The tower adds 72 rooms to the hospital and will allow it to serve an additional 1,500 patients a year, said Deb Brown, chief operating officer at Dell Children’s Medical Center.
The new tower includes an intensive care unit, a cancer and hematology unit, an acute care unit, a simulation lab for training and additional space for more beds as needed. The space will also allow for the hospital to expand its neonatal intensive care unit and cardiac care unit and add a stem cell treatment program.
“The expansion is due to the rising demand for advanced pediatric hospital care close to home, pediatric outpatient care and a growing research program as part of the University of Texas Dell Medical School,” Brown said.
The new tower includes extra space for teams, including fellows from Dell Medical School, to collaborate on cases.
The ribbon-cutting was held as Dell Children, part of Ascension Seton, is experiencing a record-setting surge of patients in its emergency room due to flu and other respiratory cases, Brown said.
“Our emergency rooms right now are overflowing the ICU,” said Dr. Leah Harris, Dell Children’s physician in chief. “The opening of this new tower means that no matter the diagnosis, families will be able to remain at Dell Children’s and in their homes.”
On Oct. 22, Ascension Seton, the St. David’s Children’s Hospital and Austin Public Health put out a statement encouraging families to seek other care when possible before heading to the hospital for flu symptoms in children.
For the week of Nov. 5, the flu positivity rate was 34.59%, compared to 1% in a typical year, according to Austin Public Health.
