The new Pflugerville hospital from Baylor Scott & White Health will feature a multidisciplinary model of care not seen anywhere else in the Austin area, according to Baylor Scott & White officials.
Hospital and city leaders will host a ground breaking ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 8 for Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Pflugerville, which will be located at 2600 E. Pflugerville Parkway, near SH 130 and adjacent to the Falcon Pointe subdivision. The three-story 97,474-square-foot hospital and integrated multispecialty medical clinic is slated to open by mid-2018.
The project will bring more than 125 jobs to the area upon its opening.
“We’ve received so much support from the Pflugerville community over the years,” said Jay Fox, president of Baylor Scott & White Health-Austin/Round Rock Region. “The ground breaking on this facility renews our commitment to Pflugerville and our goal to be the best place to give and receive safe, quality and compassionate care.”
A long time coming
Former Pflugerville Mayor Jeff Coleman, who left the seat late last year after reaching his term limit, said Pflugerville has worked to bring a hospital to the city for close to a decade.
“This being the first one in our community is going to be a huge benefit for us because our residents will no longer have to leave our home to get that kind of service,” Coleman said. “It will also spur this kind of development in the economy that we haven’t had just yet with additional doctors and specialists moving in. Baylor Scott & White is going to be a fabulous partner with the city of Pflugerville, and we are excited that they are coming here.”
Coleman said there were not a lot of negotiations, and all the pieces of the project fell in place in the past year to 15 months.
“The big question for them was how big of a footprint they wanted,” Coleman said. “At one point they were looking at 30 or 40 percent of the land they ultimately ended up buying, but they wanted to make sure they had enough space.”
The hospital site consists of 26.39 acres, according to preliminary site plans submitted by Baylor Scott & White. The project’s initial footprint will be 51,950 square feet.
Room to grow, integrated care
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Pflugerville will only take up a portion of the land rezoned Oct. 25 by City Council. The 148.88 acres that was rezoned offers the opportunity to expand Baylor Scott & White’s first hospital in Pflugerville.
As of Jan. 30, Baylor Scott & White had 21 clinics and four hospitals in Williamson and northern Travis counties. Overall in Central and North Texas, the company operates 48 hospitals and 900 clinics.
Innovative health care advances will be featured in the new facility, according to hospital officials, with a care delivery model that allows for greater coordination among hospital and clinic medical team members in which health care providers can work on the same patients in tandem.
“Our unique multidisciplinary team approach and integrated care model allows all of our medical specialists prompt access to one another to review results, discuss clinical findings and agree on a designated plan tailored to each individual patient,” said Dr. Rob Watson, Baylor Scott & White Health-Austin/Round Rock Region chief medical officer.
Coupled with an electronic medical record system used across the care continuum, Baylor Scott & White said the model will improve the patient experience and prevent unnecessary medical tests—all while aiming to reduce the amount of time spent at the hospital.
Newly elected Mayor Victor Gonzales said the commitment to his city is the beginning of a strong partnership.
“Baylor Scott & White shares our goals and is expanding their footprint in Pflugerville to provide residents additional wellness and care opportunities,” Gonzales said. “The presence of a hospital facility contributes to the regional medical needs and is a critical piece in building Pflugerville into a vibrant, healthy, family-friendly community.”
A focus on healthy living
In addition to offering medical care similar to that available at centers throughout the health system, the medical center in Pflugerville will have a greater focus on activities and programs designed to highlight healthy living habits.
“We are always looking for ways to advance our mission of creating a healthier population in Texas by serving more people and communities,” Fox said. “We take a team approach to caring for every patient so they get the highest care possible.”
The facility has been designed to focus on healthy living and will serve as a venue for programs and initiatives, including health and wellness seminars, nutrition classes and cooking demonstrations. Baylor Scott & White officials said they plan to expand upon their community walks and fitness sponsorships in the Pflugerville area.
“We want to empower our patients to take charge of their health,” Watson said. “We believe we can serve our patients best by offering a variety of health information and wellness activities and making their medical information available to them, so that each has the opportunity to create a personalized path to a healthier life.”
What may follow the hospital
Pflugerville leaders said they are optimistic the hospital will bring even more jobs and growth to the city.
“It gives consumers choices now,” said Patricia Gervan-Brown, Pflugerville Chamber of Commerce president and CEO. “In terms of employment base, health care is one of those growing industries. It is one of those things we are targeting for future growth. We are just very excited about them coming in.”
Coleman, who owns a State Farm insurance agency in downtown Pflugerville, agreed the hospital will serve as a catalyst for new projects.
“I really think this will spur competition, and I think there will be other providers that do not want to cede the city of Pflugerville to Baylor Scott & White, so I think we will see other health care organizations look at Pflugerville as a great place to put a hospital,” Coleman said. “I think that any time the market works, that allows competition and gives the best service to people.”
Baylor Scott & White officials said they look forward to helping improve the area.
“We want to grow with this community, being an active member of Central Texans’ lives for decades to come,” Fox said.
More details of the project will be published on communityimpact.com after the Feb. 8 groundbreaking. Rachel Lucio contributed to this report.
Leaders of the new hospital
- Jay Fox, president of Baylor Scott & White Health -Austin/Round Rock Region
- Dr. Rob Watson, chief medical officer for Baylor Scott & White Health-Austin/Round Rock Region
- Leslie Gembol, chief nursing officer for Baylor Scott & White Health-Austin/Round Rock Region
- Colleen Sundquist, vice president of clinic operations for Baylor Scott & White Health-Austin/Round Rock Region
- Joe Brown, vice president of hospital operations for Baylor Scott & White Health-Austin/Round Rock Region
About Baylor Scott & White Health
Formed from the 2013 merger between Baylor Health Care System and Scott & White Health, the system referred to as Baylor Scott & White Health is the largest not-for-profit health care system in Texas. The system now includes 48 hospitals, more than 1,000 access points, 5,500 active physicians and 44,000 employees plus the Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute and the Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance—a network of clinical providers and facilities focused on improving quality, managing the health of patient populations and reducing the overall cost of care. www.bswhealth.com
