Employee Stories | Baylor Scott & White Health

Khaled Altassan, MD, MPH | Sarah Starling, APRN, FNP-C | Sam Watkins, PA-C

Occupational medicine | Triathlete relay team

When Dr. Khaled Altassan was hired onto the occupational medicine team at BSW Medical Center – Temple nearly five years ago, he quickly bonded with colleagues Sarah Starling and Sam Watkins over their shared interest of physical well-being. “We got to know each other, and it came up that I like to run, Sam liked to bike and Khaled was a swimmer,” Sarah said. “Our clinic manager, Pat, started to joke that he had a whole triathlon team!”

Soon after, Pat became ill. “He was very sick and knew he wasn’t going to recover,” said Dr. Altassan. “We visited him in the hospital and told him we were going to enter a triathlon together. We all knew he wouldn’t be there to see it, but it made him smile.”

The trio trained countless hours and named their team in honor of their clinic manager. “We entered that race knowing he’d brought us together,” said Sam. “We got third place that year and sent our finish line photos to his family.”

Each year since, the team, now racing as “The Three Amigos”, has entered various triathlon relays, winning their first gold medal at Marble Falls in 2024. We couldn’t believe we won,” said Sarah. “Getting that medal felt like all our hard work paid off.”

The trio not only works well together on the course—but also in the clinic. “We all have one another’s back. Whether it’s consulting on a patient’s results or treatment plan—or covering if one of us has a family event; we know we can come to one another with anything. It makes us better for our patients and better for our families,” said Sarah.

Staying healthy and active is good for the whole squad.

“We don’t train to win,” said Dr. Altassan. “We train to stay healthy and be active. It’s a team-building exercise literally and metaphorically—we have to work together.”

“You feel like if you stop, you’re letting your team down,” said Sarah. “If I have my team depending on me, I’m going to do my best.”

Stefanie Hall

Practice administrator | Wake surfing mom of three

Stefanie Hall discovered a love of wakeboarding in her early 20s, along with her husband, Chad, a trauma and acute care surgeon at Baylor Scott & White. When they were looking to move to the Central Texas area several years ago, a good lake for wakeboarding was a must-have.

“Our jobs and lives are so busy, and the lake is our place to reset,” she said. “We get to spend quality time with family and friends without thinking about what needs to be done. It’s like a mini vacation every time we go.”

Over the years, this time spent on the lake has become even more meaningful now that Stefanie and Chad get to share it with their three kids, ages 10, 8 and 5. “Watching my kids learning and getting up on a wakeboard and sharing our passion with them—that’s my feeling of joy,” she said.

When not at work or on the lake, Stefanie and her family have found other ways to be active together, too. She and her husband enjoy workouts on their Peloton, and her kids stay busy with football, gymnastics, soccer and golf. “It just feels good to stay active,” she said. “It’s our energy and stress release.”

Because her family is constantly on the go, the MyBSWHealth app, especially 24/7 virtual care, has become a timesaver for Stefanie. When minor illnesses happen, she can easily access care for herself or her family—no matter when they need care or where they are—by using a video visit or eVisit.

“One of my kids recently had swimmer’s ear, and we didn’t have to spend two hours going to an appointment,” she said. “I logged on the app, did an eVisit, and in 15 minutes, we had a prescription sent to the pharmacy.”

As a practice administrator for the Virtual Urgent Care Hub/telemedicine for the system, Stefanie not only sees the benefits of virtual care in her personal life but also first-hand in her day-to-day work. She says the opportunity to serve families like her own through the telemedicine team keeps her going.

“They’re busy working parents who are scrambling to keep up with everything in their lives,” she said. “With our 24/7 clinic, we’re able to meet people where they are and get them the healthcare they need in an affordable way. It’s an amazing feeling to know that we’re able to provide this service to the community.”

Make sure you get the right care at the right time. Check out Where to Go For Care chart to see the care options available, depending on your health need.

Blake Bruneman

Research data coordinator | Scuba diver

For Blake Bruneman, a research data coordinator at Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, scuba diving brings together his love of family, culture, nature and conservation all into one activity. Blake completed his first dive at age 12 in Maui, Hawaii, where some of his family lives, and he’s been diving ever since.

“Having family from the islands and experiencing that culture growing up, I was very exposed to the importance of conservation and environmentalism,” Blake said. “I’m passionate about any efforts that go toward saving the planet, and that’s a big part of the scuba diving community. Everyone is dedicated to protecting sea life.”

As a scuba diver, Blake has earned his emergency first response, rescue diving and dive master certifications. And now he’s sharing his passion with others by helping teach scuba diving classes and volunteering at a local scuba shop. He also stays active with weightlifting, running, pickleball and tennis.

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While most other 24-year-olds aren’t thinking about retirement, Blake has a plan in place so he can scuba dive well into the future. As a new employee, he heard about the 401(k) plan but wasn’t sure where to start. “When I started working, I didn’t know anything about saving for retirement—no one teaches you this stuff in school,” he said.

But Blake did his research, talked with co-workers and read about the power of compound interest. He decided to take advantage of the 5% match offered as part of his benefits and downloaded the Empower app to keep track of his progress. “I was shocked by how easy it is,” he said. “I can pull up the app on my phone and easily update everything.”

Along with tapping into his financial wellness, Blake also set up a free Headspace account through Baylor Scott & White that he uses for meditation. From staying active to taking time to meditate to saving for the future, Blake is taking steps to live well—physically, mentally and financially—for years to come.

“With my 401(k), I’m setting up my future and making sure I have enough money to scuba dive in retirement,” Blake said. “I have a giant scuba world map hanging in my room that has 500 dive sites from all the coastal countries in the world. My goal in saving for retirement is to be able to retire without worrying about finances and travel to the places I want to go.”

Plan ahead for your future and take advantage of Baylor Scott & White's dollar-for-dollar matching contributions up to 5% of eligible base salary. Enrollment is a great time to check in on your investments. Find more details on the Financial Benefits > Retirement Savings Plan page.

Marcus Kim

Registered nurse | Fitness enthusiast/leukemia survivor

As a nurse and a leukemia survivor, Marcus Kim, BSN, RN, knows first-hand how important it is to focus on his well-being. After beating cancer over a decade ago, he’s stayed on top of his health through routine checkups, healthy eating and workouts—especially weightlifting.

“After I was diagnosed, I told myself that I had to change something,” Marcus said. “I always meal prep and avoid processed foods and make sure I go to the gym at least three to four times a week. Whenever I’m consistently working out, I can tell a difference. I feel stronger.”

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When Marcus moved to the Dallas area and started working at Baylor University Medical Center in 2024, finding the right place to transfer his medical care was also a priority. His health insurance through the Baylor Scott & White Health Plan and the MyBSWHealth app made it simple.

He was able to connect with an oncologist located on the same campus as his work and continues follow-up visits every four months. “It was easy for me to find a doctor—there were a lot of options for me,” he said. “Everyone has been so accommodating and so friendly.”

Along with making appointments, Marcus uses the app to refill his medications, including specialty prescriptions. He can also quickly view his lab results after visits with his doctor or message his care team. “If I need something, I just open up my app and send a message. I usually get a response fast,” Marcus said. “If I need a refill, it’s only a few clicks away.”

As a dad to an 11-year-old and an 8-year-old and as a husband, staying healthy and active has also become a part of his family. When not at work, he stays busy with family activities, including taking his daughter to gymnastics and doing agility training with his son.

“I’m not only staying healthy for myself, but I’m doing this for my family, especially my two kids,” Marcus said. “I always encourage my kids and bring them along with me. They push themselves and push me to keep being active, too.”

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