Texas Spine and Joint physicians named Laureate of the Year

Released by Junior Achievement.

The physicians of Texas Spine and Joint Hospital have been named 2011 Business Hall of Fame Laureate of the Year by Junior Achievement of Greater Tyler. The announcement was made by 2011 Business Hall of Fame Chairman James Sheridan. The 39 physicians will be honored at a reception on Tuesday evening, May 17^th.

"Texas Spine and Joint Hospital embodies the spirit of what Junior Achievement is all about – entrepreneurship, free enterprise and the willingness to take risks to start a business," said Sheridan. "We are fortunate to have this award winning hospital and group of physicians in our community."

The announcement marks the eighth year Junior Achievement has honored area business leaders for outstanding achievement. Texas Spine & Joint Hospital is a state-of –the-art specialty hospital that opened in December, 2002. For the past nine years, the hospital has served the East Texas community as a specialized-care facility in the treatment of conditions and pain related to neurology (spine) and orthopedics (joint). Today, Texas Spine & Joint Hospital is a fully equipped, 20-bed hospital where more than 16,000 procedures and surgeries are performed each year on three campuses.

Texas Spine & Joint Hospital is a vital partner in the Tyler medical community and represents the vision and dream of a diverse group of talented, creative surgeons and physicians. The hospital was founded by 23 visionary physicians and today is home to the 39 partners who are being honored.

According to the HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America Study, Texas Spine and Joint Hospital has been rated as a 5-star facility for spine, joint, knee, back, and neck surgery since 2006. In 2009, the hospital earned the distinction of being recognized as the #1 hospital in Texas for spine surgery. Recognized nationally for having one of the lowest infection rates among hospitals nationwide, Texas Spine and Joint Hospital also has achieved some of the highest patient-satisfaction ratings in the region.

The state-of-the-art building that houses the hospital was renovated from an original structure that formerly housed a Montgomery Ward store. The original building was built in 1958 and the renovation was completed in 2002.   Perhaps no facility or group of physicians more fully typify the extraordinary growth in scope and quality of medical care in the Tyler and greater East Texas region.

The Business Hall of Fame reception is the primary fundraiser for Junior Achievement of Greater Tyler. The funds raised allow Junior Achievement to continue offering real world business experience to elementary, middle and high school students in our area.

Junior Achievement's mission is to prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. They do this by recruiting and equipping volunteers to teach entrepreneurial thinking, financial literacy and business ethics to local students. Students perform classroom activities to put the financial lessons learned into action. For more information about Junior Achievement or the reception, visit www. tyler.ja.org.