Skip to main content
Proceedings (Baylor University. Medical Center) logoLink to Proceedings (Baylor University. Medical Center)
. 2018 Feb 1;31(1):137–140. doi: 10.1080/08998280.2017.1405659

Baylor Scott & White Health news

PMCID: PMC5903503  PMID: 29686585

Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance collaborates with Cigna and Dallas Area Rapid Transit to improve quality and health care affordability

Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance (BSWQA) has joined forces with Cigna in a population health initiative that aims to improve quality, affordability, and the patient experience for approximately 40,000 individuals who are covered by a Cigna health plan and receive care from BSWQA physicians. The new arrangement builds upon and expands a longstanding collaboration with Baylor Scott & White Health. The initiative includes BSWQA's accountable care organization (ACO), which comprises more than 5000 primary and specialty care physicians, 48 hospitals, post-acute care facilities, and other health care stakeholders agreeing to be jointly accountable for improving quality, managing the health of patient populations, and reducing health care costs.

The collaboration is part of Cigna Collaborative Care, which is focused on improving health outcomes using population health strategies that include care coordination, data analytics, and provider engagement.  In places where it's been introduced, Cigna Collaborative Care is helping to improve the health of Cigna customers while effectively managing medical costs by helping to close gaps in care, such as missed health screenings or prescription refills; assisting those with chronic illness to better understand and manage their condition(s); reinforcing the appropriate use of hospital emergency rooms; helping to increase the number of preventive health visits; and helping to improve follow-up care for people transitioning from the hospital to home.

“Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance looks forward to working with Cigna to advance population health initiatives that are already proving to change health care for the better,” said Cliff Fullerton, MD, president of BSWQA.  “We continue to evolve the way we manage the health of patient populations and create a more nuanced care model that can be tailored to specific needs.  We are confident in our abilities to bring value through quality and efficiency improvements that will ultimately reduce costs, enrich the lives of members, and benefit the communities we serve.”

BSWQA has also joined forces with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), HealthSCOPE Benefits, and Willis Towers Watson in creating an innovative ACO health plan offering. Effective January 1, 2018, this offering aims to improve quality, affordability, and productivity for approximately 3600 DART employees and their dependents.

The new arrangement is a first of its kind for the Dallas–Fort Worth market, leading the way for employers to contract directly with third-party administrators and ACOs to deliver value-based care focused on generating positive health outcomes and reducing costs.  Like many employers, DART was looking to create a more affordable health benefit option for its employees, a plan centered on a holistic approach to care that is oriented to health outcomes and results in a better, healthier workforce promoting productivity. 

BSWQA has already proven its capacity to effectively manage the health of patient populations and reduce costs, as demonstrated by the group's employee population over a 4-year period as follows: 

  • 13% fewer hospital admissions due to better coordinated care

  • 19% higher use of in-network services for better quality and affordability

  • 0% medical cost trend

  • $57 million in savings

Scott & White Medical Center Transplanted More than 100 Kidneys in 9 Months

Scott & White Medical Center – Temple transplanted more than 100 kidneys in 9 months, marking a record number for the hospital's kidney/pancreas transplantation program. The pace puts the program on track to transplant more than 130 kidneys this year. This accelerated growth coincides with the recruitment of Bruce Kaplan, MD, who specializes in transplant medicine, from Mayo Clinic in Arizona to Scott & White Medical Center – Temple and the development of a multidisciplinary training program for transplantation.

“Our goal has been and will continue to be able to provide for patients in need of a live-saving kidney transplant,” said Jacqueline Lappin, MD, transplant surgeon and surgical director of the transplant program at Scott & White Medical Center - Temple. “Our team members continue to work hard to prepare our patients for transplantation and this accomplishment speaks to their tireless effort and dedication for our patients.”

Last year, the medical center performed 86 transplants from living and deceased donors. The transplant program's growth began much earlier with the start of a patient program, called training for transplant, which gives patients who are seeking a transplant an opportunity to improve their risk factors, such as improved diet or exercise. Physicians help patients develop a plan, monitor their progress, and consult about the potential timeline of transplantation.  In addition, the program changed its methodology for kidney evaluation to accept more kidneys for transplantation.

“Through a calculated method, we are able to accept kidneys that were formerly considered marginal, but are actually are appropriate organs for transplantation,” said Dr. Kaplan, vice president of transplant services for Baylor Scott & White – Central Texas Division.  “By improving our methods and evaluation, we are able to transplant patients quicker and decrease wait times for those in need of a kidney.”

Baylor Scott & White Cancer Center – Round Rock Opens its Doors

Baylor Scott & White Health held a ribbon cutting at Baylor Scott & White Cancer Center – Round Rock, a new cancer facility offering comprehensive diagnostic, treatment, and support services in one location, using a single electronic medical record.

The new 38,741-square-foot facility is the only cancer center located adjacent to its medical center in a five-county market and will serve the growing needs of patients in the Round Rock, Williamson County, and surrounding areas. The center received full accreditation from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer in June.

“Today we are fulfilling our promise to improve access and service to those in need of cancer care services,” said Mehul Patel, MD, section chief of radiation oncology at Baylor Scott & White Austin/Round Rock region. “I'm proud of our continued investments in the communities we serve and know that our patients will receive the quality care they deserve.”

The cancer center, on the ground floor of the new four-story specialty clinic on the campus of Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Round Rock, brings together all aspects of cancer care under one roof—medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, gynecological oncology, and neuro-oncology—along with support programs and a comprehensive breast cancer center. With the addition of radiation oncology to the services already provided at Baylor Scott & White – Round Rock, local patients no longer have to travel 45 miles to Temple to seek care. These patients will also have access to services already offered at the campus, including a primary care clinic, multispecialty clinics, and a full-service 101-bed hospital.

“We are committed to providing personalized, integrated, and comprehensive care in one location so Round Rock area residents can continue to work, attend school and maintain their daily lives with as little interruption as possible,” said Jay Fox, president of Baylor Scott & White  Austin/Round Rock region. “The convenience of this new state-of-the-art cancer center and access to board-certified cancer specialists will enhance the patient experience and positively impact our patients’ lives.”

The new cancer facility opens as the Round Rock area is experiencing robust growth and, ultimately, an increased demand for close-to-home cancer care. In 2016, the area reported 6,620 new cancer cases, the equivalent of 18 new diagnoses a day. It's expected that the number of new cancer diagnoses will continue to grow as the area's population increases.

In addition, Baylor Scott & White's collaboration with the Translational Genomics Research Institute enables the organization to establish a large-scale research consortium to advance personalized oncology—an innovative treatment strategy that helps diagnose and treat tumors sooner.

Baylor Scott & White Health Opens New Clinics in Central Texas

In the fall of 2017, Baylor Scott & White Health opened several new primary clinics in Central Texas: in Manor, a town about 15 miles northeast of Austin; in Austin Southwest to serve Oak Hill and Dripping Springs residents; in Kyle, Texas, the system's first location in Hays County; in the River Place community in Northwest Austin; and on the campus of the Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Lakeway, which was recently designated a level IV trauma center by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

UPCOMING CME PROGRAMS

The A. Webb Roberts Center for Continuing Education of Baylor Scott & White Health is offering the following programs:

Cardiology and Primary Care, January 20, 2018, at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Bryan Auditorium, College Station, Texas

Enhancing Integration of Behavioral Health and Primary Care, January 20, 2018, at McLane Stadium, President's Suite, Waco, Texas

8th Annual Central Texas Pediatric Subspecialty for the Primary Care Provider, February 16, 2018, at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, Waco, Texas

State of the Heart: 2nd Annual Update in Heart Failure and Cardiology, March 2017, at McLane Stadium, Baylor Club Room, Waco, Texas

27th Annual Robert E. Myers, MD, Lectureship in Pediatrics, March 23, 2018, at Scott & White Medical Education Center, Temple, Texas

34th Annual Family Medicine Review, April 4–7, 2018, at Doubletree Hotel, Austin, Texas

3rd Annual Baylor University Medical Center – IBD Center Conference 2018, April 14, 2018, at Baylor University Medical Center – Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, 10th Floor, Dallas, Texas

39th Annual Everett R. Veirs Lecture and Ophthalmology Conference, April 27, 2018, at Hilton Garden Inn, Temple, Texas

For more information, visit http://cmebaylor.org/conferences.

RECENT GRANTS

FEMA fire prevention and safety grant

Principal investigator: Suzy Gulliver, PhD

Sponsor: US Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency

Funding: $1,575,000

Award period: 9/1/2017–8/31/2018

Noncoding RNA biomarkers for early detection of pancreatic cancer

Principal investigator: Ajay Goel, PhD

Sponsor: National Institutes of Health

Funding: $1,075,356

Award period: 9/1/2017–7/31/2018

Aspirin and cancer prevention in Lynch syndrome: from cell to population data

Principal investigator: Ajay Goel, PhD

Sponsor: National Institutes of Health

Funding: $766,777

Award period: 9/1/2017–8/31/2018

Trans-America Consortium of the Health Care Systems Research Network for the Precision Medicine Initiative Cohort Program

Principal investigator: Giovanni Filardo, PhD

Sponsor: Henry Ford Health Systems/National Institutes of Health

Funding: $645,458

Award period: 8/1/2017–2/28/2018

Improving combination chemotherapy of tuberculosis: a computational approach

Principal investigator: Tawanda Gumbo, MD

Sponsor: Colorado State University/National Institutes of Health

Funding: $548,800

Award period: 8/1/2016–7/31/2018

North Texas traumatic brain injury model system

Principal investigator: Shahid Shafi, MD

Sponsor: Department of Health and Human Services/Administration for Community Living

Funding: $459,000

Award period: 9/30/2017–9/29/2018

Project Vet PaTHs: Building peer support and telehealth for Central Texas veterans

Principal investigator: Suzy Gulliver, PhD

Sponsor: Texas Health and Human Services Commission

Funding: $427,204

Award period: 10/3/2017–5/31/2018

MicroRNA biomarkers for determining treatment response in colorectal cancer

Principal investigator: Ajay Goel, PhD

Sponsor: National Institutes of Health

Funding: $352,363

Award period: 8/1/2017–7/31/2018

Reflux-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in benign Barrett's esophagus

Principal investigator: Rhonda Souza, MD

Sponsor: National Institutes of Health

Funding: $254,143

Award period: 5/26/2017–8/31/2017

Prospective study of racial and ethnic disparities in chronic pain and pain burden

Principal investigator: Mark Powers, PhD

Sponsor: RAND Corporation/National Institutes of Health

Funding: $245,654

Award period: 2/28/2017–2/27/2018

Regulation of cellular senescence by non-coding RNAs in alcoholic liver injury

Principal investigator: Fanyin Meng, PhD

Sponsor: National Institutes of Health

Funding: $211,620

Award period: 9/15/2017–8/31/2018

Project WOWii: Developing and testing a web-based intervention to promote exercise among those with spinal cord injury

Principal investigator: Katherine Froehlich-Grobe, PhD

Sponsor: Department of Health and Human Services/Administration for Community Living

Funding: $199,954

Award period: 10/1/2017–9/29/2018

Prolonged exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder in spinal cord injury: a randomized controlled trial

Principal investigator: Mark Powers, PhD

Sponsor: Department of Health and Human Services/Administration for Community Living

Funding: $199,712

Award period: 9/30/2017–9/29/2018

Poison control stabilization and enhancement program

Principal investigator: David Baker, PharmD

Sponsor: Health Resources and Services Administration

Funding: $160,231

Award period: 9/1/2017–8/31/2018

The role of stem cell–derived microvesicles in cholestatic liver injury

Principal investigator: Fanyin Meng, PhD

Sponsor: Texas A&M University Health Science Center/National Institutes of Health

Funding: $125,000

Award period: 6/1/2017–5/31/2018

North Texas Hepatitis B Consortium: Hepatitis B clinical research network

Principal investigator: Robert Perillo, MD

Sponsor: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School/National Institutes of Health

Funding: $115,000

Award period: 6/1/2017–5/31/2018

United Way Live Well evaluation: year 8

Principal investigator: Jinmyoung Cho, PhD

Sponsor: Agency on Aging of Tarrant County

Funding: $65,000

Award period: 7/1/2017–6/30/2018

PHILANTHROPY NOTES

Recent events: Celebrating Women and Grand Rounds

On October 26, 2017, 1300 attendees celebrated the 18th annual Baylor Health Care System Foundation Celebrating Women luncheon. Presented for the 13th consecutive year by Tom Thumb, the event raised $1.8 million to benefit Baylor Scott & White Health's fight against breast cancer in North Texas. Jamie Lee Curtis, Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe award-winning actress, best-selling author, and advocate in the fight against breast cancer, was the featured speaker. She shared an intimate glimpse inside her personal life and breast cancer scare as she was interviewed by Rowland K. Robinson, Foundation president. Over the last 18 years, Celebrating Women has raised more than $30 million for the fight against breast cancer in North Texas.

At the 16th annual Grand Rounds® Golf Tournament, 228 golfers helped Baylor Health Care System Foundation raise a record $350,000 in support of medical education at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. The tournament, presented by Bank of Texas, was held on October 23, 2017, at the Dallas Country Club. Since the first tournament, Grand Rounds has raised more than $3 million toward Baylor's medical education initiatives.

Two gifts support Alzheimer's research and care at Baylor

In recent months, the Baylor AT&T Memory Center has received two generous grants. One, a nearly $200,000 grant from the Aging Mind Foundation Fund of The Dallas Foundation, supports research focused on early onset Alzheimer's disease. The second, a $94,000 gift from BvB Dallas, will help support the care and support specialist at the Memory Center.

Investigating genetics. “I evaluate many younger-onset patients—with symptoms that develop younger than age 65,” said Claudia R. Padilla, MD, a behavioral neurologist on the medical staff at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. “Some have a genetic inheritance, while the majority are sporadic. They are healthy individuals who are getting Alzheimer's disease, and we don't understand it,” said Dr. Padilla, who also serves as the Memory Center's medical director of research.

The grant from the Aging Mind Foundation will support research that will help Dr. Padilla and her colleagues determine why these sporadic cases happen. The study is being done in collaboration with Translational Genomics, or TGen, based in Arizona. The study's aim is to enroll 50 patients who have been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's and who have no known genetic markers for the disease.

Caring for the whole person. Philanthropy is vital to research. It's also crucial for day-to-day patient care. That's where the grant from BvB Dallas comes in. Their gift will support the Alzheimer's Association's care and support specialist at the Baylor AT&T Memory Center. Since 2014, this role has been filled by Linda Jersin. The original grant that supported this role is expiring, and that's why the BvB Dallas donation is a welcome gift.

Linda supports patients and caregivers at the center by connecting them with resources and support in the face of Alzheimer's. She is instrumental in helping newly diagnosed patients access myriad social, emotional, financial, legal, and daily life support services that are available in the community.

BvB Dallas is an organization of young professionals—blondes and brunettes—that hosts an annual powder-puff football game to raise money for Alzheimer's research. This is the third year that BvB Dallas has selected the Baylor AT&T Memory Center as a beneficiary.

For information on how you can support these or other initiatives at Baylor Scott & White Health – North Texas, please contact Baylor Health Care System Foundation at 214.820.3136.

Growing Stronger Together at McLane Children's

Since its grand opening in October 2011, Baylor Scott & White McLane Children's Medical Center has changed the lives of many children and families throughout its 30,000-square-mile Central Texas service area. At the time, Baylor Scott & White leaders anticipated the eventual need for additional space and expanded services. Now, with increasing demand for pediatric specialty care, a growing population, and our desire to accommodate families’ needs, the time has come for a much-needed growth spurt.

The new McLane Children's Medical Center expansion focuses on several key areas—the Fikes/CEFCO emergency department, physical and occupational therapy, imaging, and special procedures. The expansion will add 18,000 square feet of space and includes the addition of more treatment rooms, new equipment, and technology to enhance care in a family-centered environment.

The $3 million Growing Stronger Together fundraising campaign will provide equipment for the new expansion. Plans include the purchase of a 3T MRI, making McLane Children's the first children's hospital in Texas to acquire this advanced technology with the ability to scan the entire body in seconds, reducing the need for sedation of small children.

With referrals on the rise from throughout Central Texas, driven by McLane Children's reputation for excellence, quality of care, and commitment to the health and well-being of families, the Growing Stronger Campaign is an investment in the future to ensure children have what they need to grow up safe and healthy for generations to come.


Articles from Proceedings (Baylor University. Medical Center) are provided here courtesy of Baylor University Medical Center

RESOURCES