10 minute read
Health & Wellness
Health & Wellness
Accessible Excellence in Healthcare
FORT BEND COUNTY HAS ATTRACTED EXEMPLARY HEALTH AND WELLNESS COMPANIES, BOASTING UNPARALLELED ACCESS TO TOP-NOTCH HEALTHCARE SERVICES. THE COMMUNITY’S COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING WELL-BEING IS EVIDENT IN ITS ROBUST HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE, SEAMLESSLY BLENDING CUTTING-EDGE MEDICAL FACILITIES WITH A COMPASSIONATE APPROACH TO PATIENT CARE. FROM STATEOF-THE-ART HOSPITALS TO A NETWORK OF SKILLED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, FORT BEND, TEXAS, STANDS AS A TESTAMENT TO THE NOTION THAT ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTHCARE IS NOT JUST A NECESSITY BUT A CORNERSTONE OF A THRIVING COMMUNITY.
HOUSTON METHODIST SUGAR LAND HOSPITAL
Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital has realized first-hand Fort Bend’s growth with its Sugar Land campus. In 1998, it was the first site built out of the Texas Medical Center. It opened with 22 beds and 160 employees. 25 years later, Houston Methodist Sugar Land is one of the largest employers in Fort Bend, with over 2,700 employees and 1,000 specialty physicians. The hospital currently has 350 beds, with plans to add another 100.
The campus is constantly growing providing state-of-the-art healthcare close to home with comprehensive centers of excellence, including women’s health services, cancer care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics and sports medicine, wound care and hyperbaric medicine, as well as heart and vascular care. In 2022, the hospital achieved Magnet® redesignation, the highest national honor for nursing excellence. Only 8.9 percent of hospitals in the United States are designated Magnet.
Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital also earned the No. 3 position (out of 181 hospitals) on a Top Performer list in the Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership annual rankings by Vizient, a health care services company focused on improved patient outcomes. Rankings were determined by safety, mortality, effectiveness, efficiency, patient-centeredness, and equity. Additionally, Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital ranked No. 9 in Texas and No. 5 in the Houston metro area on the US News & World Report’s Best Hospitals Honor Roll. For those looking for healthcare careers, The Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital was recognized as 100 Best Companies to Work For by Fortune magazine
Healthcare growth in Fort Bend includes more than expansive hospital systems. It also includes specialized institutes for the ever-growing population, including families with active lifestyles.
MEMORIAL HERMANN SUGAR LAND HOSPITAL
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital, home to a 179-bed, full-service acute care facility, is known for its elite sports medicine care. Memorial Hermann | Rockets Sports Medicine Institute-Sugar Land, is a 15,000-square-foot facility offering a comprehensive range of sport-specific care for athletes of all ages. Additionally, Memorial Hermann Sugar Land recently announced a $231 million expansion of its campus to add new medical/surgical beds and a new neonatal intensive care unit, as well as emergency department rooms, operating rooms, endoscopy suites, key ancillary areas, and parking capacity. “17 years ago, we opened as a 79-bed facility. Today we’re a 179bed hospital. The value we provide has allowed us to compete in a big market. With the expansion, we’re investing to meet the growing needs and evolving needs of our populations—expanding to a new tower, adding medical surgical beds, expanding women’s services, adding a new neonatal intensive care unit, and adding another medical plaza. The two we have are at 95% capacity, so we’re building our third medical plaza that should be opened by the summer of 2024,” said Malisha Patel, SVP and CEO of Memorial Hermann Sugar Land and Southwest Hospitals. “I’m really excited about the expansion of our robotics program and planning to adopt smart and AI capabilities in our tower. It’s a great investment in the community that will generate 150 jobs. It’s not just the Sugar Land Hospital but throughout our entire system.”
PAM HEALTH REHABILITATION HOSPITAL OF SUGAR LAND
Dedicated to helping patients recover from acute illnesses and injuries, PAM Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Sugar Land provides customized, comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care treating patients recovering from a variety of conditions, including amputation, brain injury, stroke, neurological disorders, and respiratory failure. Patients benefit from extensive one-on-one sessions with physical, occupational, and speech therapists each day, fostering a quicker recovery, reducing the risk of hospital readmission, and enhancing long-term health outcomes.
The choice to bring this state-of-the-art rehab hospital to Fort Bend was an easy one. “PAM Health chose Sugar Land as a site to add one of our specialized hospitals for inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation because Sugar Land is recognized nationally as one of the fastest growing and most desired areas for new residents and business developments,” said Christy Medlin, Market Director of Strategy and Integration for PAM Health Corporate.
The Forefront of Innovative Healthcare
Fort Bend not only boasts the best in hospital facilities, but it is also a major healthcare hub with state-of-the-art medical facilities, expert patient care, cutting-edge research, and technology.
In 2023, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic underwent a significant expansion of its Fort Bend Medical and Diagnostic Center, including the renovation of its existing structure and the addition of a new 135,000-square-foot building. This comprehensive project not only enhanced current specialty care services but also introduced an Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) and a Cancer Center. The augmented surgical care, expanded diagnostic capabilities, and added cancer services contribute to the increased accessibility of essential healthcare for individuals and families in Fort Bend.
The newly established ASC serves as a crucial addition to surgical care in Fort Bend County, featuring four operating rooms, three endoscopy suites, and one procedure room tailored to support interventional pain management and radiology services. With the capability for 23-hour patient observation, the ASC widens the spectrum of surgical services available in this outpatient setting. Simultaneously, the new Cancer Center provides a comprehensive range of cancer services, encompassing diagnostic and treatment options, infusion therapy, and radiation oncology.
With a combined square footage of 200,000 square feet, the facility can accommodate up to 75 providers. There’s also a new parking garage for added convenience. This expansion provides access to comprehensive adult and pediatric primary and specialty care, along with increased capacity in areas such as Anesthesiology, Orthopedic Sports Medicine, Podiatry, Orthopedic Surgery, Palliative Care, Spine, Pain Management, Cardiology, Pulmonary, Urology, Otolaryngology (ENT), Audiology, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Ophthalmology, and Optometry.
Direct Patient Care
Patient care involves much more than routine doctor visits and hospital stays. Fort Bend offers an array of direct patient care, accessible and close to home.
NEXT LEVEL URGENT CARE
Next Level Urgent Care provides walk-in care for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries, such as sprains, strains, fractures, lacerations, allergies, rashes, and congestion issues. With convenient locations throughout Fort Bend, they are open from 9 am to 9 pm, every day.
MOBILITY PLUS SUGAR LAND
Mobility Plus Sugar Land provides solutions to assist and empower those with mobility challenges. Whether faced with a disability, recuperating from a recent injury or surgery, or creating a more accessible home environment, Mobility Plus has a range of mobility scooters, power wheelchairs, fall prevention products, lift chairs, ramps, vehicle lifts, bathroom products, rollators and more.
DEE’S MOBILE PHLEBOTOMY SERVICE, LLC
Dee’s offers concierge lab services, such as labs and pre-screenings, standing orders and STAT requests with or without a physician order. They are available for a multitude of services, including servicing group homes, hospice care, physician offices, jailhouse and prison intakes, and immigration testing for US citizenship.
CARTERA HEALTH
Cartera Health is committed to improving the accessibility of healthcare through the application of technology and innovative approaches to healthcare delivery. They are focused on being leaders in the Extended Care category of healthcare, including providing innovative tools, services and care within home health, physical therapy, hospice and long-term care.
FIRST PRIMARY CARE
Membership with First Primary Care gives your family convenient, unrestricted, and unlimited access to a physician they know and trust for a set monthly fee. Patients can call, text, send pictures, and video chat with their doctor from anywhere. They can also come in for a same/ next day office visit with no wait time.
SUGAR MILL CHIROPRACTIC AND ACUPUNCTURE
The doctors and their specialized staff at Sugar Mill Chiropractic utilize safe and natural procedures to provide effective treatment for most pain symptoms. Sugar Mill is available to help with acute pain, chronic pain, or specialized pain syndrome.
CBD AMERICAN SHAMAN – STAFFORD
CBD American Shaman Stafford brings wellness to their customers through ultra-concentrated terpene-rich CBD oil derived from all-natural, high-quality industrial hemp. It is legal in all states and is 100% organic, gluten-free, non-GMO hemp, with no heavy metals or insecticides. Their product is aimed at supporting and bringing relief to the body and mind in maintaining focus, helping with pain management, and more.
Biotechnology
Cutting-edge technology is the future of healthcare, and Fort Bend is home to companies dedicated to utilizing biotechnology for the best patient outcomes.
HOPE BIOSCIENCES
Hope Biosciences is a biopharmaceutical company developing adult stem cell-based therapeutics. They are the only clinical-grade stem cell banking facility in the nation that banks adult and newborn stem cells, supporting the use of one’s stem cells to defend and protect from disease and degeneration.
Nutrition
CLEAN EATZ
Clean Eatz strives to change lives through clean, balanced food, thought-provoking education and motivational support that inspires results.
Audiology
FORT BEND HEARING
Approximately 48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. Hearing health is an important pillar of overall health. Dr. Christie Spencer and her team have over 30 years of experience providing hearing care in the greater Houston area. As an independent audiology practice, they put patients first providing the highest quality services and products, working with each patient to find the best solution for their hearing care needs.
FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH
In 2022, Fort Bend County Health and Human Services Department published the Community Health Assessment, which outlined its top priorities based on a through needs assessment. While it identified housing, obesity, heart disease, and maternal health/prenatal care as its main priorities, it was mental health that received the top spot.
With 46% of survey respondents indicating mental health had been a problem in their households in the past year, and 1,210 Fort Bend County residents for every mental health provider, it was not surprising to hear 26.7% of survey participants said waiting times to see a clinician were too long. Additionally, 46% of respondents said they want mental health education services.
Mental Health Investment in Fort Bend: after these findings were released, there have been several enhancements to mental health services, including the most recent announcement that the Sheriff’s Department received a $350,000 grant from the Department of Justice to add licensed counselors to its 911 call center to route mental health calls.
Also, Fort Bend ISD’s Behavioral Health and Wellness Department provides effective, coordinated, and collaborative support for the behavior and mental health needs of students and staff.
Fort Bend County’s primary focus is to enhance mental health by increasing access to services and promoting education. To achieve this, it formed a Mental Health Task Force with two key objectives: advocating for mental health workforce investment and reducing the number of poor mental health days by 2025. Strategies include supporting legislation for workforce initiatives, increasing professional provider salaries, expanding peer support, and promoting telehealth. The county aims to achieve its goal by improving collaboration, offering education in community settings, and providing support groups.
