Cypress Edition | October 2024

Taking care of Cy-Fair From the cover

Long story short

Local hospital projects

Nearly three years after breaking ground, the 569,100-square-foot Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital is set to open in March. Associate Chief Nursing Ocer Nick Escobedo said he is already seeing the value its services will bring. “For things like breast imaging and medical oncology services, which were kind of lacking in the Cypress community, now we’re bringing access,” he said. In July, ocials with Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital announced plans to build a new six-story tower. New operating rooms, an additional cardiac catheterization lab and additional emergency beds are included in these plans. “We just announced our third expansion in three years. That speaks to the growth that’s happening in this community,” said Jerry Ashworth, Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital CEO. Ocials with HCA Houston Healthcare North Cypress announced plans in August to expand with a new three-story tower, including an acute rehabilitation unit and a medical surgical unit. All three hospital campuses have additional capacity for growth beyond these projects, ocials said.

99 TOLL

249

290

Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital • $277.5M expansion • Opening: 2027 • New beds: 58 • Total beds: 201

HCA Houston Healthcare North Cypress • $100M expansion • Opening: spring 2026 • New beds: 53 • Total beds: 216

TUCKERTON RD.

Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital • $685M new construction • Opening: March • Initial beds: 100 • Total beds at build-out: 400

HUFFMEISTER RD.

6

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SOURCES: MEMORIAL HERMANN CYPRESS HOSPITAL, HOUSTON METHODIST CYPRESS HOSPITAL, HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE NORTH CYPRESS˜COMMUNITY IMPACT

Diving in deeper

What the experts say

Gulf Coast registered nurses

Supply

Demand

Unmet demand

While the state health department reports a growing demand for health care workers, supply is expected to trail behind for years to come. Debby Hughes, director of human resources for Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital, said this shortage isn’t new. She said recruitment for all positions is in full swing. Local hospital CEOs said they believe it’s crucial to partner with higher education institutions and to help inspire younger students to pursue careers in the medical eld. “How do we help them on their path to becom- ing a health care professional? It’s nding and starting and investing in that pipeline much, much earlier than we ever have before,” Ashworth said. Ashworth said nursing schools need more state support as thousands of qualied applicants are turned away annually due to limited resources. Warren Bair, instructional dean of allied health and public services at Lone Star College-CyFair, said his team is “very much aware” of health care workforce shortages, and their health care programs at the college operate near full capacity.

100,000

“We see access as directly related to quality. If you’re sick [and] you can’t get in, you can’t get diagnosed, … it’s going to be harder to get you well as soon as you need to be to get back to your family.” TRENT FULIN, CEO, HOUSTON METHODIST CYPRESS HOSPITAL

75,000

10.6%

50,000

10.4%

25,000

0

Gulf Coast primary care physicians

Unmet demand

Supply

Demand

“I think, for many, that drive into the Texas Medical Center is intimidating. When you’re hospitalized close to where you live, it aords a better opportunity for your family, for your friends,

10,000

7,500

5,000

38.1%

33.8%

2,500

to participate in your care.” JIM BROWN, CEO, HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE NORTH CYPRESS

0

SOURCE: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES COMMUNITY IMPACT

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

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