Dr. Brad Collins

Leaving a Legacy

Dr. Brad Collins retires from BMH, concluding a decades-long, distinguished career

story by COURTNEY MCDERMOTT
photos by CHARLOTTE BERKELEY and provided by BMH

When board-certified and fellowship-trained pathologist Brad Collins, MD, retired from Beaufort Memorial last month, he did so as one of the most accomplished physicians in the hospital’s history, and as the second of three family members to serve in a key role at the community hospital.

“There are few physicians and families who have contributed more to BMH and this community than Dr. Collins and his family,” said BMH President and CEO Russell Baxley.

Dr. Collins moved to Beaufort in 1971 when his father, Ernie, became the hospital’s first OBGYN (and, later, the Birthing Center’s namesake). He spent the next four years immersing himself in the community as a student at Beaufort Academy while his father assumed responsibility for all the births in the area.

After high school, he earned a BA in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, followed by a medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston. Following residencies in anatomic and clinical pathology, Dr. Collins joined Pathology Associates of Greenville, one of the largest pathology groups in the state at the time.

He always knew he wanted to return to Beaufort someday—retirement seemed the most likely target—but he and his wife, Cindy, along with their four children, had built a life and community in Greenville.
“We had a great life in Greenville, and for a long time, I don’t think Cindy or I had ever considered going anywhere else,” Dr. Collins said.

When he had the opportunity to join the Beaufort Memorial medical staff in 1996, it was both serendipitous and necessary. The hospital had recently completed the five-story medical tower with dedicated surgical wings, a state-of-the-art intensive care unit, and a bevy of imaging and lab services. With upwards of 150 providers covering 60-plus medical specialties, the sophistication of the medical staff combined with the increasing volume of services called for an equally dynamic pathology service.

So BMH officials and medical staff members determined the need to expand the services and expertise of its pathology department. Those charged with recruiting were familiar with Dr. Ernie Collins’ son, Brad, and his experience working with Pathology Associates in Greenville. At the same time, Charleston Pathology, P.A., a large group covering the bulk of pathology services in the greater Charleston area (outside of MUSC), was looking to expand its footprint in Beaufort.

“It just so happened that they were my mentors during fellowship training, so they were familiar with me and my experience, which had grown tremendously during my time in Greenville,” Dr. Collins said.

BACK TO BEAUFORT
Knowing he saw a future for himself and his family in Beaufort long-term, there was only one person he had to convince to make the leap: Cindy.

“I will never forget the moment that I asked Cindy if she would consider moving the family to Beaufort,” he recalled. “She told me that it was ‘now or never’ because this was going to be the last move we would make.”

Dr. Collins joined Charleston Pathology, P.A., and the BMH medical staff in March 1996, becoming the second member of the Collins family to care for this community. For nearly 30 years, he served as both chief pathologist and medical director of laboratory services. During that time, he held numerous leadership roles, including BMH Chief of Staff, president of the South Carolina Society of Pathologists, and chaired or participated in nearly a dozen state and local medical committees, programs, and boards.
During that time, he and Cindy also worked to advance the hospital through volunteerism and service with the BMH Foundation, the fundraising arm of the hospital. Dr. Collins served on the Board of Trustees for the Foundation for 10 years and in 2019 was named Trustee Emeritus in recognition of his service to the organization. At the same time, he and Cindy served as co-chairs of the annual Valentine Ball, hosted popular dinner parties for the event, and chaired subcommittees charged with organizing the event.

“Dr. Collin’s legacy extends beyond his contributions as a physician at Beaufort Memorial,” said Associate Vice President and Chief Development Officer Kim Yawn. “His service to the BMH Foundation has helped shape the landscape of healthcare — and philanthropy — in the Lowcountry today, while laying the groundwork for the future. The impact of the Collins family’s contributions will forever be a part of our organization’s story.”

Above all, Dr. Collins worked tirelessly to lead, develop, and support advanced programs and protocols to improve patient safety and care, and bring BMH to the forefront of responsible diagnostic services and blood management, among other things.

“Brad’s decades-long commitment to improving and advancing our services is both inspiring and remarkable,” said BMH President and CEO Russell Baxley. “Our hospital and our community are safer and healthier because of his dedication, leadership, and service.”

PUTTING BMH ON THE FOREFRONT
During his first year at Beaufort Memorial, Dr. Collins recognized the importance of achieving laboratory accreditation from the nation’s leading certifying body, the College of American Pathologists (CAP). With the buy-in and support of the entire laboratory staff, the BMH Laboratory received CAP Accreditation in 1997 and has maintained its CAP status ever since.

“I saw the quality of our staff and the services they were providing to our patients and providers, and I knew we were capable of achieving accreditation, and that doing so would validate the integrity and quality of our services,” he said. “I was so fortunate to have inherited a team that saw the value in the effort for the betterment of the hospital and the community.”

A few short years later, Dr. Collins was among three physicians tapped to solidify an affiliation agreement with Duke University Medical Center for heart and cancer services, one that required in-depth reviews of BMH pathology and other case reports to ensure that the quality of care provided locally matched the rigorous standards met by the world-renowned health system.

“I cannot overstate the benefits of working with another group of highly trained and qualified professionals, especially when you’re a small hospital working to meet the complex needs of a growing community,” he said. “The oversight we received through that relationship gave us confidence in our own expertise and credibility in the community.”

By the early 2000s, Beaufort Memorial, like many smaller, rural hospitals throughout the nation, was facing frequent blood shortages that threatened patient safety and disrupted surgery services. During his tenure in Greenville, Dr. Collins had witnessed the benefits of a community-based blood supplier to ensure the needs of local hospitals and their patients. Buoyed by this knowledge and his growing concerns for the health of local patients, he worked with BMH administrators to educate physicians and community leaders, and rally support to establish a local blood bank to serve the hospital.

The result? In February 2002, BMH joined forces with the Florida Georgia Blood Alliance based in Jacksonville, Florida, to establish the Lowcountry Community Blood Center, collecting blood through local blood drives and providing the hospital with a reliable and consistent source of blood and blood products. Now known as and operated by One-Blood, the community blood center is the sole provider of blood for BMH patients.

As the blood supply stabilized and thrived, seismic shifts in blood transfusion protocols swept the medical community, and, once again, Dr. Collins found himself on the forefront of a growing movement to reduce unnecessary blood transfusions. Backed by mounting evidence that blood transfusions could in fact be more harmful than helpful, he collaborated with hospital administrators to establish the region’s first Blood Management Program.

The program focuses on strict, science-based guidelines for blood transfusions and offers patients alternative treatments, including intravenous iron and synthetic hormone injections to stimulate the patient’s own red blood cell production. To date, the program has continued to reduce non emergent blood usage at the hospital by more than 45 percent.

“The progress I’ve seen in our services over the past several decades has been unbelievable,” Dr. Collins said. “And being a member of a large and very subspecialized group like Charleston Pathology has allowed local pathology services to meet the ever-expanding needs of this growing community.”

A TRUE GENTLEMAN AND CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL
Throughout his tenure, Dr. Collins impacted everyone who worked closely with him and was known for his humility and heart for service.

“One of the most important responsibilities of a physician is teaching, and in his three decades of service to Beaufort Memorial, Dr. Collins tirelessly educated us all on everything from best practices for ordering and interpreting lab studies and the importance of conserving our precious blood supply to always conducting oneself as a true gentleman and consummate professional,” said Chief Medical Officer Kurt Gambla, DO. “Despite his many, many achievements, Brad remains one of the humblest, kindest, salt-of-the-earth humans you could ever hope to meet.”

And in typical fashion, Dr. Collins gives much of the credit to those around him.

“I am so appreciative of the people I’ve been able to work with in the lab and in other departments, and I know that without their dedication and commitment to their profession and each other, it would be impossible to provide the highest level of care to all of the patients in the hospital,” he said.

He is also proud knowing his daughter, Allison, is working in the hospital’s administration as Associate VP, Corporate Compliance, Privacy & Contracting, continuing the family legacy of service started by his father more than 50 years ago.

As for retirement, Dr. Collins says he plans to enjoy it to the fullest. Following a 45th wedding anniversary trip abroad with his wife, Cindy, he hopes to make time for more boating, fishing, kite boarding, and hunting.

“My goal is to stop saying ‘no’ when I’m asked to spend time with my family and friends,” he said.
And with four kids and six grandkids, he’ll have plenty of enjoyment to fill his days.