Baylor Scott & White expanding beds, services to meet growing Brazos Valley needs
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The expansion includes eight new inpatient beds, a hybrid operating room, a 3T MRI machine added in partnership with the Physicians Center, and an $8 million renovation to the Rock Prairie Medical Building.
Jason Jennings, regional president of Baylor Scott & White, said demand for care has climbed steadily over the past three years.
"Our emergency department has seen an increase of 15% in the last three years. People that need to be admitted or spend the night in our hospital, we've seen a sizable growth of 4%, and then we always like to welcome those new babies. Over the last same time period, there's been an increase of 13% more babies being born," Jennings said.
Bob Yancy, City Council Place 5, said the growth in the community is reflected in the hospital's numbers.
"About a year and a half ago, there were some 20,000 babies that, uh, new College Stationers that have been born in that hospital," Yancy said.
Yancy also spoke to the broader value of local health care access.
"Well, health care in a community closer to home is better health care," Yancy said.
A neighbor said the expansion addresses needs that go beyond just population size.
"As our population grows, but also ages. Folks are looking for primary care physicians and they're looking for specialty physicians as well.." the neighbor said.
The hybrid operating room is among the most significant additions. Jennings said it will be the only one of its kind in the area.
"Something called a hybrid operating room. We'll have the only hybrid operating room in the entire community and this will really enhance surgical capabilities for vascular neurosurgery, as well as heart procedures," Jennings said.
I asked Jennings about the timeline for the new services.
"The hybrid operating room will come online in February of 2027. Our 3T Magnet or MRI actually opened in March and we're serving more patients through that. And the cath lab has already came online. So about half and half," Jennings said.
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