children of Central Texas, in an
environment near their homes. We want
children to receive the best possible care
right here at Scott & White.”
Children have unique needs
Scott & White will deepen its expertise
in existing pediatric specialties and
introduce new pediatric specialty services
to reflect the range of conditions and
diseases that affect children. “It requires
recruiting the best pediatric specialists and
offering programs suited for children’s
developmental and psychosocial needs,”
says Dr. Knight.
“As we pediatricians always say,
children are not just little adults. They have
many different needs,” says Dr. Boyd. In
terms of medical care, those differences are
significant. For example, medication
dosages must be adjusted for children.
Another crucial factor is that children’s
emotional and psychosocial health is just as
important as their physiological and
developmental health. The expertise
available at the new Children’s Hospital at
Scott & White will more effectively address
issues like these to provide better care for
the youngest patients. (See the article on
family-centered care, p. 16.)
“Children do better in a child-focused
environment where all the resources are
designed specifically for them and devoted
to them,” says Robert Pryor, MD, chief
operating officer and chief medical officer at
Scott & White Healthcare. “This makes the
experience more comfortable and can speed
their recovery. Kids process information and
illness differently than adults.”
Pediatric surgeon Dr. Danny Little (right) and a group of medical residents and students.
Philanthropy makes a difference
Without the support of individuals,
corporations, and foundations, it will be
difficult for Scott & White to offer the
most advanced care for children. One
example is the Cool Cap™ technology in
the NICU for newborns at risk of damage
to the brain when oxygen has been denied
during childbirth. Nancy Birdwell, chief
development officer at Scott & White
Healthcare, says, “The acquisition of the
Cool Blanket, Cap, and Monitor has
helped us prevent neurological effects that
in the past would have devastated the lives
of these children. The Scott & White
Auxiliary’s support to purchase this
technology makes it much easier to offer
patients the best care. It’s a big investment
to keep up with rapidly changing diagnostic
and treatment therapies, but that’s what we
must do to best serve young patients.”
Philanthropy also helps recruit the best
pediatric specialists and subspecialists to
care for kids. They are highly talented staff
who will also advance the practice of
pediatric medicine in the future.
Many years ago, when he was five years
old, Luke Potts, now age 30, of Belton,
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