Healthcare officials discuss plans to improve facility for better care

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - Healthcare officials at Baylor Scott and White discussed expansion plans, awards, and virtual additions being made on the facility Friday.

Baylor Scott and White informed the public about upcoming winter season illnesses and new additions being made with the 90-million-dollar expansion plan. Multiple healthcare facility officials spoke on the expansion and how the facility is planning to provide the best care they can with the expansion.

“All in all, BSW will add over 90 million dollars in expansion right here in the Brazos Valley to meet the healthcare needs of our community,” said Jason Jennings, Regional President of College Station and Baylor Scott and White Health.

One of the projects being worked on currently at the hospital is the new medical office building. The building is called The Plaza and will add operation rooms, sleep medicine, expanded physical occupational speech therapy services, and more spaces for doctors to see and treat patients, said Jennings.

Baylor Scott and White have also expanded its clinics and emergency departments in order to be more accessible and offer quicker services to a wider population of people. Medical equipment that targets specific areas of concern is being added and updates to equipment, such as CT and MRI services and cardiovascular medical imaging.

“What the public can count on is easier access, if they need to see a doctor or they need an MRI or they need to have a surgery we’re going to have more space to do it in,” said Jennings. “We all know that we don’t want to have to go to the hospital, but when we do, we want that service to be efficient.”

In the upcoming winter seasons, more viral illnesses are seen and treated, including RSV, influenza and COVID-19. Baylor Scott and White is adding more options for treatments, one of these is a new app called “My BSW Health” that allows access to virtual care.

“I think what’s important here is that we notify our primary care physicians, our healthcare team nearly,” said Seth Sullivan, Regional Chief Medical Officer of College Station Baylor Scott and White. “We can jump on the virtual care and get the care you need.”

The College Station Baylor Scott and White healthcare teams are also receiving awards for their efforts to provide effective, efficient care. The Baylor Scott and White College Station region became the first system in the Brazos Valley to receive Magnet designation. This highlights the quality of care in healthcare organizations, Jana Elliott, Regional Chief Nursing Officer explained.

“This recognition is the gold standard in nursing care and fewer than 10% of hospitals in the United States actually achieve this prestigious honor so we’re very excited about that,” said Elliot. “It’s important for our community to have a Magnet facility because that draws people who want to work in a Magnet facility because they know that you are providing superior care and that you are providing compassionate care.”

By texting “better” to 88408, people can receive virtual care through the Baylor Scott and White Health app.

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