Jay Fox, president of Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie, has been selected as a member of the 2011 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, which administers the award, is a national public-private partnership that aims to improve the competitiveness of American businesses and other types of organizations.
"The Baldrige National Quality Award is a coveted prize that is highly sought by many organizations across all sectors of the economy," says Fox. "I feel like being invited to serve as an examiner is a prize in and of itself, and I'm truly honored."
As a member of the Board of Examiners, Fox will advise the Baldrige Panel of Judges by reviewing the extensive applications that must be completed for an organization to be considered for the award. He also may participate in site visits to entities identified as serious contenders.
During his review, Fox will consider a range of topics vital to running any operation regardless of industry–among them leadership, strategic planning, and customer, workforce and operational focus. Organizations that receive the award are considered role models for others.
"The program owes much of its success to the excellence of those who serve as examiners," says Patrick Gallagher, director of the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology, which is the government agency that selects the Baldrige Award's judges and examiners.
Before assuming his duties as an examiner, later this spring Fox must attend a three-day training seminar and complete 40 to 60 hours of coursework to prepare him for the role.
"Being an examiner for the Baldrige Award is certainly a lot of work, but I think my time as a leader at Baylor Waxahachie has given me many of the tools I need to be ready for it," says Fox.
About Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie
The hospital's history began in 1914 with the opening of the area's first hospital, the Waxahachie Sanitarium. The opening of the medical facility brought needed health care services to the burgeoning Ellis County community.
In 1965, the Waxahachie Sanitarium was renamed the W.C. Tenery Hospital. For another 18 years, the hospital served Ellis County communities as an independent entity until 1983 when it joined Baylor Health Care System, eventually becoming Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie.
The Texas Quality Foundation recognized Baylor Waxahachie in 2009 and 2010 with a Texas Award for Performance Excellence because of the hospital's well-deployed, effective, systematic approaches to organizational management with good performance levels and trends evaluated against industry standards.
CONTACT:
Susan Hall
214.820.1817
SusanH@baylorhealth.edu
About Baylor Scott & White Health
As the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Baylor Scott & White is empowering customers to live well by reimagining traditional healthcare — creating more convenient, personalized and informed experiences. It serves more than three million customers through 53 hospitals, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple; the Baylor Scott & White Research Institute; 1,300+ access points; 59,000+ team members; and its leading digital platform — MyBSWHealth. The system's award-winning employer solutions include Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and Levanto — a company offering digitally enabled health products. Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White's mission is to promote the health and well-being of all individuals, families and communities. For more information, visit: BSWHealth.com