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9.27.17
By Myra Davis, Senior VP & CIO, Texas Children’s Hospital

I was informed by the staff at CHIME that most, if not all, of the proceeds from charity events at the upcoming CHIME17 CIO Fall Forum will go directly to disaster relief efforts in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. The CHIME Board recently approved the decision to direct these funds to charities to help people affected by the storms.

As the CIO of a hospital in Houston, I am humbled by this decision. Hurricane Harvey dropped more than 50 inches of rain on parts of the Houston region after it made landfall in late August as a Category 4 storm. Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate their homes and some hospitals in the region evacuated, too. The Federal Emergency Management Agency listed more than 40 counties disaster areas and has received 213,062 applications for assistance as of mid-September.

Texas wasn’t Harvey’s only victim. Louisiana and other Gulf Coast communities experienced torrential rainfall, flooding and destruction. The storm system has been credited with more than 60 deaths, with about half in Harris County.

Then Hurricane Irma pounded Florida, Georgia and South Carolina just a few weeks later, leaving millions of utility customers without power. Hurricane Maria has been wreaking havoc in the Caribbean, with Puerto Rico taking a major blow along with the Dominican Republic, the U.S. Virgin Islands and other islands.

But there are things to be grateful for, too. During Harvey, many hospitals in Houston never closed, thanks to lessons learned from past hurricanes. Texas Children’s Hospital, where I am a senior vice president and CIO, is a member of the Texas Medical Center. After Allison caused major flooding damage to the complex in 2001, the center re-engineered its tunnel system to add flood protections – and they worked. EHRs and health IT systems in Texas remained functioning, too.

I also am thankful for the CHIME community. The support and encouragement I received from my CHIME colleagues reinforced my conviction that we are a family who looks out for one another. And we help those in need. CHIME forums traditionally include fundraising initiatives like the golf challenge and events to help a local nonprofit. Last year, your generosity allowed for more than $70,000 to go to local charities.

The CHIME staff will keep you informed about the giving opportunities in store for you at CHIME17. You can look for updates in this newsletter and on the CHIME website. If you haven’t registered yet, go here. You won’t want to miss the chance to meet friends, network, learn the latest in our industry and contribute to a good cause.

I look forward to seeing you in San Antonio.

More Inside CHIME Volume 2, No. 18: