Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation Board
connects in an all-new way.
As Chairman Norm Bagwell opened the May meeting of the Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation’s board of directors, he thanked everyone for attending the group’s first-ever virtual board meeting.
“COVID-19 is one of the toughest challenges we have faced. This group’s professionalism and experience are serving us well as our teams fight this virus on all fronts. They have earned my utmost respect and admiration
for their hard work and dedication.”—Rowland K. Robinson
It was a fitting way for the board to meet and discuss the many ways that Baylor Scott & White Health is navigating COVID-19, a pandemic that has forced many North Texans into their homes and away from one another to help reduce infections and “flatten the curve.” But while board members were physically farther apart than usual, they came together in mind and spirit with a singular focus: to better understand how one of the largest health systems in Texas is battling a pandemic that has claimed tens of thousands of lives across the country.
Mark Grace
Chief of mission and ministry
for Baylor Scott & White Health,
offered an invocation and discussed how pastoral care professionals have provided comfort and support to patients, their families and staff who have been challenged by the issues of the day.
Susan McSherry
Vice president of development for the Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation, highlighted nearly $5 million that has been raised across the BSW Foundations for COVID relief efforts, including more than $2 million for the Employees 1st Emergency Assistance Fund. This effort supports frontline caregivers by helping them with meals, medical expenses, family member care and psychological support.
Steve Newton
President of Baylor University Medical Center, gave a compelling report of how the 6,000 employees and physicians at BUMC are applying their values of serving faithfully, acting honestly and never settling to guide them as they navigate uncharted territory. He gave reports about the numbers of patients treated in the pandemic and talked about how staff is combining their unique gifts and talents to make a difference for patients.
Kyle Armstrong
Chief operating officer of Baylor University Medical Center, explained how BUMC prepared for the surge. He highlighted the staff’s dedication to effectively using and conserving personal protective equipment (“PPE”) and ventilators to meet expected demand. The hospital has reconfigured the beds in its facility to bring the total critical care beds to 250, if needed. Kyle also described the detailed process that caregivers go through to help ensure they are protected. This is a complicated 45-minute donning and doffing process that must be followed for PPE to be effective.
Karla Ramberger, DNP
Chief nursing officer of Baylor University Medical Center, talked about nurses taking
on additional duties and learning new things to support the response and each other. She talked about nurses serving on units with COVID-positive patients, and about how the Foundation-funded Arts in Medicine program has significantly reduced stress levels on floors where it has a presence.
Amy Wilson, MD
Chief medical officer of Baylor University Medical Center, shared the team-based care approach that physicians are using to efficiently expand their patient coverage. Also discussed was the expansion of physician-led research, virtual care
(telemedicine) options and safety protocols in place to open the hospital for an
expansion of elective surgeries.
Pete Dysert, MD
Chief of pathology of Baylor University Medical Center, described the unique characteristics of the COVID-19 virus and the enormous effort to expand testing capabilities both for patients suspected of
being positive for the virus and those who have had the disease.
Jim Hinton
Chief executive officer of Baylor Scott & White Health, ended the meeting carrying
a message of hope, along with a strong promise to position Baylor Scott & White Health as a leader on behalf of patients and communities in the fight against this pandemic.
