A Brief History of and Background on the Metrocrest Hospital Authority

The Metrocrest Hospital Authority (MHA) was created in December, 1975 by the City of Farmers Branch under Chapter 262 of the Texas Health and Safety Code, The Texas Municipal Hospital Authority Act. The Authority is an instrumentality of the State of Texas, a political subdivision and a unit of local government. It does not levy taxes. Hospital revenues fund its operations and capital improvement programs. It has the power of eminent domain and enjoys sovereign immunity. It is exempt from all federal taxation. It does not have political boundaries.

It does have a service area, the places where its users live and its providers deliver their care. The primary mission of the Authority is to create a quality healthcare environment for both providers and users and to ensure that the Authority remains in a position to meet the health care needs in its service area.

Through the collective assistance of a competent, 10 member, without-pay Board of Directors, an effective hospital administration team, and high quality professional staff, the Authority strives to achieve its goal of ensuring the establishment and maintenance of the highest quality health care for its communities.

The original name of the Authority was the Farmers Branch Hospital Authority. The Metrocrest name was chosen in the late 1980s to better represent all of the communities the Authority serves, including North Dallas, Farmers Branch, Carrollton, Coppell, Addison and The Colony.

It's two anchor facilities are general, acute care community hospitals, Dallas Medical Center at Webb Chapel and LBJ in Farmers Branch, and Baylor Medical Center at Carrolton at Hebron and Josey.

Major capital improvement programs were initiated in 1982, 1989 and 2003, funded by taxable municipal revenue bond issues. In the first campaign a new patient tower was erected at Dallas Medical Center, and the original Baylor Medical Center at Carrollton was built. In the 1989 expansion a new Emergency Room, Labor Delivery Post Partum complex, new Operating Rooms and many other renovations were made at Trinity, along with a third physician office building. A fourth physician office tower and a parking garage was constructed at Dallas Medical Center, and a new emergency room and major renovations were made to the hospitals there. In 1998 a new Outpatient Pavilion was built at Dallas Medical Center. The remaining bond funds were used, augmented by capital in reserve. In the 2003 program a new patient tower, an imaging center and a women's center were built at Baylor Medical Center at Carrolton. Major existing hospital renovations were made there as well. Planning is now underway for use of the balance of unspent bond funds on Dallas Medical Center.

The hospitals were self-operated until 1982, when National Medical Enterprises, now Tenet Healthsystems, took on daily operating responsibilities under a 25 year contract. This agreement expires in 2007. The Authority has already begun the process of looking at operating models for the era beyond. Opportunities for appropriate relationships with other providers are being explored.

Eight of the 9 medical office buildings owned by the Authority are managed and operated by the Authority. Of the 8 owned and managed facilities, 4 are at Dallas Medical Center and 4 are at Baylor Medical Center at Carrollton. Trinity North in The Colony is owned by the Authority but managed by Paramount. The Authority also owns a free standing imaging center.

The Authority also has a large inventory of reserve land. Much of it is open space, but three parcels are ground leased. On the ground leases are a bank, skilled nursing facility and an assisted living center.

The Authority employs eight in the positions of President, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Assistant, Executive Secretary, Property Manager, Property Administrator and two Maintenance Engineers.