Memorial Hermann The Woodlands unveils East Tower expansion

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital showcased its new $80 million, seven-story East Tower, Monday, January 14. The 240,000-square-foot expansion adds eight state-of-the-art surgical suites, which includes pre-operation and recovery rooms, and the renovation of the eight pre-existing operating rooms.

On hand for the event was Don Wolterman, President and CEO for the Memorial Hermann Health System, who made a point of mentioning that The Woodlands hospital was the recipient of the President’s Award, which is awarded to the hospital in the Memorial Hermann system that scores the highest based on 11 initiatives including quality and patient safety.

“Memorial Hermann The Woodlands was the runaway winner,” said Wolterman.

“Quality and patient safety are at the top of our list of priorities,” Steve Sanders, CEO of Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital. “One thing I’m very proud of is our patient satisfaction ratings. We’re among the top scoring facilities in the Houston area,” said Sanders.

In physician satisfaction ratings Memorial Hermann The Woodlands was in the 86th percentile nationally last year.

Since 1991, Memorial Hermann Healthcare System has invested more than $180 million in The Woodlands Campus to respond to the needs and growth of the community.

The East Tower expansion is the third major expansion undertaken by Memorial Hermann The Woodlands in the past decade. In addition to the West Tower expansion, a third medical office building was opened on campus in 2005, and last year a 24-HR Emergency Care facility was established with onsite lab and imaging services.

In the new East Tower expansion, four additional floors of shelled space are available to meet future needs. Future plans are in the making for joint replacement.

“The joint replacement and rehabilitation facility is a 6.3 million dollar project, for the replacement of hips, knees, and ankles,” said Josh Urban, Chief Operating Officer of the hospital.

In the meantime, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital has doubled its surgical capacity, by doubling its surgical suites, and installing the newest generation of the robotic da Vinci Surgical System, for minimally invasive surgical procedures.

“It’s primarily used for general, urology, and gynecology surgery,” said OR nurse, Amy Eberly, RN, CNOR.

“The majority of the surgeries the da Vinci is used for are hysterectomies and prostatectomies,” added Dori Watto, RN, BSN.

The da Vinci Surgical System is the preferred surgical methodology resulting in less blood loss, significantly less pain, fewer complications, and shortened hospital stays.

“The greater Montgomery County area is one of the fastest growing areas in the U.S. We have a responsibility to respond to that growth with the best technology and services,” said Sanders.

Memorial Hermann The Woodlands is part of Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, a 14-hospital system which includes Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, both are Level 1 Trauma Centers in Houston’s Texas Medical Center.