Food fight: Why aren't health inspections posted online?

11:40 AM CDT on Tuesday, September 28, 2004

By Eileen Faxas / 11 News Defenders

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KHOU-TV The Houston Department of Health and Human Services bought a $217,000 computer program, which enables them to post inspections in detail online.

The 11 News Defenders have sparked something of a food fight between City Hall and the city's own health department.

The controversy stems from one simple question: Why aren't health inspections posted online for the public to see?

Thousands upon thousands of restaurants and a reign as "fattest city", yet despite Houston's love for all things culinary, health inspections remain something of a mystery.

Inside the health department, reporters can read inspectors' reports and tell you what they see.

"They (public) shouldn't just have to rely on TV news coverage, with due respect, to find out what the record or track record of a restaurant is," said Bill White. That was candidate Bill White on the campaign last November when the Defenders asked if he'd put health inspections online.

The last mayor yanked the site when the Restaurant Association roared its disapproval.

But if you thought Mayor White's administration would change that… "There are no plans to put those inspection reports online," said Pat Trahan, spokesman for Mayor Bill White.

No one apparently told the health department.

"Everything that we inspect today is going to be online," said Porfirio Villarreal with Houston Department of Health and Human Services. Everything from convenience stores, to cafes, to schools and restaurants -- every place that sells you food.

Houston cranks out 50,000 inspections a year, revealing the good, the bad and the ugly that the public rarely sees.

The Defenders learned the department bought a $217,000 computer program that will let them post these inspections in detail online.

"So people can make the right decisions, wise decisions, about their health," said Villarreal.

According to spokesman Pat Trahan, Mayor White doesn't see it that way. "If you put it online, what you're getting is a snapshot of a restaurant at a given time," said Trahan. "That may have been taken one week, two weeks, three weeks ago."

When asked why people are not given an opportunity to judge for themselves, Trahan said, "You have that opportunity. You can go through 311 and get information on any restaurants."

What will really happen is 311 will transfer you to the health department, which will ask you to fax your records request. Health department employees said that in about 10 days, depending on how busy they are, your report would be ready for you to pick up at 12.5 cents a page.

Before you assume that is typical, there are restaurant inspections online in 46 states. In Texas alone, nine cities or counties show theirs.

But in Houston, the Restaurant Association complained that the Houston Department of Health and Human Services Web site, which was up for one week, was "misleading and inaccurate", even saying the listings singled out "small and minority-owned restaurants".

When asked if the health department was caving in to the restaurants and their fear that people will stop eating at their establishments because they get bad health inspections, Trahan replied, "My answer is no. Because the consumer can call the City of Houston and get the information that they need, anytime." But his boss, as candidate, had other ideas.

"I'd get people, the consumer advocate, the restaurant association, the health professionals, together in a room and define what the objectives are and then come up with a solution that meets everybody's concerns," said Bill White as a mayoral candidate.

After learning of our investigation, Mayor White's office called the health department. Then the health department called 11 News to say they will not propose online inspections.

As for the Greater Houston Restaurant Association, it agrees, saying the public is protected from bad restaurants because the department finds those and shuts them down.