Work to begin on new medical office building
June 7, 2007
Abilene Cardiology Consultants plans to hold a groundbreaking ceremony today for a 25,000-square-foot medical office building in north Abilene that will cost more than $5 million. The office will move most of its services to the building to make it easier for patients, said Diana Cook, company CEO. There are currently two offices, one near Hendrick Medical Center and the other near Abilene Regional Medical Center, which means patients sometimes have to travel farther for all their services, she said. A small satellite office will remain in south Abilene, she said. This building is among the many developments in the city's health care industry, a movement that will help solidify Abilene's appeal to outlying communities, said economic development experts. ''I think in general, any new businesses that offer additional medical services further helps Abilene be a regional hub and expand its market area for medical services,'' said Richard Burdine, assistant city manager for economic development. ''More specialties and other health care options in Abilene will tend to increase the market area and draw people from further away.''
Other recent projects include:
- A 70-bed physical rehabilitation and psychiatry hospital located in south Abilene scheduled to open in October. Heritage Hospital of Abilene is part of a SeniorHealth, Inc., a Nashville, Tenn., firm. Construction is about one month behind because of recent rains, but contractors have said they should be able to make up for lost time, said Bill Kaupas, the company's chief development officer. SeniorHealth is in the process of hiring an anticipated 150 employees, including hospital leadership, from the Abilene area, he said.
- The expansion of Texas Tech University's Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy to Abilene, which will bring 40 students to the city annually. It may also mean more pharmacists for the area, said Mark Hendricks, school spokesman. The school has scheduled a ribbon cutting and open house for Aug. 12, he said.
- A $3.1 million health sciences magnet school at Hardin-Simmons University for Abilene Independent School District students. The project, which was initially delayed by steel shortages, is scheduled for completion in 2008.
- A $26 million expansion of Abilene Regional Medical Center that is almost complete. It has already increased the number of beds at the hospital and doubled the capacity of the neonatal intensive care unit.
''It's definitely a growth spurt,'' said Rober Puls, a business services coordinator for the West Central Texas Workforce Center. The Center is in the process of setting up two grants to meet demand for skilled health care workers, he said. About $15,000 in seed money will initially be used to set up the grants through a long-term care organization and the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals. Details are tentative, but the Center hopes to get the grants up by the end of the summer, he said.
