Meet Jim Hinton, Baylor Scott & White President and CEO
As the nation transitions under a new administration that may impact the delivery of healthcare, Baylor Scott & White Health (BSWH) is going through a transition of its own. On January 16, 2017, our system welcomed a new president and chief executive officer, James H. “Jim” Hinton. Mr. Hinton comes to the position uniquely qualified to lead BSWH into the future. “During this time of incredible change in healthcare, Jim brings exceptional experience,” says Jim L. Turner, chairman of the Baylor Scott & White Holdings Board of Trustees. “He is one of the few health system leaders in the country who has successfully navigated an organization from a focus on volume to a focus on value; and beyond his impressive accomplishments, those he leads are quick to say he is best known for promoting a caring culture.”
Prior to joining BSWH, Mr. Hinton was the president and chief executive officer of Presbyterian Health in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the state’s largest healthcare provider. During his tenure, spanning more than two decades, Mr. Hinton led the development of its integrated system, which includes the Presbyterian Health Plan and Presbyterian Medical Group. In 2013 he was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the industry by Modern Healthcare magazine.
In addition to his service at Presbyterian, Mr. Hinton gained experience in healthcare leadership on a national level, as chairman of the board of the American Hospital Association (AHA) in 2014, which represents nearly 5,000 hospitals, healthcare systems and other providers of care through advocacy and public policy. “I have traveled extensively throughout the United States and have been exposed to many other healthcare systems,” he says of his experiences with the AHA. “I have witnessed hundreds ofvariations—systems serving healthcare needs in rural, inner-city/urban, and suburban communities. I have seen different models of how physicians are organized. I have seen differences in the effectiveness and influence of health insurance plans on citizens in various populations. I think all of those things help me view the Baylor Scott & White Health system through a broad and informed lens.”
Community and a commitment to Central Texas
Mr. Hinton relocates to Texas with his family including his wife, Kristen, daughter Nora, 11, and son Ethan, 13. Two older children have followed their father into healthcare careers and live in other parts of the country. His son Robert, 26, works for a health system in New York City and daughter Rebecca, 30, is a registered nurse in Albuquerque, working for Presbyterian Health.
“I wasn’t looking for a job when this opportunity came along, but the reputation of Baylor Scott & White,its strong mission and excellence in care delivery, was too good to pass up. Also, the opportunity to live in a great community like Dallas, and to work in some of the most dynamic,growing communities in Texas was very exciting,” Mr. Hinton says. “I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to continue to build upon the best of two legacy brands to create an integrated system that will set a standard for the future of healthcare in clinical excellence and patient experience.”
On a personal level, the non-profit, faith-based mission of Baylor Scott & White was essential to Mr. Hinton. “I really am most comfortable in a system that has a broader context for a healing mission and purpose than just what you earn every month. That is very important to me.”
Since joining the system, Mr. Hinton has been getting to know its different constituencies and leaders including the Baylor Scott & White – Central Texas Foundation board. He has been impressed by the passion, dedication, and personal commitment of its members. “We have some very generous donors who have put a mark on this system forever,” he says. “We need to continue to cultivate that generosity, and encourage those connections in every way that we can.” He understands the unique challenges of creating a culture of philanthropy within a diverse system, and its role in sustaining a mission of community service. “As a system we are members of many communities and play an important part in enhancing people’s daily lives. Throughout my career I have always been committed to service. I believe philanthropy plays a key role in helping us serve more patients and raise the standards of care delivery in our communities.”
As the leader of the largest nonprofit health system in the state of Texas, Mr. Hinton acknowledges the challenges ahead but he is grounded in a commitment to service and a vision for new opportunities. From his point of view, it is all about how to deliver the best care to the patient in the new paradigm where “more care is not necessarily better care.” The end goal has not changed, Mr. Hinton says. “We need to align the best interests of patients with a sustainable financial model. BSWH has the heritage, culture, technology, and resources to bring best practices together to set new standards as we move forward into a new era of healthcare.”
Read more in this issue