Officials with Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System held a ribbon cutting and blessing ceremony of the Bradley-Thompson Tower, the expansion of Christus Mother Frances Hospital - Tyler that increases the emergency and intensive care capabilities of the system.
The new, 200,000-square-foot tower is on the South side of Christus Mother Frances Hospital - Tyler. A skywalk leads to a parking garage across Dawson Street.
Before the expansion, Christus Mother Frances Hospital - Tyler was handling more than twice the emergency department volume for which it was designed.
"We are committed to constantly improving patient care capabilities not only through our facility expansion, but also through services with Christus EMS and Flight For Life,” said Jason Proctor, president of Christus Mother Frances Hospitals (Tyler, South Tyler.) “Being able to access quality health care, especially emergency care and the specialized services required in the ICU, is hugely important to patients."
The expansion of emergency care services "provide improved access to the patients who need it most,” he said.
The tower has six levels including two levels devoted to intensive care units and one level for emergency care. Two helipads are on the roof.
“We recognized the need to bring improved access to critically injured and ill patients, both locally and who have been transferred from across the Northeast Texas region with Christus EMS and Flight For Life,” said Dr. Luis Haro, vice president of Operations for Emergency Services, Christus Health. “This tower will enhance our capabilities to receive and treat all patients that walk through the ECC doors with award-winning, faith-based care that has served this region for decades.”
Dr. Mark Anderson, chief medical officer, Christus Trinity Mother Frances and Good Shepherd health systems, said: “Because it is the goal of Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System to always seek innovation and to improve upon our award-winning services, the new tower will also incorporate the latest technology and advanced equipment.”
The tower would not be possible without the generosity of the Northeast Texas community through The Red Door Project, the Christus Trinity Mother Frances Foundation campaign to help fund construction, officials said.
“It has been awe-inspiring to see the community come together in support of this vital community resource,” said Scott Fossey, vice president of Philanthropy for Christus. “By supporting The Red Door Project in the amount of more than $6.4 million, the community has opened the door to the advanced treatment space our patients need in order to maintain the standards of exceptional emergency care provided for all who walk through our doors.”
Said Chris Glenney, whose titles include president of Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System: “This expansion project has built on a legacy of more than 80 years of critical care service to the people of Northeast Texas that was set forth by our Founding Congregations and the caregivers here when they opened a day early to care for the victims of the New London School disaster. In my many years with Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System, we have completed a lot of important projects; each one of which has had outstanding community support.
"This new tower and expansion are some of largest ever undertaken by this health system, and we cannot do this without the support of the Northeast Texas community," he continued. "This project is future-focused and patient-centered, enabling us to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ for generations to come.”