From the cover
BY WESLEY GARDNER CONTRIBUTIONS BY HANNAH BROL & EMILY LINCKE
Filling the gap
New Caney-Porter medical providers*
45
10
242
New Caney
Primary care Urgent care
5
Emergency rooms Combination
2
8
The overview
336
Porter
The Woodlands
7
105
3
9
Hospitals
59
A growing presence of smaller medical providers is lling the gap left by a lack of large-scale hospitals in New Caney and Porter as the area’s population continues to rise. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, the population in the New Caney and Porter area grew by more than 17,650 residents from 2018 to 2023. Meanwhile, from 2018 to 2022, the number of establishments o ering health care and social assistance services locally grew from 45 to 71. Robert O’Brien, market medical director for HCA’s Gulf Coast Division, said he believes smaller medical providers—like HCA’s CareNow Urgent Care in New Caney, which opened in September— have helped meet the area’s rising demand for medical services. “It’s just amazing how the growth is out there, … but I think we’re ful lling that need for addressing urgent care in that region,” O’Brien said. O’Brien said CareNow Urgent Care o ers a range of medical services, including diagnosing and treating common sicknesses, minor procedures, sports physicals and vaccinations. The clinic is also able to provide patients with additional resources through HCA’s network of providers.
1 Elite Hospital Kingwood 2 HCA Houston ER 24/7 - Cleveland 3 HCA Houston Healthcare Conroe 4 HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood 5 Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital
6 Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center 7 St. Luke’s Health - Lakeside Hospital 8 St. Luke’s Health - The Woodlands Hospital 9 Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands 10 Texas Emergency Hospital
1314
242
6
45
99 TOLL
Spring
1
4
Kingwood
N
KEY
New Caney (77357)
Porter (77365)
Population change
Growth of health and social assistance facilities
Percentage of uninsured residents, 2023
New Caney Porter Montgomery County Texas United States
+30%
+58%
0 20 40 60 80
0 20K 40K 60K 80K
10% 20% 30%
2018 2019 2020
2022
2018 2023
0%
2021
*LIST IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE SOURCES: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, VARIOUS HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS COMMUNITY IMPACT
What’s next
A closer look
Also of note
Jhanae Kelley—public relations specialist for The Signorelli Company, the developer of Valley Ranch in New Caney—said o cials are actively looking for hospital options at that master-planned community’s upcoming wellness district. While a projected timeline for the wellness district—which will include a mixture of health care options, dining, hotel and residential units—is not available, Kelley said o cials from The Signorelli Company are currently in talks with potential tenants. O’Brien said HCA’s leadership team is also considering options in the area to meet growing demand. “HCA is on the lookout for growth to be able to build whatever is needed,” O’Brien said. “If there’s a need for another hospital in that area, then certainly that’s what they will be looking for.”
Meanwhile, Memorial Hermann Medical Group opened a primary care clinic in Valley Ranch Town Center in January. In addition, o cials with Health Center of Southeast Texas led permits with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in December to build a new clinic in Roman Forest. Construction is expected to wrap up on that project by March 2026. WeeKare Pediatrics Manager Edith Mendez said the provider is planning to open a New Caney clinic in November to cater to an underserved local Medicaid population. While WeeKare o ers a range of pediatric services, she said the clinic will work closely with other area medical providers to ensure all their patients’ needs are met. “If there’s things that we cannot provide, we can always look for help for you,” she said. Additionally, neighboring hospital HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood is undergo- ing a $111 million expansion to help meet growing health care needs.
Adeolu Moronkeji, manager of Montgomery County Hospital District’s Health Care Assistance Program, said despite New Caney and Porter’s growing population, Moronkeji said the program hasn’t seen a rise in applicants seeking assistance. Moronkeji said the program is a good resource for low-income, working adults who otherwise can’t a ord medical services. “People are not aware of this resource,” Moronkeji said. “We’re trying to connect them to those health care resources to help them recover faster.” To qualify for Montgomery County Hospital District’s Health Care Assistance Program, an individual must: • Reside in Montgomery County • Have an income not exceeding roughly $1,950 per month for an individual living alone • Limit medical assistance from the district to $2,000 per month
• Be a U.S. citizen or resident alien • Have a medical need of some kind
SOURCE: MONTGOMERY COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT COMMUNITY IMPACT
11
NEW CANEY PORTER EDITION
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