What's new in the Brazos Valley?

See your gifts in action in Brenham and College Station.

Thanks to the generosity of our communities, healthcare in the Brazos Valley just keeps getting better—with new services, advanced equipment, and enhanced space to help meet the needs of a growing population.

Brenham
Audiology Booth
In fiscal year 2020, more than 300 patients were referred from Brenham to College Station for hearing tests, leading to long waits for available appointments. Now, a new audiology booth is open at Baylor Scott & White Clinic - Brenham Hwy 290, funded entirely by philanthropy.

“The audiological component is vital to our full spectrum of ear, nose, and throat care,” says Dr. Troy Simon, an otolaryngologist in both Brenham and College Station. “Now our patients have local access to both diagnostics and our hearing aid practice.”

Emergency Department Expansion
With population growth comes increased demand for high-quality healthcare, particularly emergency care. Design work is underway for the 5,000 square-foot expansion of the Emergency Department (ED) at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Brenham to support the community’s changing needs.

Currently, the ED treats about 60 patients per day, although it is designed to accommodate only 45 per day. Four new exam rooms will accommodate an additional 60 patients per day, or roughly 22,000 per year.

Other highlights include private rooms to replace curtained bays, a larger nurses’ station, and a convertible “safe room” to better serve patients experiencing a mental
health crisis.

The $2.3 million project will be fully funded by generous gifts from our community, with construction scheduled to begin in late 2021.

College Station
Congestive Heart Failure Clinic
Inspired by his own experience with congestive heart failure (CHF), Richard Powell and his wife Barbara made a generous gift to help establish a space for patients receiving infusions for CHF at Baylor Scott & White Clinic - College Station Rock Prairie.

“At the beginning, we were making the trip to Temple weekly for Richard’s infusions which could take up to eight hours,” Mrs. Powell says. “The team at the Cancer Center in College Station found a way for him to get the treatment closer to home.”

Unfortunately, Mr. Powell passed away after a brief battle with cancer. “I know he was so grateful for everything they did for him at the Cancer Center, and would be proud to be able to contribute in this way,” Mrs. Powell says.

The NICU retinal camera (left) and the Neonatal Transport Isolette, generously funded in full by our donors.

NICU Equipment
A generous gift from Dr. Jared and Mrs. Kelly Anderson provided a new retinal camera to the College Station NICU. The camera will allow neonatologists to capture high-quality images of newborns’ eyes and work with pediatric ophthalmologists to identify ocular issues, especially those common among premature infants.

In addition, the Marshall Verne Ross Foundation funded the purchase of a Neonatal Transport Isolette, equipped with all the necessary tools for supporting and monitoring newborns while on the move. This “mobile NICU” can be used to transport fragile infants between departments for treatment, or even between hospitals for advanced care.

“The Brazos Valley community is growing and thriving, and we are so grateful to all our donors who help us continue to provide compassionate care for our patients in this area,” says Jason Jennings, regional president for the Brenham/College Station area. “The impact you have can never be overstated.”

Learn More
To learn more about these initiatives and others in Brenham or College Station, please contact Kassi Horner at 979-571-4872.