The details
Hospital CEO John Corbeil said the expansion will add 60 beds, expand the adult emergency department, redesign the ambulance drop-off area and add two new rooftop helipads.
Corbeil said the expansion is necessary to keep up with growing demand for health care services, including trauma care.
“We are the only Level II trauma center in the area and that span really reaches out all the way to Tyler, Texas, and Louisiana,” Corbeil said. “Our area is growing at seven and a half times the national average, and so ... as the demand increases, we’ve got to keep up with that with the physical space.”
According to the American Trauma Society, Level II is the second-highest trauma designation a hospital can receive. Level II trauma centers are able to initiate definitive care for all injured patients and offer 24-hour immediate coverage by general surgeons and some specialties.
The next closest Level II trauma centers would be Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center and HCA Houston Healthcare Conroe.
Why it matters
Sean Conley, the assistant chief and emergency medical services director for Atascocita Fire Department, provided input to hospital officials ahead of the project’s approval. Currently, the ambulance drop-off area is underground, which Conley said is restrictive and leads to bottlenecks.
“Trauma, [heart attacks] and stroke are the trilogy of critical patients where time really matters,” he said. “So when you’re talking about one of the few Level II trauma centers in the area, ... it’s important that we can utilize that facility as quickly as possible.”
Additionally, Conley said the hospital’s helipad is currently located at ground level next to the emergency room, which means the area is not accessible if a helicopter is landing.
“Moving [the helipad] to the roof is extremely efficient, not only for us, but for the helicopter service as well because now they’ve got their own facility, they can come and go as they please, and they don’t have to shut down the parking lot,” Conley said. “It’s more efficient, saves time and saves lives.”
The timeline
HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood received approval and $111 million in funding for the expansion project from the hospital system in April.
Hospital officials said the project’s design is expected to be finalized by September. Once complete, officials will begin obtaining the necessary permits for the project, which they said could take up to six months.
Construction is expected to begin in late 2025 or early 2026 and is expected to take 18-24 months, hospital officials said.
Looking ahead
Corbeil said, as the expansion takes shape, hospital officials are expecting to add personnel to staff the additional beds; however, exact numbers have not been announced.
Corbeil also noted the expansion will help hospital officials in their long-term goals of becoming a Level I trauma center—the highest trauma designation a hospital can receive—and bringing the first burn unit to the north Houston area. No concrete timelines for these goals have been announced.
