This fall, Texas Children’s will open its doors to the outpatient building of Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands. Soon thereafter in the spring of 2017, Texas Children’s second community hospital will be ready to serve The Woodlands and beyond.
“Tellepsen Construction has made tremendous progress,” said Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands President Michelle Riley-Brown. “The interior building is coming along nicely with walls, door frames and above the ceiling utilities are being installed as we speak. The design of the landscape is coming along as well and will include three fountains, a court yard and our trademark colorful yard letters.”
When people finally get to walk through the doors of the hospital, Riley-Brown said they will be greeted by a facility that is inviting, open and designed with a Spirit of the Woods theme to incorporate the lush, woodsy landscape that surrounds it. Just inside the main entrance, for example, is a grand staircase that will simulate a tree house, giving the area a safe, central location for children and families visiting Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands.
The decision to build the hospital was made after the success of Texas Children’s first community hospital, Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. The goal of the location north of Houston is to provide dedicated pediatric care to the fast-growing population of The Woodlands, Kingwood, Conroe, Spring, Magnolia, Humble, Huntsville and beyond.
“Having Texas Children’s quality care closer, fewer families will have to drive 35 miles to the Texas Medical Center to receive pediatric health care,” Riley-Brown said. “Hopefully, that will bring peace of mind to many families and parents that we are close by if they need us.”
Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands will build on a decade’s worth of relationships Texas Children’s has built in the community through our primary and sub-specialty care at Texas Children’s Pediatrics locations and the Texas Children’s Health Center The Woodlands. The 560,000-square-foot complex will offer inpatient and outpatient specialty pediatric care, and facilities will include 72 outpatient exam rooms, 25 emergency center exam rooms, 28 critical care rooms, 32 acute care rooms, 12 radiology rooms and four operating rooms.
The hospital’s leadership team is in place with Riley-Brown as president of the hospital, Dan DiPrisco as senior vice president, Dr. Charles Hankins as chief medical officer and Dr. Jeffrey Shilt as chief surgical officer. The hospital’s director team also has been chosen and includes Trent Johnson, Ketrese White, Julie Barrett, and Cathy Pierantozzi. As for providers, 40 percent of the hospital’s physicians have been hired and about 20 percent of its mid-level providers are in place. “Our goal is to attract the best and the brightest,” said Riley-Brown, adding that the hospital will employee about 650 employees when we open the doors. “We hope that people find this as an opportunity and will express interest in joining the Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands team.”
To prepare for the opening of the outpatient building and the hospital, seven activation teams have been formed that comprise 130 people from across the Texas Children’s system, including hospital-based services, clinical support services and patient care services. The goal of the teams is to ensure activation planning, operational alignment, increase visibility to the project and promote committed partnerships. Leaders also will be working with Dr. Jennifer Arnold and the Pediatric Simulation Center to plan for simulation and training prior to both the inpatient and outpatient facilities opening.
“It’s pretty exciting to know that we’re making history at Texas Children’s Hospital with yet another milestone of opening a community setting for the hospital,” Riley-Brown said. “We can’t wait to open the doors!”
See below for the most up-to-date aerials of the hospital. Click here to get a snapshot of what will be offered at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands.
