Summer Internships: JPS Health Network

By Claire Simpson

Howdy everyone! This summer I am in Fort Worth, Texas working for JPS Health Network. My main preceptor is Dianna Prachyl, VP of Community Health. JPS is a 537-bed hospital with 43 associated ambulatory care and primary care outreach sites in Fort Worth serving all of Tarrant County. It is one of Texas’ major urban public hospitals therefore it serves as the primary safety net provider of acute care for Tarrant County’s Medicaid and uninsured populations. JPS is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in the county and also contains Fort Worth’s only acute psychiatric care facility.

It is currently a very exciting time to be involved in healthcare in Texas. The 1115 Medicaid Waiver has brought together 27 healthcare providers in our region alone. These include public, private, not-for-profit, academic health science centers, public agencies, physician groups, and MHMR’s. JPS serves as the anchor hospital for this innovative demonstration project, which has opened up many opportunities for me to be involved in this unique healthcare transformation down here in Texas.

JPS has kept me very busy this summer between projects and departmental rotations. I have spent 1-2 weeks with all of the VP’s, rotating through each of their areas of oversight. These rotations have exposed me to the complexity of front line operations, the daily responsibilities of middle management, and the importance of a strong executive management team. I have also spent time in the ED and OR, observing surgeries and patient flow through these departments. In addition to these rotations, every Friday morning I get the opportunity to round with the executive team where I have been able to speak with patients and staff about their experience at JPS. It has been very eye opening to be exposed to the public healthcare environment and to witness first hand the dedication of the staff to such a grateful and unique set of patients.

I have been involved in a wide variety (and very unique) set of projects this summer, these include: 

• Working with the Manager of the 1115 Waiver (my roommate J) to help revise project narratives for resubmission to CMS
• Researching and writing a district policy on human trafficking and am working to create a community wide education program on this issue
• Assisting the project manager in the creation of a new wound care clinic at JPS. This project is being funded by the 1115 Waiver.
• Reviewed and analyzed RFP’s for a multi-million dollar contract with a new EVS service. These results will be presented at an executive meeting, along with the board meeting in July.
• Working with the Behavioral Health team on a new collaborative initiative and proposal
• Working on some small data analysis projects involving the ED and community clinics

Clearly, JPS has not provided me with a very boring summer, and more opportunities open up every day to be involved in this amazing organization. Other than work, I have been trying to experience all that Texas has to offer. I recently bought my first pair of genuine cowboy boots, played on a Texas A&M dodge ball and kickball team, and am currently in the process of learning how to two step (although I do not believe I will learn this skill by the end of summer due to my lack of coordination). Besides these exciting activities I have attended rodeos, seen many Texas country music concerts, and frequent the local Truck dealerships in search of my next vehicle.

Overall, this internship has been an incredibly rewarding experience and I am truly grateful I was given the opportunity to spend my summer in Fort Worth.