A new CEO, a new name
Continued growth for Metroplex Health System in Central Texas
By Catherine Hosman
Contributed photos
With a new CEO announced in September and a new name planned early next year, growth continues at Metroplex Health Systems in Killeen.
After a national search, Kevin Roberts was named the new CEO for Metroplex Health System, which includes Metroplex Adventist Hospital and Rollins Brook Community Hospital. The position was previously held by Carlyle Walton, who left Metroplex Health Systems to become president of the Adventist Health Policy Association. Roberts, who has more than 20 years of service with Adventist Health, comes to Metroplex Health System from Los Angeles.
“Kevin’s wealth of experience and familiarity with the Adventist healthcare ministry, combined with his exceptional track record of hospital leadership, will be very beneficial in leading Metroplex Health System,” said Ken Finch, president and CEO for Adventist Health System’s Southwest Region and Texas Health Huguley Hospital Fort Worth South. “We are excited to have him join our organization and confident the hospitals will thrive under his leadership and direction.”
“It is a tremendous honor and opportunity to join Adventist Health System and lead Metroplex Health System,” said Roberts. “I am excited to begin working with the hospitals’ leadership and care teams to advance Christ’s healing ministry in Central Texas.”
A new name
Beginning in January 2019 Metroplex Health System will be known as Advent Health Central Texas, one of 46 healthcare facilities Adventist Health System (AHS) is bringing together under one umbrella, all known as Advent Health.
“The biggest piece with the rebrand is that we are still the same healthcare system,” said Erin Riley, public relations specialist for Metroplex Killeen. “Our system is coming together under one set of service standards: same mission, same service standards. No matter where you go, you know the kind of service you are going to receive.”
The idea to bring all of the Advent Health System hospitals and clinics under the same brand began a couple of years ago when the AHS cabinet came together to discuss the future of the organization.
“It wasn’t functioning as one system,” Riley said. “Now it’s shared services: Accounting, materials management, human resources. Whatever Advent Health facility a patient uses, it is operating with the same standards.”
With 80,000 employees company-wide, the new brand brings everyone together. “It was important that we gave it a name, that we are unified behind the scenes,” Riley said. “We are greater as a whole. Our hospitals are greater when we all work together. The health system is greater when we all work together. It gives us a way to be a leader in industry because we are able to better leverage best practices.”
To ensure the health system’s best practice, all employees attend Service Standard Training. Robin Bodkin, executive director of marketing and patient experience, said 99 percent of Metroplex’s 1,100 employees have received the training.
Caring for the whole person
One of the mantras of Metroplex is CREATION Health.
Each letter of the acronym represents a value in the care of patients: Choice, Rest, Environment, Activity, Trust, Interpersonal Relationships, Outlook and Nutrition. The Service Standard Training for medical professionals ensures that everyone who walks through the doors of an Advent Health facility receives the same care.
“It is a holistic mind, body, spirit experience,” Bodkin said. “We stay connected to our patients. We don’t discharge, we transition patients. When a person leaves our care, we transition them home or to a rehabilitation center.”
With the new name, Bodkin said the hospital’s mission stays the same, but now they can provide even better service to the community.
“People see us as a small community hospital in Killeen,” said Riley. “We are, and still will be, but we will have access to a greater system.”
“That’s what people love about us,” added Bodkin. “We are small, but friendly, and we have a $10 billion company behind us making healthcare better overall.”
Bodkin said making healthcare affordable is another Advent Health standard for patients.
“One problem in healthcare today is that it is too expensive,” Bodkin said. “It’s not something we’ve mastered, but we are working on helping people without insurance.”
Keeping the hospital viable is another standard that helps to provide the care their patients need.
“If we are not making money, we cannot put the money back into the community,” Bodkin said. “As a nonprofit organization, all of the money we make goes into the community to buy equipment, new buildings, put on a new roof.”
“We have put more than $1 billion back into the community nationwide,” said Riley. “Millions of dollars have gone back into our own community. Nationwide, we’re a collective power. We want to fix our system and make it better for our patients and community.”
One of the ways the system helps patients is through its Care Navigation Program.
“It’s for people who don’t have a primary care doctor,” said Bodkin. “The navigator makes sure the patient has an appointment with a doctor before they leave. We want them to get well and have what they need. If a patient has to find a doctor and make the appointment, they are less likely to do it. This makes it easy for patients to get the care they need.”
Keeping the gold standard
Helping patients get the care they need got a little easier in 2018, thanks to donations at the annual Metroplex Gold Star Gala held each November. Last year’s event raised money for two tissue processors that are up and running.
Now patients who have biopsies performed at the hospital can get their results in 24 to 48 hours.
“They provide biopsy results in a timely manner,” said TaNeika Driver-Moultrie, foundation manager. “For cyst, cancer cells, any type of tissues that are being tested—the pathology department was excited to get them (the machines).”
Driver-Moultrie said the foundation wants to do “anything we can do health-wise to help the community, provide for community needs or assist the community. We want to put our patients at ease and offer support. We have the funding to provide these services to our community.”
In previous years Metroplex Health System-Killeen provided more than 200 mammogram screenings for uninsured male and female patients, provided chemotherapy to those with breast cancer and are uninsured, and offered follow-up care, Driver-Moultrie said. This year the hospital plans to offer free mammogram screenings every Friday during the month of October.
Driver-Moultrie said revenue generated at the 2018 Gold Star Gala on Nov. 1 at the Killeen Civic Center will go toward a new wellness center for the community. “We now offer 11 free wellness classes to the community,” she said.
“Once the new center is built it will house those 11 free classes and provide wellness activities for the community, staff and physicians. All of this is to promote better health and a better lifestyle.”
The building will be constructed on the Metroplex Health System’s campus in the back of the hospital.
“This will allow for easy access to staff, physicians and the community who already attend the wellness classes,” she said.
The project cost is $300,000. “With this generous donation from our foundation, we will be able to expand our current free wellness classes and health screenings and add additional services. It’s a win for everyone,” Bodkin said.
