The Catalyst Issue 3 | Spring 2009 | Page 19

Scott & White Healthcare - Round Rock An unwavering goal to serve the people of Williamson County O ver the past decade, leadership at Scott & White Healthcare proactively sought a solution to meet the growing population’s increased healthcare needs in Williamson County. The organization made a commitment to expand services and give people access to quality healthcare, brought to life through a 75,000-square-foot specialty clinic and 76-bed hospital on a 68-acre campus known as Scott & White Healthcare Round Rock (formerly the University Medical Campus), which opened in 2006 and 2007, respectively. “When we were planning the facility, research indicated that more than half of Williamson County residents requiring hospital services had to leave the county to receive specialty care,” says Ernie Bovio, CEO, Scott & White Hospital - Round Rock. “We got off to a fast start when we opened and the demand for our services has been even higher than we anticipated.” Some of the services that are experiencing growth are orthopedics, diagnostic imaging, cardiology, surgery and obstetrics, to name a few. “We’re measuring our success not just by the number of patients we serve, but by how well we are taking care of them,” says Mr. Bovio. “We’re very proud of the quality care provided by the Scott & White team and also that our patient, physician and employee satisfaction scores are really high.” The Scott & White regional clinic network in Williamson County, anchored by the Georgetown (Sun City) Clinic, the “We got off to a fast start and the demand for our services has been even higher than we anticipated.” — Ernie Bovio, CEO, Scott & White Hospital Round Rock Cedar Park Clinic and the Taylor Clinic, has been key to our early success. Other critical success factors include the recruitment of an exceptional specialty medical staff and the hiring of talented technical and support staff, Mr. Bovio says. And without the collaboration with Scott & White Healthcare in Temple—the main tertiary and specialty care presence in the Scott & White system—the Round Rock location could not have realized such success in just a short period of time. “We can take care of most of the patients who come in, but sometimes a patient may need the specialty care available only at the Scott & White hospital in Temple, and so we’ll refer or transfer them,” says Mr. Bovio. Under the direction of Dudley Baker, MD, chief medical officer, and Jim Thompson, associate executive director, plans for expansion of the Round Rock clinics and hospital are underway. In the meantime, the hospital is undergoing certification as a primary stroke center and the emergency department is seeking accreditation as a chest pain center and designation as a Level 4 trauma center. Mr. Bovio says that putting patients first is an important guidepost for all caregivers and staff, as they plan and implement current and future patient care programs at Scott & White Healthcare - Round Rock. “Because Scott & White is a physician-led healthcare system, we have the luxury of always asking ‘what’s best for our patients?’” he says. “We believe that will help ensure our future success.” ■ Spring 09 THE CATALYST 19