In comparison to where we stood a few hundred years ago, human beings have become better across a host of different things, and we have done so using, more than anything else, an ability to grow on a consistent basis. This progressive streak, on our part, has already got the world to hit upon some huge milestones, with technology appearing as a major member of the stated group. The reason why technology enjoys such an esteemed stature among people is, by and large, predicated upon its skill-set, which guided us towards a reality that nobody could have ever imagined otherwise. Nevertheless, if we look up close for a second, it will become clear how the whole runner was also very much inspired from the way we applied those skills across a real world environment. The latter component was, in fact, what gave the creation a spectrum-wide presence, and consequentially, kickstarted a full-blown tech revolution. Of course, this revolution then went on to scale up the human experience through some outright unique avenues, but even after achieving such a monumental feat, technology will somehow continue to produce the right goods. The same has grown increasingly evident in recent times, and assuming one new healthcare-themed development shakes out just like we envision, it will only make that trend bigger and better moving forward.
Children’s Health has officially announced a partnership with UT Southwestern Medical Center to set up a new $5 billion pediatric health campus in Dallas’ Southwestern Medical District. According certain reports, the stated campus will span across more than 2 million-square-foot of space, packing together two 12-story towers and an 8-story tower to replace the existing Children’s Medical Center Dallas. To get more specific, the campus will boast an estimated 552 beds, which marks a sizeable 38% increase on the previous center. There will also be enough space available to accommodate any plans for future expansion. A similar upgrade on square footage is also conceived for emergency department and operating rooms, with both set to grow by 15% and 22%n respectively. Joining the same is a Level I pediatric trauma center. Here, you have state-of-the-art facilities featuring over 90 ER exam rooms and 24 observation rooms. Notably enough, the new pediatric campus has also dedicated a fair amount of attention towards sustaining the care already being received by babies throughout the region. This is why it will bring to the fore a connector bridge between the new campus and the adjoining Clements University Hospital, thus helping latter’s patients receive pediatric expertise provided at the Children’s Health Level IV NICU and Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU). Not just post-birth, the new campus is also well-equipped to deliver fetal care, something it will do so through a specialized fetal care center. At this center, mothers-to-be can expect the region’s most advanced and accessible services for complex maternal and fetal dynamics. In case that doesn’t sound like a lot, then we must mention how the stated services will be complimented through comprehensive fetal surgery capabilities, provided at the nearby Clements University Hospital. There will also be a new outpatient clinic building which will install 96 exam rooms to the 344 that will continue to operate at the existing Specialty Center Dallas outpatient facility on Stemmons Freeway at Medical District Drive. Now, given the campus’ pledge to work alongside these different existing institutions, a factor like seamless transportation becomes critical. Fortunately enough, in that regard as well, the campus has on the offer two helicopter pads.
“Our comprehensive and team-based care approach is unique in the region, highlighted by specialists in every pediatric field who collaborate to provide compassionate, high-quality care for children,” said Maeve Sheehan, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Children’s Medical Center Dallas, and Professor and Vice Chair for Clinical Operations at UT Southwestern. “This type of care model has been front and center in our design process, guiding the creation of spaces that not only accommodate medical excellence but also prioritize the comfort, healing, and individual needs of each child.”
The development in question delivers a rather interesting follow-up to the increasing demand for healthcare in Dallas-Fort Worth region, where population has been consistently outpacing the national average. To put things into perspective, current estimations see the area reaching 8.5 million in residents by 2025. Out of this, pediatric population accounts for more than 2.5 million. Assuming projections are true; the pediatric number alone will suppress 3 million by 2032, and will almost double by 2050.
As for what makes each of the partners an ideal candidate for such an effort, the answer, in Children’s Health case, stems from its long and successful track record of preaching high-quality pediatric healthcare. Ranked by US News & World report as the no.1 children’s hospital in North Texas, and one of the nation’s best pediatric hospitals, Children Health has specialty programs stretching across Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Neonatology, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology, and Urology. These programs have also been deemed among the best in their respective fields for six consecutive years. Beyond the treatment, even the organization’s nurses have received the Magnet® designation for the past 14 years, the highest honor for nursing excellence. To talk about what the organization is doing in just the Dallas area, we can look at its plan to open a new Plano hospital tower at some point in 2024, a tower which will ultimately triple the number of beds and significantly increase clinical capabilities. For 2025, Children’s Vision has a goal to establish presence in the 150,000-square foot UT Southwestern Medical Center at RedBird, and therefore, supplement the healthcare efforts there. Furthermore, rather than staying concentrated in and around a small radius, the organization is also expanding access to care in surrounding communities with new specialty centers, a growing primary care network, and more.
“For more than 110 years, Children’s Health has served the children of North Texas, adapting and growing with the needs of our community,” said Christopher Durovich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Health. “This new pediatric campus, a joint investment with UT Southwestern, enhances our shared capacity to provide comprehensive care for children, including those with the most complex medical and surgical needs. It enables us to continue pioneering academic research, life-saving treatments, and industry-leading technology for pediatric patients for generations to come.”
Turning our attention to UT Southwestern Medical Center, it has its credentials rooted in being one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers. The premier bit is justified by a fact that its faculty members have received a total of six Nobel Prizes till date. The institution also contributes 26 members to the National Academy of Sciences, 21 members to the National Academy of Medicine, simultaneously boasting a personnel count of 13 in Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s line-up of investigators. Having a presence in 80 different medical specialties, UT Southwestern delivers care, at the moment, to more than 120,000 hospitalized patients, more than 360,000 emergency room cases, and nearly handles 5 million outpatient visits a year. For the new campus, the center will provide its extensive academic resources, along with collaborative and leading-edge research material. It will also have a role in recruiting leading pediatric clinicians, established and emerging researchers, residents, fellows, medical students, and the most talented individuals in nursing, medical technology and related health professions.
“The pediatric campus is the next chapter in our more than 60-year partnership with Children’s Health and will elevate clinical innovation and transformative science that will benefit pediatric patients and their families for generations to come,” said Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., President of UT Southwestern Medical Center. “The expertise on our campus, supported by state-of-the-art technologies and facilities, will enhance our commitment to excellence and compassion in providing the very best care for children and position us to accelerate the future of pediatric medicine together.”
