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Caller-Times/File
EXPANSION: Paul Trevino, executive vice president of Christus Spohn Hospital Shoreline, oversees the daily operation of the 432-bed facility and the nine-story critical care tower under construction. The Christus Spohn system is expanding across the region. |
More hospital growth expected in ’04
Plan is to expand the System’s local hospitals and patient services across region
By Beth Cross/Caller-Times
Christus Spohn Health System unveiled an addition to one hospital, continued construction on another and expanded its administration in 2003. Texas A&M University in College Station recently announced plans to make the health system’s Spohn Memorial hospital a university teaching facility.
New president and CEO Kathryn McDonagh’s plan for growth includes even more expansion in the coming years.
McDonagh, who started in March 2003, has already filled two major administrative holes. Peter Banko took over as administrator and vice president of Spohn Memorial hospital, and Paul Trevino, was hired as vice president and administrator at Spohn Shoreline.
During McDonagh’s first year as CEO, Christus Spohn Hospital Beeville unveiled its new expansion for outpatient services, and Spohn Shoreline progressed on a nine-story, 220,000-square-foot critical care tower. A six-month, in-depth mass facility plan will focus on expansion for Shoreline, Memorial and South hospitals over the next 7-10 years.
"I anticipate a lot of growth in 2004 and continuing into the future," McDonagh said.
Some of that growth will be in the form of a $2.9 million west side clinic at Greenwood Drive and West Point Road, which is scheduled to open in October 2004.
The existing clinic consists of two mobile units that have been in the parking lot of the former Skinner Elementary school since late 1998. Its permanent replacement will accommodate two doctors instead of one and will bring in pharmacy services for Nueces Aid clients, Banko said.
"The old one was really meant as a temporary facility that ended up being permanently temporary," he said. "It was not necessarily a bad location or setup, but it wasn’t permanent."
In August, David Wagner, Beeville hospital administrator, oversaw the completion of a renovation and expansion project that included three new operating rooms, two endoscopy rooms, eight new outpatient rooms and an expanded recovery area.
In addition to making aesthetic improvements, the facility has improved patient flow and confidentiality, Wagner said. Four separate offices in the admitting area replace a desk with partitions, which allow patients privacy when providing medical and financial information, Wagner said.
The waiting area, which used to be in the hospital’s main lobby, has been moved to a more discreet location, and outpatient services have been consolidated. "Instead of outpatient services being spread throughout the hospital, we tried to make all the entrances off from one central corridor," Wagner said.
Beeville’s laboratory also was expanded, as well as cardiopulmonary, physical therapy and radiology areas.
At Spohn Shoreline, Trevino is overseeing construction of the critical care tower, which will house two floors of critical care units, the hospital’s emergency room and 432 new patient beds. Indoor bridges will connect the new building with the original hospital.
After the hospital’s existing emergency room is moved into the new tower, which should be completed by the end of this year, Trevino said the vacated space will be renovated for outpatient services.
"We’re in the process of determining what is the best use and purpose of the vacated space," Trevino said.
Spohn’s renovation and expansion started with the construction at Spohn South and will address changes in demographics, technology and physicians, Trevino said.
"It helps answer questions like how we can grow outpatient services in a community-based setting," he said.
McDonagh said the system’s expansion will mean more jobs and services at the city’s largest hospital system.
"In many instances, this will mean more jobs, as hospitals begin to take an ambulatory, high-technology approach," she said.
Contact Beth Cross at 886-3618 or crossb@caller.com
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