Heart of HEALTH

by Charlotte Kovalchuk & Cat Totty

Wilco Wellness

In 2023, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps listed Williamson County third out of 244 ranked counties in Texas. The 2023 rankings were based on data collected from 2014 through 2021, including health factors like average life span, healthcare access, education and employment rates, air and water quality, and community safety.

Since 2010, the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute has offered the national County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program in an effort to help communities identify areas to improve their health. Williamson County has been ranked among the top healthiest counties in the state since the program began, thanks in part to the community’s urban advantages and exceptional parks. “We’re really fortunate to have a great balance with hospitals in our county to where we’re an urban county, but not so urban that there’s a high rate of air pollution or poor water quality,” says Deb Strahler, communications director for the Williamson County and Cities Health District. She adds, “We have great parks systems in many of our cities. People are out and about and we have a very active community, which also lends to a healthier lifestyle.”

To learn more about Williamson County's health statistics, visit countyhealthrankings.org.

Williamson County Tops Healthiest Counties List

From residents to employers to government leaders, many in Williamson County share a commitment to living well and working together to elevate our community’s position on the Texas healthcare map. Thanks to that dedication, Williamson County has continued to hold a spot among the healthiest counties in the state over the last decade.

ENHANCING WILCO WELLNESS

The health rankings are a great way to raise awareness of what our community does well and where we can improve, Health District Executive Director Caroline Hilbert says. “They give us the opportunity to become more purposefully engaged in improving health and healthy opportunities countywide.”

Consisting of the health district and healthcare, school, government, business, and nonprofit organizations, the Healthy Williamson County Coalition produces Community Health Improvement Plans that outline actions to improve the well-being of Williamson County. The 2022-2025 plan targets four health priorities healthcare access, mental health (especially for youth), chronic disease prevention, and non-medical drivers of health; e.g., housing and education.

Homegrown Healing

Even with Williamson County’s consistently high ranking, developers and leaders aren’t slowing their mission to continue enhancing healthcare access for citizens, underscored by the more than $1.3 billion investment in current and planned healthcare projects. “One of the things we are seeing in Williamson County is a really amazing renaissance in the healthcare industry and expansion that we’ve never seen before,” County Judge Bill Gravell says.

ST. DAVID’S ROUND ROCK MEDICAL CENTER

St. David's $53 million expansion completed in 2023 includes two additional floors and four more operating rooms and support space. The expansion also increases surgical specialties such as advanced orthopedics, robotic services, and neurosurgery.

DELL CHILDREN’S MEDICAL CENTER

The first pediatric hospital in Williamson County opened in 2023 and features a four-story, 187,000-square-foot building that provides emergency and trauma services, 36 beds, two operating rooms, endoscopy and procedure rooms, pediatric imaging, and outpatient rehab services.

ST. DAVID’S EMERGENCY CENTER – LEANDER

A new 150,000-square-foot hospital will neighbor the emergency center and feature a 24-hour emergency room, inpatient and outpatient surgery rooms, and maternity and newborn care.

ASCENSION SETON WILLIAMSON HOSPITAL

ASW added a $230-million expansion with a six-story, 216,000-square-foot building that will include 160 patient rooms, two operating rooms, 12-bed observation unit, and additional space for emergency, surgical and imaging departments. Ascension is also expected to add 34,000 square feet of space to the nearby medical plaza for outpatient wound care and surgical rehabilitation.

TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

This new $485 million hospital for children and women will provide neonatal and pediatric intensive care, a sleep center, renal dialysis, and operating rooms, as well as a women’s clinic specializing in prenatal care, fertility evaluations, preventative screenings, and gynecological consultations. Located on Lake Creek Parkway in Williamson County, the facility will be the first Texas Children’s Hospital location in the Austin area.

BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER ROUND ROCK

This $220 million project features a five-story patient tower and renovation of the current hospital, with plans for new surgical suites, med-surgery rooms, and neonatal ICU with additional labor and delivery rooms. Improvements will also include added technology, a new entrance and lobby, cafeteria upgrades, and more parking.

Regarding the new children’s hospitals, Judge Gravell says, “The thought that our local parents can have a child healthcare facility in their own community and not have to drive outside of the county is important to me as a grandfather. There is no more precious gift that God gives us than our kiddos and our grandkids. To be able to take care of them medically locally is important to me.”

PRESCRIPTION FOR PROGRESS

As a result of these projects, more than 2,100 employees are expected to join the 2,600+ healthcare workers currently employed at the top health and life sciences facilities in Williamson County. As well, “there will be more construction jobs, more high-tech, more good paying jobs associated with the [projects]. It’s a win win,” says Dave Porter, executive director of the Williamson County Economic Development Partnership.

Most of all, the initiatives seek to meet a growing demand for healthcare driven by Williamson County’s thriving growth. According to the 2021 U.S. Census, the county has two of the fastest growing cities in the nation – Georgetown and Leander. Georgetown alone was expected to double the population in less than seven years and may exceed Travis County’s population by 2040.

A majority of our workforce staying in Williamson County for the last few years has also increased the healthcare demand, Dave says, adding that Williamson County has become an employment center for many residents who used to travel to Travis County for work. For people living and working in Williamson County, “it’s a great thing for mobility and traffic, and it improves people’s quality of life if they don’t have to spend as much time traveling to work or doctor’s appointments.”

That’s especially true for many residents whose only current option for medical care is traveling to downtown Austin or as far as the Houston, Dallas, or Temple metros. County Judge Bill Gravell says he has heard of families driving from Liberty Hill to downtown Austin during the day for their children’s medical appointments and making the trip back home at night. "Since they are already going through a difficult time," he says, "it would be great for them to have something in their own backyard."

Thanks to its multitude of healthcare projects, Williamson County is already on track to meet that need. Judge Gravell says, “The reason Williamson County is winning not just nationally but internationally is because we are hitting a home run on all three major arenas. We are hitting a home run in parks and schools, and now with this great growth in the healthcare industry we are hitting a home run in healthcare too.”