Photo by David PollanTom Jackson became chief executive officer of Tomball Regional Medical Center on July 21 after 17 years of service in the same capacity at College Station Medical Center.
While at CSMC, Jackson created the first emergency room pledge stating patients in the ER will wait no more than 30 minutes and also introduced a robotic surgery program. Jackson said he plans on further improving the ER pledge at TRMC, advancing the robotic surgery program and enhancing the throughput of patients at the hospital.
"People want to be seen quickly and do not want to wait for hours," he said. "Patients want systems where they are processed appropriately and fast, and we aim to do just that."
Jackson attended the University of Arkansas where he double majored in computer science and accounting. He also received a master's degree in health care administration from Trinity University. Prior to his time at CSMC, Jackson worked in a number of different industries from health care to public school systems to financial institutions.
What are some programs or initiatives you plan on implementing at TRMC?
One of the things I was fortunate enough to do in College Station was introduce the concept for the first 30-minute pledge in an emergency room. There are benchmarks you can use to measure that and to take that program to a best-class destination area, and I would like to do that here. That campaign was rolled out at TRMC a few years ago, and there is more that can be done to making that program as effective as it can be.
I think the field of robotics is another initiative to focus on. I was fortunate enough to work with some physician leaders and administrative leaders in College Station to introduce robotics to that community. We were the first to introduce it to the area eight years ago. I know a lot about it, and I have been able to work with surgeons that have mastered it and can really use it. Robotic surgery can really elevate the capabilities of a hospital. So, that's certainly another area I am going to focus on.
Robotics has also rolled over into orthopedics. There has been much interest in the orthopedic community to adapt robotics into partial knee and total hip surgery. We see that as an opportunity for Tomball. Robotic surgery in orthopedics is an area doctors and surgeons in this area are traveling all across Houston to access today. To get a second robotics platform [at TRMC] was another opportunity that is going to lead us to opening another service line, which is a joint destination center for total hip and knee surgery.
What is your vision for the future of TRMC?
We want to be known as the preferred medical center of northwest Houston. That is what our vision is. That is what we want to embrace the community as. It is a big vision and one we just recently completed a strategic planning initiative with our board members, our management team and our physician leaders. There is a lot of enthusiasm about that. What that looks like is benchmarked level outcomes; value-based purchasing metrics that are in the top 10 percent of any hospital anywhere, if not at the very top; throughput skills in technology that you are not going to find at most facilities; and having collaborative leadership—particularly on the physician and clinical side—that are going to be moving in that direction with you. So you are going to have to have surgeons who are willing to embrace these new technologies of the benchmarks of robotic surgery, the benchmarks of a joint knee and hip replacement destination center. Those take vision, courage and leadership, and there's a lot of enthusiasm here to do that.
In what ways is TRMC keeping up with the population growth in the region?
The population growth that is going on in northwest Houston is significant. So, we are opening up a freestanding emergency department in Magnolia at the end of this year. [Magnolia] is an area of the community that is growing. It is an area of the community that has been asking for additional services.
We also have some clinic deployments that we are going to be announcing in 2015. We are still finalizing where those are going to be to meet that growth area in the community.
The introduction of those orthopedic destination centers is another way to meet the expectations of the growth area. Orthopedics and orthopedic care is a continued growth area with the aging of America.
And the changing adaptation of technology is another one that comes with growing markets. I think those are all examples of areas that we are moving with the
market and doing things in that regard. We are partnering with some school systems and doing some other things to work with employers as well.
What sets TRMC apart from other hospitals in the area?
We have the ability to bring the best technologies and not be within a closed system. Many of our competitors are within contained networks. I really believe in choice and most physicians believe in that choice. A lot of independent
doctors do not necessarily want to be just employed by a system and not have the freedom to move and put their patients where they deserve to be [placed]. We have a unique window to be the best of class and demonstrate that and be able to change with this market and realize we have a lot of doctors who are looking for that kind of medical center performance.
There are a lot of capabilities here and a lot of great physician leadership and good clinical and administrative leaders here. I think we are in a position to be a preferred medical center of northwest Houston. I think that's ultimately what the leaders of the hospital want us to be.
We have great corporate partners, we have more independence than most when it comes to giving patients and doctors choices and being responsive to their needs. If you are bringing technology to the community and you are bringing best practices, and you can demonstrate it transparently, then I think you are in the best of class.
