Kyle, TX (October 1, 2009) - Seton Medical Center Hays (SMCH), the newest member of the Seton Family of Hospitals, opens for business today bringing top-quality complex care to a region that, until now, has lacked the full spectrum of medical services.
SMCH is the largest hospital in Hays County; constructed on a 205-acre site, the building spans more than 330,000 square feet and houses 112 licensed beds with plans to expand as needed. The campus, located on the corner of IH-35 and Kyle Parkway in Kyle, is strictly state-of-the-art.
"This is a great day for Hays County and a great day for Seton," said Charles J. Barnett, FACHE, president and CEO of the Seton Family of Hospitals. "In terms of health care, the gap between what Hays County had and what the county needed was very dramatic. The scope of services Seton Medical Center Hays offers, as well as the resources the entire Seton Family brings - from two Level I trauma centers to a world-class pediatric hospital to growing programs in medical research and education - will have a huge impact on the quality of health care here.
Hays County, one of the fastest growing regions in Texas, is an historically medically underserved area where the population could swell to 185,000 by 2010. Approximately 58 percent of the area's residents have traveled out of the immediate service area to receive inpatient care. Now, comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care is available at SMCH.
The facility offers a full-service emergency department, critical care, oncology, cardiology, surgical care, orthopedics, women's services, Level II nursery, day surgery center, imaging, lab and other diagnostic and outpatient therapies.
A new medical office building will open next to SMCH, creating an all-inclusive medical campus with access to specialists and subspecialists right next door. In addition, every physician who practices at SMCH is board certified in their respective specialties. SMCH is the only hospital in Hays County to have an all board-certified medical staff, bringing a new level of medical expertise to the region.
SMCH, a $143.7 million construction project, and related medical services and support businesses are expected to create approximately 19,000 jobs (direct, indirect and induced) by 2020. The medical center will also have broader implications on the region's economic development and will help boost Hays County's competitive standing as a premier location to start, relocate and grow a business.
Seton is proud to have four hospitals – the only hospitals in Central Texas - that have earned the