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Harris County, Texas - Thursday, August 17, 2023, Today Harris County Commissioners Court approved an order for a bond election for the November 2023 General Election to finance upgrades to the Harris Health System. 

The $2.5 billion bond would help fund the following improvements and expansions to facilities within the Harris Health System by:

• Constructing a Level 1-capable trauma center at Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Hospital. Level 1 trauma centers provide the highest level of trauma care to critically ill or injured patients on a 24/7 basis.  
• Renovating the existing LBJ Hospital to address current service gaps and increase the availability of outpatient services.
• Increasing capacity at Ben Taub Hospital by adding approximately 120 patient rooms, extending the facility’s lifespan by at least 15 years.
• Creating three new community clinics in high-need areas.

LBJ Hospital and Ben Taub Hospital have not undergone significant upgrades or renovations since their initial construction 30 years ago. Harris County’s population has nearly doubled during that time and both hospitals are currently operating at or over capacity.

Over the next ten years, the bond is projected to have minimal impact on the average homeowner with a cost of approximately $6/month. 

Individuals can learn more about the upcoming bond election by visiting www.harrishealth.org.  Individuals can register to vote or update their registration by visiting www.harrisvotes.com before October 10th.

More information about the Harris Health System:

Harris Health System is the public healthcare safety-net provider established in 1966 to serve individuals in Harris County, Texas. Harris Health champions better health for the entire community, with a focus on low-income uninsured and underinsured patients, through acute and primary care, wellness, disease management and population health services. Ben Taub Hospital and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital anchor Harris Health’s robust network of more than 40 clinics, health centers, an extensive health care for the homeless program, a chronic dialysis center, a dental services clinic, and virtual (telemedicine) technology.

Harris Health is among an elite list of health systems in the U.S. achieving Magnet® nursing excellence designation for its hospitals, the prestigious National Committee for Quality Assurance designation for its patient-centered clinics and health centers and its strong partnership with nationally recognized physician faculty, residents and researchers from Baylor College of Medicine; McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth); and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.