Message from the CEO

Throughout its more than 60-year history, TIRR Memorial Hermann has taken a unique approach to patient care and research that goes beyond the four walls of the hospital and into the communities we serve.

This tradition is part of the reason why the health system has been designated a national rehabilitation innovation center under the Dr. Joanne Smith Memorial Rehabilitation Innovation Centers Act of 2022. Yes, we believe our health care professionals provide excellent treatment services to the most complex patients in the country, but this designation also highlights our dedicated research programs as well as our commitment to training the next generation of providers.

Closer to home, we are delighted and honored to have received the prestigious Community Investment Award this year from the Joan and Stanford Alexander Jewish Family Service (JFS), the Houston-based social service organization dedicated to transforming the lives of individuals, families and communities of all faiths and backgrounds in the region.

This wonderful award is a testament to the legacy of the relationship that has existed between Alexander JFS and TIRR Memorial Hermann for more than a decade. Part of this relationship is our partnership on the ReelAbilities Film Festival, which is featured earlier in this issue. The 2024 festival, scheduled for Feb. 4-25 , will include an expanded roster of creatives with disabilities, working in media ranging from film, as the name suggests, to the arts and music.

At TIRR Memorial Hermann, we remain passionate about being a powerful advocate for the full spectrum of people with disabilities in society. Using the arts to change perceptions of individuals with disabilities is part of what ReelAbilities is all about, and TIRR Memorial Hermann is proud to serve as the founding and lead sponsor of the festival in Houston.

These accolades highlight that, for patients at TIRR Memorial Hermann, their care is not just about their experience within a hospital rehabilitation environment, but also about providing them with the support they need to stay active in their communities and live happy, healthy and productive lives. We will continue to strive—for another 60 years, and beyond—to keep evolving and creating new treatment paradigms for people with disabilities.

Rhonda Abbott, PT, FTPTA
Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer
TIRR Memorial Hermann
System Executive for Rehabilitation Services
Memorial Hermann Health System