From your roving reporter – A conversation with Stephen Lee

Baptist Health Systems
Stephen Lee
PresidentBaptist Hospital – Nassau

Submitted by Gerry Clare
Roving Reporter

Third in this series to answer the question, “What are the Most Important Challenges Facing You in 2014,” is Stephen Lee, Hospital President at Baptist Medical Center Nassau. We met in his office near the construction activity for the new medical office building.

Of course, keeping an eye on that project is an ongoing responsibility for Lee, but he also mentions his overall continuing goal for this year to go from “onesies to twosies.” By that he means “broadening the base of physician services for each of the medical specialties” associated with health care and the hospital. These doctors will help fill the new medical office building along with eight beds on the first floor for Community Hospice.

Baptist Hospital office building under construction.
Baptist Hospital office building under construction.

Currently with an aging population and an aging physician base, there may be only one specialist available in our area and that person may be only part time. Otherwise patients have to travel to Jacksonville or Georgia for appointments. Now there is a full time urologist available, a second full time cardiologist, a second psychologist and a second full time orthopedist. Lee said that they are also working on having a possible full time ENT specialist as well. The First Coast Oncology group will be expanding to the new building as well.

Baptist Health recently contracted for a consulting arrangement with MD Anderson, a world renowned cancer specialist in Houston and now has affiliations with Southeast Georgia Health systems and Flagler in St Augustine. This regional cooperation will help expand and share medical solutions for our community in Nassau.

Being a “not for profit and community hospital”, BMC has to accept all patients to its emergency room, and also supports local charity medical solutions. The local Board of Directors for the hospital concurs in these community humanitarian efforts. For instance, the hospital pays for the medical director for Barnabas’ Samaritan Clinic and has extended the Council of Aging’s lease for five years at $10 a year.

Currently Baptist has 400 employees and 200 volunteers. Lee comments that that is an unusualy high amount of volunteers for any hospital and credits the community for its efforts. Also, employees are participating in many charitable ventures. Keep your eye on the expanding efforts and achievements of Baptist Medical Center Nassau for a memorable 2014.

Gerry Clare.jpg 2Editor’s Note: Gerry began free lance writing for fun and is the author of a published book (available on Amazon and at Books Plus) about funny real estate experiences. Gerry is a longtime member of our local American Business Women’s Chapter, a volunteer cancer driver and church deacon who loves to read, travel and meet interesting people.

February 18, 2014 5:02 p.m.

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Tom Washburn
Tom Washburn (@guest_18417)
10 years ago

I commend Mr. Lee for continuing and expanding Jim Mayo’s program for community outreach. The hospital’s coordination of services with Samaritan Clinic of Barnabas Center has been graciously augmented by in-kind services of over $1/2 million a year for several years. Now, Mr. Lee has cooperated in the newly created Barnabas Health Services which offers primary health care (as of March 3, 2014) in integration with dental and mental health care. His willingness to work with other community health resources has been outstanding, as was Mr. Mayo’s.