Friday, April 19, 2024
The design process is still underway and changes might be made, but this is what the free-standing emergency facility may look like when finished.
Lake Granbury Medical Center will break ground this summer on a free-standing emergency facility to be built at the corner of U.S. Highway 377 and Fall Creek Highway.
The 13-acre site will not have a helipad but will have room on its parking lot for a medical helicopter to land.
Construction of the $15 million, 10,000-square-foot building is expected to take about a year. The anticipated completion date is summer 2024.
It will be staffed around the clock.
The building will feature seven exam rooms, including a negative airflow room to contain the spread of airborne infections. There will be a major treatment room, a decontamination room, triage, an onsite laboratory, diagnostic imaging services, and areas where patients can await test results.
The ER on the northeast side of town will serve patients with emergent and potentially life-threatening conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, head injuries, fractures, abdominal pain, respiratory issues, and more.
As a department of Lake Granbury Medical Center, the free-standing emergency department will accept the same insurance plans, including commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid.
In making the announcement, LGMC CEO Curt M. Junkins thanked Granbury city officials and city staff along with LGMC’s board of trustees, physicians, and staff.
“These folks and many others provided the support and encouragement to get this project moving and off the ground,” Junkins stated. “We’re excited to deepen our support for Granbury as it grows and for the increased access to emergency care this will bring for residents. Though a free-standing building, this emergency facility will be an extension of our hospital in the community and provide a direct link for quality emergent care.”
Mayor Pro Tem Trish Burwell noted that LGMC is one of the area’s largest employers and stated that she is thankful for its “continued commitment to our community.”
She said, “I believe offering additional services such as the freestanding ER in a rapidly growing area will be of great benefit. I anticipate it will be more convenient for citizens to have options on both sides of town in an emergent situation as we all navigate growth and traffic in our city.”
Economic Development Director Lance LaCour, one of those whom Junkins thanked by name, had this to say: “This project is a great example of how economic development partnerships with the city of Granbury can benefit so many different areas of our community. It’s a pleasure to help the Lake Granbury Medical Center expand the healthcare services available to city of Granbury and Hood County residents.”
LaCour expressed appreciation to the City Council for having approved an economic development agreement that includes assistance with property tax rebates and future permitting.
“Jobs are also an important part of this agreement,” he stated. “The city will assist LGMC as they apply for grants from the Texas Workforce Commission that provide resources for workforce recruitment and training.”
Junkins said that LGMC expects to “hire or contract” on-site staff that will include nursing staff, emergency medicine physicians, CT/X-ray technicians, and registration employees.
“Collaboration with local emergency management organizations will be critical to supporting patient needs,” he wrote in an emailed response to questions posed by the Hood County News. “We are in discussions with Texas EMS about their future plans for stationing a truck in the area. The campus will not have a formal helipad, but the parking lot is of sufficient size for a helicopter to land if needed.”
FSED Press Conference Media Edition 1-20-2023 | 6:15a from LGMC on Vimeo.
He added, “As we continue to see Hood County and Granbury grow, this location will serve as a key place for emergency care access. From stroke to broken bones to other needs, we will have the emergency physicians and staff necessary to support those patients and the connection to the main hospital when further acute care is needed.”
