Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/980339
t m c » p u l s e | m a y 2 0 1 8 29 Coming to work and doing your job and doing it without mistakes is what you're paid to do. It's not meritorious; it's what we expect. For those who go above and beyond expectations, we can look to reward them with merit increases. The more effective and efficient we can be as a team … the more people we're going to help. Q | How are you prepared to be effective without a health background? A | People say, 'You don't really understand. You're not a medical doctor. You're not a lawyer. How do you know health?' I know that if our job is to improve people's health, then we have to begin to monitor and understand health outcomes. Let's make sure our contracts are leading to better health outcomes. We spend billions of dollars every year with our managed care organizations taking care of 4.5 million lives through Medicaid, CHIP and our waiver programs. How can I incentivize a person diagnosed with diabetes who is headed toward blindness, amputations and dialysis—all of those things that, in the Medicaid program, drive up costs for taxpayers? If I can get you to make diet and lifestyle changes and I can get the managed care organizations focused on that, then those are better outcomes for the patients and their families. Q | How would a Texan receiving services through your agency identify the changes you are implementing? A | We're going to treat everyone who comes through the door with dignity and respect. We have terminated people for rude and discourteous behavior to internal customers as well as external customers because we are going to have civility. People come to us for help and they don't need to be judged. That's going to be one easily seen aspect. We are working with our managed care organizations and holding them accountable. I expect the health care that is prescribed by health professionals to be delivered. I believe that will be easily seen by those who are a part of our health care system. Q | Both of your children have followed your footsteps to college and to state government, is that correct? A | My son Chris is 27. He graduated from the Texas Tech business school. Alyssa graduated from Texas Tech. They both work for the Office of the Governor. Our son is a budget analyst in the budget shop. My daughter is in the criminal justice division as a grants coordinator. She turns 26 in May. Q | The HHSC will build a new, 200-bed psy- chiatric hospital next to the UTHealth Harris County Psychiatric Center, augmenting the state's mental health services. What is the value of the commission's new partnership with UTHealth and the Texas Medical Center? A | We have an opportunity, by increasing the number of beds, to look at the full continuum of care. We'll have inpatient and respite and step- down care on one campus, which is something that we don't have. It's an opportunity for Houston to be a model for the rest of the state—and even for the country—as we begin to attack the growing mental health needs in our state. We can also help drive down costs and improve the lives of individ- uals and families because we are going to be able to provide services to people before they enter the criminal justice system. Charles Smith was interviewed by Pulse assistant editor Cindy George. The conversation was edited for clarity and length.