Patty and I have had a wonderful time as the guests of the Minnesota Shriners at the 135thSan Antonio TX. I had the privilege of witnessing some historic debate on the future of the Shrine Children’s Hospitals. Like many organizations, the Shrine is having some financial issues. The delegates voted to keep all 22 hospitals open and to accept third-party payments (e.g., from insurance) in an effort to keep the organization fiscally sound.
There are many hospitals, including the Twin Cities Shrine Hospital, that are in negotiations with universities or medical centers to share facilities to better serve the patients of both. The Twin Cities Shrine Hospital has been in negotiations with the University of Minnesota to have a certain number of beds on a specific floor in the Amplatz Children’s Hospital, now under construction. Looking at this from the outside, it seems to me to be a win-win-win, with the biggest winners being the children we serve and will serve in this area.
Let us each do what we can to support this effort, which will be a new and exciting way for Shriners to continue our long-standing efforts to bring orthopedic, burn and cleft-pallet relief to deserving children.
