The Texas Scottish Rite Hospital (formerly the Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children) was started by a group of Masons in Dallas in the aftermath of a horrifying polio epidemic.
From their website: (
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"Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is a world leader in the treatment of pediatric orthopedic conditions. We strive to improve the care of children worldwide through innovative research and teaching programs, training physicians from around the world.
TSRHC treats Texas children with orthopedic conditions, such as scoliosis, clubfoot, hand disorders, hip disorders and limb length differences, as well as certain related neurological disorders and learning disorders, such as dyslexia.
The hospital was established in 1921 when a group of Texas Masons approached Dallas’ first orthopedic surgeon Dr. W. B. Carrell about caring for children with polio regardless of the family’s ability to pay. With the introduction of the Salk and Sabin vaccines in the mid-1950s, which virtually eradicated polio in the Western Hemisphere, TSRHC broadened its focus to other orthopedic conditions.
As a leading pediatric orthopedic center, the hospital has treated more than 210,000 children since its inception, with more than 40,000 clinic visits each year. The hospital takes a multidisciplinary approach to care, tailoring treatment to the individual needs of each child and family.
Admission is open to Texas children from birth up to 18 years of age. TSRHC, the only Scottish Rite hospital in the world, is not affiliated with the Shriners Hospitals for Children." [end]
For the next 91 years, the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children provided top-notch orthopedic care to children FOR FREE. In 2011, rising costs forced the board of directors to start billing insurance companies or government agencies for some care.
Despite this pragmatic policy change, what did NOT change (and never WILL change) is this promise: That no child who needs treatment at this hospital will ever be turned away.
Most of the costs that would be incurred by families are covered 100% by the many generous donations to the hospitals's mission by individuals, the Scottish Rite Masons, and by corporations. Several fundraisders and events each year support this non-profit hospital's charity work.
From the Dallas Morning news article on the change to the TSRHC's billing policy change: (
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"Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children ending free treatment practice
Home > News > Community News > Dallas > Dallas Headlines
February 28, 2012 12:19 PM CST February 28, 2012 12:19 PM CST Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children ending free treatment practice
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children ending free treatment practice
By DIANE JENNINGS, The Dallas Morning News Staff Writer
Published: 28 February 2012 12:19 PM
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is ending its nearly century-old practice of treating young patients with state-of-the-art orthopedic care free of charge.
The non-profit hospital will not turn any child away, said Mark Bateman, vice president of public relations, but the hospital will start accepting payments from insurance companies, government programs and patient families.
The move had been debated for several years, Bateman said Tuesday, but trustees finally decided to make the change “in the best long-term interest of the hospital.”
“It certainly is something that we didn’t go into lightly,” Bateman said. “We are incredibly proud of the fact that we have been able to take care of over 200,000 kids for over 90 years through private donations.”
The hospital, which was begun by Dallas Masons in 1921 in response to the polio epidemic, is in strong financial shape, Bateman stressed, with increased donations despite the difficult economy. However, he said, “we feel that’s the best time in an organization to really look to the future and prepare people for it.”
Laura Warren, executive director of Texas Parent to Parent, a startewide organization that provides support to families who have children with special health care needs said the change in policy is remarkable primarily because the hospital hadn’t made it sooner.
“They could have billed insurance, they could have done it other ways,” Warren said. “It makes it kind of special that they never did.” [end]
Of course, this hospital has been making a positive difference for handicapped children for 91 years (as of Jan 2013). But in 2002, they made a difference for all of Dallas by tackling nearby Reverchon Park:
Reverchon Park was conceived of as Dallas' Central Park in 1915. But in the 1980s and 1990s the park was a dismal, dangerous, and decrepit place best avoided -- especially after dark. Drug dealers and the mentally ill homeless hung out here, as did prostitutes and their clients. Used prophylactics and syringes littered the landscape.
Not anymore.
Today's Reverchon Park is open, friendly, and inviting. Downtown-dwellers walk their pet dogs here, while mommies with babies in jogging strollers zip by without a care in the world. The whole park has been lifted out of despair and returned to its rightful place as Dallas' Central Park -- and the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital helped make it happen.
From the Frends of Reverchon Park website: (
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"In 2002, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and the City of Dallas built a state-of-the-art playground accessible to children of all levels of ability. . . . Hundreds of orthopedic surgeons in town for a conference built the playground in a single day." [end]
The Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is just a couple of blocks west of Reverchon Park. As a former paient of Scottish Rite, and who now has a child who was a patient at Scottish Rite, Mama Blaster is not surprised at the altruism and thoughfulness that led the folks there to organize the design/build of this wonderful playground. It is only natural that they would build the kind of playground that ALL children could use -- regardless of able-bodiness.
Dallas is blessed to have this hospital in our city.