Quality care in a patient and family-centered environment has been a hallmark of Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine since the beginning. Founded by Drs. Ed and Minnie Lee Lancaster as Grapevine Memorial Hospital and Clinics in 1953 the mere six-bed hospital serviced what was then the small town of Grapevine. After a generation of strong community growth and many successes as an organization, in 1981 the Lancasters’ hospital joined Baylor Health Care System and for the last 30 years has been growing and advancing in its own right to become a preeminent healthcare facility in the region.
Recently, the not-for-profit hospital broke ground on the latest in a history of quality of life changing additions, the construction of a $100.5 million new patient tower and expansion project. Baylor Grapevine President Doug Lawson says, “Baylor values our partnership with the community and this tower and expansion affirms our commitment to providing advanced care.” By the end of summer 2013 what was once a small local clinic will have more than 300 beds and an increased capacity to serve patients throughout Northeast Tarrant and Southern Denton counties.
Robert DeMartini M.D., a physician champion for patient safety/quality who has been on the Baylor Grapevine medical staff for more 20 years has seen much of the growth of the facilities and explains the value of the hospital’s latest project, “The absolute benefit of our recent expansion is more rooms to get patients from the Emergency Department to the floor to begin their treatment and thus get them well in a timely manner. The expansion will also bring much needed services such as dialysis and expanded interventional radiology services so that we can treat all patients right in their hometown.”
Among the many highlights of the ever-expanding commitment to quality medical care at Baylor Grapevine is its renowned Emergency Department. In 2010, the hospital's emergency staff worked around the clock caring for 41,327 patients. The expanded facility will include 9 new technologically advanced rooms. Baylor Grapevine's emergency patients benefit from bedside check-in, triage and advanced imaging equipment where a patient can be diagnosed and on the road to recovery.
“The expansion will help us be recognized as a center of excellence which is self reinforcing for further growth,” says Patrick Roughneen M.D., medical director of cardiovascular surgery. “Most importantly, positive patient experiences before, during and after surgery will ultimately help Baylor Grapevine in becoming a highly respected and trusted center to have heart care.” When it comes to matters of the heart, the Cardiovascular Unit at Baylor Grapevine offers advanced diagnosis and treatment to nearly 6,000 area patients each year. Phillip Hecht M.D., medical director of cardiovascular services/cardiac rehab, is proud to be affiliated with Baylor Grapevine and notes, “The expansion project will provide much needed space to physically bring our procedure areas together thus enhancing our quality of care and overall patient experience.” Baylor Grapevine’s specialized cardiovascular team includes a highly effective nurse-to-patient ratio based on acuity, including critical care, progressive care, and telemetry followed by discharge. This close personal care by a cardiovascular nurse at the bedside improves patient care and reduces hospital stay.
Oncology Services at the hospital have also grown considerably in recent years. Vikas Aurora, M.D., physician champion for the cancer care committee and oncologist on the medical staff at Baylor Grapevine says, “Baylor’s new patient tower will enhance our technology and therefore increase our ability to diagnose and treat patients locally. Improved diagnostic tools and imaging services leading the way at Baylor Grapevine include a 64-slice CT scanner for virtual colonoscopy and advanced lung analysis, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and diagnostic radiology. The Baylor Breast Center features a specialized on-site nurse navigator and radiologists who specialize in breast imaging, oncologists, and breast surgeons on the medical staff. Aurora says, “The ability to administer a wider range of complex and comprehensive therapies closer to our patients’ homes can make all the difference during the recovery process.”
Closer to home also means many Baylor Grapevine patients will be closer to family and friends as they begin to heal. Baylor's updated amenities, contemporary, clean, and comfortable patient rooms and family areas will help keep spirits high throughout their stay. Perhaps nothing comes closer to home than bringing a new family member into the world. In 2010 alone, Baylor Grapevine's Women's Health Center delivered 2,863 babies. Yet as Joseph Kilianski M.D., physician champion for obstetrics at Baylor Grapevine and member of the Perinatal Council for Baylor Health Care System, reminds us these joyous events also come with risks, “The OB physicians on our medical staff routinely see and take care of numerous high risk pregnancies without the need to transfer mothers or babies out of the hospital. With our new expansion we will have even more ready assistance of dedicated perinatologists, neonatologists and nursing staff which gives us the capability to keep mother and extremely pre-term or critically ill baby together after delivery.”
No matter the condition or diagnosis making a patient feel at home is of high priority, as are Surgical Services centered on ever increasing technology. When it comes to advanced surgical technology Baylor Grapevine conducts procedures that utilize the da Vinci® Surgical System integrating high definition 3D images that virtually extend a physician's eyes and hands into the surgical field. By working with advanced technology, patients may receive benefits over traditional surgery such as less pain and scarring, less risk of infection and faster recovery times.
Baylor Grapevine also earns high regards in serving the community. In a commitment to fulfill its mission, the hospital's benefit to the community, conservatively estimated, was $38,917,095 for Fiscal Year 2010. What's more, the hospital is involved with over 200 health fairs, presentations, screenings, and outreach programs each year providing medical supplies and expertise to area school districts, health associations, churches, employers and civic organizations.
“Baylor Grapevine has a long history of leadership in the community,” says Scott Woomer M.D., medical director of the Baylor Breast Center, “and our goal is to continue to provide quality diagnostics imaging and breast care.” The hospital and its staff are also focused on education. That is why they conduct numerous health fairs and their annual “For Women, For Life™” program which focuses specifically on health issues for women of all ages. They also promote an annual “It’s a Guy Thing” each June providing free preventative health screenings, physician presentations and educational literature focused on men in the community.
Baylor Grapevine has a long-standing tradition of providing quality health care. When the new patient tower and expansion are complete in 2013 Dr. DeMartini says, “Patients in the area will see that Baylor Grapevine is no longer just a community hospital but a complete hospital with quality medical staff and services that run the gamut.”
Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System's subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine or Baylor Health Care System.