Future St. David's construction timing depends on Leander community's needs, CEO says

A planned St. David's hospital in Leander remains without a construction timeline following fewer patient visits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Timing for the third phase of construction is dependent on the healthcare needs of the community," said David Huffstutler, CEO of St. David's HealthCare, in an email to Community Impact Newspaper.

The Leander location of St. David's HealthCare was announced in May 2016 with plans for a free-standing emergency department and a full-service hospital.

An emergency center opened in January 2018 as Phase 1, and a second-phase medical office building was completed in early April, Huffstutler said in an email. The 60,000-square-foot medical office building has not yet opened.

Visits to St. David's Emergency Center-Leander significantly dropped during the coronavirus pandemic, Huffstutler said in an email. He said patients remain concerned about visiting emergency centers or hospitals during the pandemic, and hospitals and health care systems have seen over 50% decreases.

He said St. David's facilities increased precautions with temperature checks, masking, personal protective equipment and testing patients for coronavirus before procedures and surgeries.

"St. David’s HealthCare encourages everyone to seek care promptly, when needed, to avoid further compromising their health," Huffstutler said in the email.

The Leander emergency center is located at 601 St. David's Loop, Leander.