The Catalyst Issue 16 | April 2013 | Page 34

Excellence Honoring a Legacy of { PART II } the last issue of THE CATALYST, we introduced the Fellows of Scott & White Clinic, the highest honor given to individuals who exemplify service, dedication, and generosity to the healthcare system. In That issue featured Jesse D. Ibarra Jr., MD, one of the three 2012 recipients of the honor. In this issue, we highlight Kermit Knudsen, MD, another 2012 recipient. n KERMIT KNUDSEN, MD Retired gastroenterologist Dr. Kermit Knudsen embodies the kind of leadership qualities that have distinguished Scott & White’s service in its 115-year history. During Dr. Knudsen’s tenure as president of the Scott & White Clinic from 1979 to 1992, he championed the development of a regional clinic system and the creation of the Scott & White Health Plan and the medical school. In 1979 Scott & White had one hospital, one clinic, and about 150 senior staff physicians. Dr. Knudsen led the organization through extraordinary change, including the growth of its nationally respected health plan to 80,000 members, 12 regional clinics, increased pharmacy locations, and almost 500 physicians. During his leadership, almost 40 construction projects were approved or under development to expand Scott & White’s ability to provide care where it was needed most. These included the six-story Same Day Surgery Center, a 74,000-squarefoot facility on the Temple campus that doubled the existing surgical space. Dr. Knudsen also helped establish Scott & White as the primary teaching campus of the Texas A&M College of Medicine. Andrejs Avots-Avotins, MD, PhD, chairman of the Scott & White Clinic Board of Directors, and a fellow gastroenterologist, says, “I grew up with Dr. Knudsen’s children, and I have always recognized him as a leader at Scott & White. He was the one responsible for getting us truly off the Temple campus on South 31st Street, and had the vision of leading Scott & White into the future. Dr. Knudsen made significant contributions that included the creation of the Scott & White Health Plan and the regional clinic system. Toward the end of his career, he returned to the Department of Gastroenterology and actively participated in a variety of clinical projects that included advocacy for colon cancer screening. He was a great mentor—as a clinician and a healthcare leader.” Dr. Knudsen’s successor in 1992, John L. Montgomery, MD, said at the time: “He has quietly designed an infrastructure for our organization that will help us weather the storms of change which are inevitable with healthcare reform… Dr. Knudsen certainly demonstrated the courage to take the risk, in spite of adversity, in the decision to develop a regional clinic system. This has proven to be one of the best decisions ever made at Scott & White. As a result, we are the envy of many organizations and are the model they strive to emulate.” Dr. Knudsen was instrumental in helping to shape the nation’s dialogue on healthcare delivery as well. As president of the American Group Practice Association in the early 1990s, Dr. Knudsen was a member of the prestigious Jackson Hole Group, a team of industry thought leaders that served as a guiding force in discussions about future healthcare delivery. As part of this group, he also served as a representative for Scott & White. Content from Patricia K. Benoit’s book Scott & White Beyond “The Hill” contributed to this article. 32 The Catalyst April 13 | sw.org