HMC unveils new wing

By PHYLLIS J. ZORN

Hays Daily News

The pubic got their first look at Hays Medical Center's $17 million latest addition Feb. 26. Construction on the 76,320-square-foot expansion of the DeBakey Heart Institute and Rehabilitation Center began in September 2003. The open house was Feb. 26.

The new wing, located at the southeast corner of the main hospital building, houses an expanded and updated cardiac catheterization laboratory and the inpatient rehabilitation department.

It has its own entrance, so patients coming to the hospital for cardiac care can be treated, recover and exit without having to venture into the rest of the hospital — almost like one-stop shopping for cardiology services.

The lower floor houses 12 private patient rooms and eight rooms for preparation and recovery of cardiology patients. It also houses testing facilities for non-invasive heart-related diagnostic procedures, such as stress tests.

The second floor houses 22 private patient rooms. The physical therapy and occupational therapy departments are also on this floor. One patient room is specially designed for obese patients.

All the patient rooms in the new addition contain small sleeper sofas and a built-in bench with removable cushions. These make it more convenient for family members to stay with patients in the hospital.

The new wing changes the outlook for patient care in the hospital's other wings. It opens the door for the hospital to change from a combination of semi-private and private rooms to all private rooms.

“We're licensed for 159 right now,” said Bryce Young, vice president of cardiovascular services.

The hospital earlier had 111 patient rooms — including neonatal intensive care — and 157 beds. With the addition, the hospital has 145 patient rooms — including neonatal intensive care — and 151 private beds. It will be able to take as many as 191 patients in a situation of very high demand.

Another big change is the new cath lab itself. The old cath lab had 1,164 square feet of floor space. The two new cath labs and control rooms have 1,584 square feet of floor space. The old recovery area spanned 448, square feet while the new wing contains 2,365 square feet of recovery space.

An additional 792 square feet of space is set aside for future development of a third cath lab or for future technology.

Not only is there more space for cardiologists to work, there is updated equipment for them to work with.

The improved technology of the new equipment allows better, clearer images and a more comfortable experience for the patient.

There's a significant side effect to the improved equipment, Young notes.

Both the patient and the cardiologist are exposed to fewer X-rays, meaning a lower radiation dose during the procedure.

In the cath lab area, there will be a total of eight holding and recovery rooms, where families can stay and wait for the patient's procedure to be completed. They no longer have to wait outside the area.

“That's the beauty of it all,” Young said.

“It's all centralized.”

Reporter Phyllis Zorn can be reached at (785) 628-1081, ext. 137, or by e-mail at

phylz@dailynews.net.