Dedication To Compassionate Care
Lessons learned during the ongoing pandemic established a firm resolve by UT Southwestern’s health care heroes to press on, elevating even more their commitment to excellent and compassionate care.
Innovative patient care technologies introduced safer tools for aortic repair surgery and thyroid nodule removal. Meanwhile, important clinical research prompted reevaluation of procedures for the best outcomes in several areas, including neonatal respiratory support, pain strategies for new mothers following C-sections, and cardiac care. And the Medical Center continued to lead with significant advances in the fight against COVID-19, such as the development of a test that detects variants of the virus in hours.
Three new facilities opened or broke ground to enhance care options for patients, including construction of The Texas Behavioral Health Center at UT Southwestern in December, addition of a new facility to treat cancer patients in November, and opening of UT Southwestern Medical Center at RedBird in August.
Achievements for outstanding patient care included the ranking of UT Southwestern as the No. 1 hospital in DFW for the sixth year in a row by U.S. News & World Report and recognition for geriatric care excellence by the international nursing organization NICHE.
Improving the future of regional psychiatric care
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), UT Southwestern, and Children’s Health celebrated a groundbreaking in December for the state’s newest psychiatric hospital in Dallas, The Texas Behavioral Health Center at UT Southwestern. The joint project between HHSC and UT Southwestern will bring the expertise of both organizations to create a state-of-the-art mental health system for the region. Construction of the adult facility is estimated to be complete by late 2025 and the pediatric addition by early 2026. A donation from Children’s Health is funding the pediatric unit.
New Openings
Raising the bar in patient care
A novel imaging device rolled out at UT Southwestern in 2022 is making complex aortic repairs safer for patients and operating room staff by dramatically reducing their exposure to radiation. The device uses light to visualize blood vessels, nearly eliminating the need for X-rays typically used during minimally invasive vascular procedures. UTSW is among seven centers worldwide to use this fiber-optic system. Learn more about this novel procedure in a video.
A UT Southwestern study published in JAMA found that stroke patients on long-term blood thinners who were given the clot-busting drug alteplase enjoyed better recoveries and had no increased risk of bleeding. The results of the study, which was led by Ying Xian, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neurology and Population and Data Sciences, run counter to the common practice of withholding the clot-busting drug due to concerns over bleeding.
A UTSW study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology showed how a new pain management strategy is helping women recover from cesarean sections. The approach, which primarily uses non-opioid drugs, successfully managed pain while boosting breastfeeding rates and decreasing the use of opioids by more than 75%. Lead author of the study is Elaine Duryea, M.D., Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Earlier this year, Vickie Bell-Percival became the first UTSW patient to undergo a nonsurgical treatment for thyroid nodules – lumps that occur in a gland that are usually noncancerous but can cause health problems. The procedure, called radiofrequency ablation, uses an electrode with high-frequency current to generate heat to burn the tissue, leading to cell death and shrinking the treated part over time.
UTSW has received exemplar status by the Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE), an international designation that indicates a hospital’s commitment to achieving the highest level of geriatric care excellence. UT Southwestern is also ranked as the nation’s 26th top program in geriatrics by U.S. News & World Report.
A UT Southwestern team of neonatologists, nurses, and respiratory therapists is sharing its strategy for reducing the use of mechanical ventilation in preterm infants with health care professionals nationwide. “Our reports showing improved outcomes after decreasing exposure to mechanical ventilation are now being noticed around the world,” said Venkat Kakkilaya, M.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics.
New leaders in clinical care
Three clinical departments receive new leadership with the appointments of Jorge Bezerra, M.D., as Chair of Pediatrics, Robert Timmerman, M.D., as Chair of Radiation Oncology, and Heakyung Kim, M.D., as Chair of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Identifying COVID variants in hours
Last year, Assistant Professor of Pathology Jeffrey SoRelle, M.D., and colleagues developed CoVarScan, a rapid COVID-19 test that detects the signatures of eight hotspots on the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In August, the team reported in Clinical Chemistry that their test is as accurate as other methods used to diagnose COVID-19 and can successfully differentiate between all current variants of SARS-CoV-2.
By the Numbers
UT Southwestern has received numerous accolades for its patient-care programs, which have a depth and breadth that reaches beyond Dallas. In addition to being noted among the nation’s Best Hospitals for outcomes by Vizient, U.S. News & World Report, and Healthgrades, UT Southwestern is also recognized in the following:
Recognized for Stroke Care
UTSW was the first comprehensive stroke center in North Texas to be recognized by The Joint Commission/American Heart Association for providing the highest level of stroke care available.
Top 5% of Hospitals
For the past five years, UT Southwestern has been recognized by Press Ganey, a national leader in patient satisfaction surveys, as among the top 5% of hospitals nationwide on quality measures.
High Marks
for Safety
UT Southwestern University Hospital has been ranked among the nation’s safest hospitals by The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit watchdog organization.
