Doses of Good Medicine
east texas medical, health care, mother frances, texas spine & joint, tyler, ut medical center,
With Tyler’s reputation as a great place to retire, it’s no wonder the area can also claim to be the health-care hub of East Texas.
In Tyler, four major hospitals, several specialized clinics and other medical-support outlets create a strong pulse for the Tyler economy and reinforce the city’s status as the heart of health-care services for residents throughout the region.
“In the bigger picture of the East Texas community, Tyler is known as the place to come for health care,” says Henry Bell, president and CEO of the Tyler Chamber of Commerce. “Tyler has a concentration of great physicians that is as strong as anywhere in Texas.”
The latest triumph for East Texas is the naming of Texas Spine & Joint Hospital as the No. 1 hospital in Texas for spine surgery for 2009 according to the HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America Study. The study noted that the hospital’s outcomes for spine surgery not only exceeded quality expectations, but were the best in Texas.
“Cutting down on post-treatment complications is one of the most important issues facing health care,” says Dr. Charles Gordon, neurosurgeon and partner with TJSH. “Health care is continuing to become more transparent. At Texas Spine & Joint Hospital, our physicians and staff are proud to be part of an organization that is working together for high patient quality,” Gordon added.
In just six years, the 20-bed, acute-care hospital has become another force in the Tyler medical community, says Tony Wahl, CEO, TSJH, in large part thanks to its patient-centered care.
“Our hospital was created to offer highly specialized services in a focused environment,” Wahl says. “That is why people come to Tyler for health care. They know that here they can get specialized, quality services.”
Texas Spine & Joint Hospital started with 50 employees and in just over six years the hospital’s growth plan has taken the company to three new locations and increased the number of employees to 220.
All of this progress indicates that while much of the economy is stalling, the health-care sector in Tyler is in a growth mode.
East Texas Medical Center has started construction on a $9 million facility near Lake Palestine to provide state-of-the-art fitness and outpatient rehabilitation services, as well as a new and expanded physician clinic.
The ETMC Regional Healthcare System purchased the land, located at FM 344 and Highway 155 in Flint, several years ago to prepare for growth in southern Smith County, according to CEO/President Elmer G. Ellis.
“The communities in the Lake Palestine area have really exploded in growth over the past several years, and this expansion will help us better serve the needs of East Texans and bring health-care closer to home,” Ellis said.
Also located in Tyler is The University of Texas Health Science Center, a recognized leader in interventional pulmonary medicine. With doctors who have served pulmonary fellowships at Johns Hopkins Medical Center, the National Institutes of Health, and the Baylor College of Medicine, UT Health Science Center’s expertise in diagnosing and treating lung diseases is unmatched in this region.
Meanwhile, Trinity Mother Frances has been recognized nationally for stroke management, cardiac services and patient satisfaction. Trinity Mother Frances’ services include a Heart Institute, the Center for Advanced Surgery and Technology, Neuroscience Institute and a new neonatal intensive care unit, the first of its kind in Tyler.
Story by Brandon Lowe
Photo by Antony Boshier
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