ETMC Tyler begins major expansion project

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Will add 72 new patient rooms

In response to increased patient care needs, East Texas Medical Center Tyler has begun a $21 million dollar expansion project to add two stories to the north tower of the hospital. ETMC Regional Healthcare System CEO/President Elmer G. Ellis noted that the bricks and mortar of construction illustrate the larger message of ETMC’s growing service to the people and communities of East Texas.

“Due to ETMC’s strength in specialized patient care, we have seen significant increases in patient census, including many periods when the hospital is essentially full,” said Ellis. “The addition of the 72 beautiful rooms that will compose the new 5-North and 6-North units will have many positive effects for our facility as a whole and especially for the patients and guests during their stay.”

Benefits of expansion

A crane begins work on ETMC Tyler's expansion project. (Click for larger view.)

The positive outcomes of the expansion will include reduced congestion in ETMC Tyler’s Level I Trauma Center as emergency patients are admitted to inpatient care, as well as increased overall capability to accept patient transfers from ETMC’s regional network of hospitals and additional referring physicians and healthcare facilities. Most importantly, the all-private rooms themselves will be state-of-the-art, with large windows, comfortable furnishings and a separate couch/bed for the patient’s guest.

“Part of the innovation of the two new units is the fact that they will be tiered out from the current north wings in a ‘reverse wedding cake’ design,” added Ellis. “This will expand the width of the units by 9 feet, allowing for larger patient rooms and corridors. The comfortable, visually appealing environment will be an important component of the healing process for the patient.”

What's included in new units
Each of the units will include 36 private rooms, nursing work stations, glass conference rooms and guest waiting areas. One unit will be designated primarily for cancer patients, with the other designated for cardiac care and other medical specialties. The unit focusing on ETMC’s care for cancer patients will be named in honor of Wayne Poindexter and the late Mary Poindexter for their generous contribution to the project.

An additional floor
A seventh floor – with a lantern tower top – also will be added to the hospital to house mechanical equipment. In addition to the main facility expansion, a new multi-level parking garage is being constructed on Hospital Drive to help meet current and future parking needs. The expansion project as a whole is estimated to be completed in January 2010. ETMC Tyler will have a total of 536 beds when construction is complete.

Key firms involved in the construction project are Vaughn Construction of Houston/College Station and lead design firm Hammel, Green & Abrahamson of Minneapolis. The large construction crane that is highly visible to the community is 213 feet high with an 11,680 lb. capacity.

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