system in so many ways, and there’s
more to come. Here are a few ways
we’re working to serve you better:
Technology engages
patients in Austin
With almost a million residents,
Austin is one of the country’s fastest-
growing cities and is a magnet for
young, technology-focused careerists
as well as retirees attracted to the
climate and culture. We opened the
first Baylor Scott & White Health
clinic in downtown Austin in January,
with a goal to provide healthcare in a
way that appeals to young and old—
and everyone in between. So far, our
efforts are payi ng off, with patients
offering positive feedback.
“By entering the Austin market
for the first time, we wanted to offer
a healthcare experience as engaging,
exciting, and high-tech as Austin
itself,” says Chris Kriczky, clinic
operations director for the Austin/
Round Rock region. “We wanted to
make excellent care easy to access for
people of all ages.”
An intensive and creative clinic
planning process included thinking
“out of the box”—group brainstorms;
random interviews with Austinites on
streets, in parks, and in cafes; and
finally, formal focus groups to test and
refine ideas. This resulted in a new
clinic like no other.
The lobby features an art wall
of 15 tablets displaying such Austin
icons as Lady Bird Lake, legendary
wall graffiti from a South Congress
(“SoCo”) coffee shop, and the capitol
dome. Attention to other details gives
patients a greater sense of control
over their healthcare because it gives
them more options. For example,
patients have a choice when it comes
to checking in for appointments: they
can check in the traditional way, by
seeing a receptionist when arriving
at the clinic, or they can check in
online in advance. In the exam room,
sw.org | Spring 17 THE CATALYST
5