Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Kim Hallum Stewart, System Administrator of Neurosciences and Cardiovascular Services for Baptist Memorial Health Care, who highlights the Memphis, Tennessee-based healthcare system and their collaboration with Semmes Murphey Clinic on the Brain & Spine Network Center of Excellence. Kim provides an overview of Baptist Memorial Health Care, describing the organization as a long-established faith-based system spanning three states with 26 hospitals, including both large quaternary facilities and smaller rural hospitals. She emphasizes the organization’s strong mission of teaching, preaching, and healing, noting that employee longevity is common at Baptist, with many staff members working 40-50 years. Kim highlights the positive culture and steady leadership as key factors that make Baptist Memorial Health Care a special place to work.
Kim describes her system-level perspective on cardiovascular and neurosciences services at Baptist, which has grown from 14 to many more hospitals since she joined. She outlines the full range of services from health screenings to heart transplants in cardiovascular care, and from concussion clinics to complex brain tumors in neurosciences. Kim expresses satisfaction with her role that allows her to interact with physicians, employees, and patients at all levels.
Kim discusses Baptist’s expansion of telemedicine services, particularly in neurology and cardiology, which have been successfully implemented across their hospital system. The telestroke and teleneuro programs now allow neurologists to provide inpatient rounding services at smaller hospitals, keeping patients closer to home rather than requiring transfers to larger facilities in Memphis. Kim also mentions their plans to roll out telecardiology services starting this fiscal year and highlights how AI technology is being used to identify patients earlier through programs like lung nodule detection and oncology.
Kim explains the collaboration between Baptist and Semmes Murphey Clinic, which formed the Brain & Spine Network Center of Excellence to improve patient care and provide employers and employees with streamlined access to expert care for spine, brain, neck, back, and other neurological conditions. The program uses a navigator-driven approach to guide patients through conservative care before considering surgery, with about 90% of patients avoiding surgery altogether and most surgical procedures being performed in ambulatory surgery centers rather than hospitals.
Kim explains the process for businesses interested in implementing the concierge approach with the Brain & Spine Network Center of Excellence program. She describes how potential clients can contact her directly at Baptist Memorial Health Care, where they would discuss the program details, bundles of surgeries and diagnoses, and co-pay coverage options. Kim outlines that the setup process typically takes 60-90 days and includes marketing support through videos and benefits fairs, with contact information provided as phone number 901-227-1024 and email Kimberly.Hallum-Stewart@BMHCC.org.
Visit https://www.baptistonline.org to learn more about Baptist Memorial Health Care and the Brain & Spine Network Center of Excellence.
