Clear Lake Regional Medical Center opens new tower to better serve Bay Area Houston community

Clear Lake Regional Medical Center today celebrated the grand opening of its $92 million expansion project that will enhance services to better serve the Bay Area Houston community.

"This expansion is not only about meeting the healthcare needs of our community today, but providing the next generation of care for the future," said Stephen K. Jones, Jr.  "Our patients have come to expect the highest quality of care and compassion, and this expansion is a testament to that ongoing commitment."

The new tower includes 155,000 square feet of new construction and 90,000 square feet of renovations. Added to the west side of the existing hospital, new tower features include:

16-bed Observation Unit (First Floor)

• Open 24/7
• For some post-surgical patients and those whose conditions are unclear
• Patients closely monitored by a dedicated staff, who make further assessments for care

Surgical Suites (Second Floor)

• Dedicated pediatric pre- and post-operative suites
• 10 new operating rooms (in addition to seven existing)
• 25 new post-operative rooms
• 2  da Vinci robots for minimally invasive procedures
• 2 dedicated gastroenterology suites
• 1 dedicated bronchoscopy suite

"The immediate post-operative period is a crucial time in a patient's recovery from surgery," said Lynne Slaton, CLRMC's Director of Surgical Services. "The design of the new Surgical Services Unit, and the leading-edge technology that we have incorporated into it, will certainly enhance our clinical capabilities and provide our patients with an optimal chance of having a successful treatment outcome."

Intensive Care Unit (Third Floor)

• 30-bed Adult Unit providing care for medical surgical and neurological conditions
• State-of-the art bedside monitoring systems
• Spacious Rooms
• Bariatric lifts to enhance patient and staff safety

Renovations to Existing Facility

• New Cesarean suites
• Remodeled patient rooms
• All-new Labor & Delivery Unit
• All-new Antepartum Unit

The new tower also will have an expansive main lobby, a spacious outpatient waiting area, and separate surgery and ICU waiting areas. Other elements – from the photography showcasing the beauty of the Texas Gulf Coast to the private consultation rooms for physicians and families – all were designed to optimize patient care and safety, family comfort and the staff's work environment. "And while technology and design are both essential and important, it is truly the unparalleled dedication of our staff providing bedside care that makes our hospital exceptional," Jones added. "There is no more talented or experienced staff in our region."

Maura Walsh, Division President of HCA Gulf Coast Division, added, "We have a responsibility and a commitment to the communities we serve to meet the healthcare needs both now and as we move into the future. This expansion builds on that promise that Clear Lake Regional Medical Center began more than 40 years ago."

"The nearly $150 million dollars the hospital has invested in capital in the Bay Area in the last six years has made a significant impact on our local economy," said Bob Mitchell, President of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership. "Because of their Heart and Vascular Hospital and now this $92 million dollar expansion, healthcare –and specifically Clear Lake Regional Medical Center – is a pillar in our community."

The event also included proclamations from the city of Webster, presented by the Hon. Mayor Floyd H. Myers, as well as from the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. A public open house will be held Monday, June 17, 4:30p.m.-6:30p.m.

The architectural firm of Perkins+Will designed CLRMC's renovation with growth, efficiency, and patient care and comfort in mind. The facility serves more than 50,000 patients in its Emergency Department alone. The hospital also delivers about 4,000 babies annually.

The hospital, which opened in 1972, is the largest hospital in the Southeast Houston region and was recently named "Best Hospital in the Bay Area."  CLRMC currently employs approximately 2,000 staff and is served by about 900 physicians in multiple specialties.