“Many of my riders are very
sick and going through a lot
of anxiety. If I can give a word
of encouragement, a smile,
or hug, that makes my day.”
—Jerry Crabtree,
Austin/Round Rock Region
chemotherapy, and radiation. They
help coordinate appointments and
make connections—to social workers,
reliable websites for information, peer
support programs, transportation, and
prescription and financial assistance.
Nurse navigators also continue
working with patients after treatment
is complete. Together, they establish a
five-year survivorship care plan for the
patient, which includes recommended
exams such as imaging, lab work, and
visits with a provider. Navigators also
help patients address any lingering
side effects and how to manage them,
and provide resources that focus on
nutrition, exercise, insurance, and
other survivorship topics.
“There’s a lot of follow up after
patients are in remission, and we
continue to be here for them,” says
Ms. Havens.
Hillcrest Patient and Family
Advisory Council in Waco
Every day, Holly Ivy, a former
8
THE CATALYST Spring 17 | sw.org
emergency room nurse and stroke
coordinator, makes rounds at Baylor
Scott & White Medical Center
- Hillcrest in Waco, spending at
least five to ten minutes in as many
patient rooms as she can. “I hear great
suggestions from patients,” she says,
and in her current role as patient
experience liaison at Hillcrest, she can
implement them.
Ms. Ivy organized the Patient
and Family Advisory Council to tap
into the wisdom of former patients,
family members, and community
leaders. The council of ten volunteers
meets monthly to come up with ways
to improve the patient experience.
Their first project is a “concierge”
folder for newly admitted patients.
“As our volunteers shared their
own experiences at Hillcrest, they
expressed feeling confused early on,”
she says. “The folder covers basics
like how to access wireless service,
and gives gift shop and café hours. It
also explains the role of hospitalists
and how to organize medications,
contacts, and special instructions. It
was much-needed.”
The council also inspired staffers
to sit in room recliners and lay in beds,
as patients do. From that perspective,
it was clear some rooms needed
modernizing. “Sometimes we’re
so busy and task-focused we forget
the little things,” says Ms. Ivy. “Our
medical expertise is excellent, but the
personal touch is just as important.”
A shuttle driver
delights in Round Rock
Jerry Crabtree, of Round Rock, found
his calling behind the wheel of a Baylor
Scott & White van. Retired from a
long and successful career in sales, Mr.
Crabtree was looking for a job with
purpose, something to keep him busy in
retirement, when a want ad caught his
eye: A driver was needed for the shuttle
between a retirement community in
Georgetown and the various Baylor
Scott & White clinics in Round Rock.