Hendrick Health System along with Brownwood and Abilene physicians broke ground on a new outpatient surgery center in Brownwood on Friday, June 10.

The $5.2 million outpatient surgical facility will be located at 2410 Crockett Drive.   Construction is will begin next week and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2017.  The 13,400 square-foot center will include three operating rooms and 13 pre-op/recovery rooms.

Tim Lancaster, Hendrick Health Systems CEO, stated that this joint-venture of Brownwood and Abilene physicians will offer same-day surgeries for specialties including otolaryngology (ENT), gastroenterology, orthopedics, podiatry, urology, gynecology, ophthalmology, pain management and plastic surgery.

“We’re really excited to be here in Brownwood.  This is a day that we have been working on for a long time,” said Lancaster.  He explained that it takes a lot of planning, deciding how big to build the facility, what services/surgeries will be offered, physicians that will perform medical procedures, the cost of the facility and cost to become an investor in the project.

“It’s going to be very, very good, a same day, low cost alternative for surgery, whenever you do need to have surgery,” said Lancaster.  He explained that Hendrick often sees patients for procedures not offered locally in Brownwood and that officials from Hendrick along with local physicians decided to bring a surgical center to Brownwood to offer new services to the area and an alternative to day surgery in a hospital setting.

Local physicians partnering in the center include Dr. James Fowler (ENT), Dr. Michael Neel (OB/GYN), Dr. Bohn Young (DPM), and Dr. Dan Stewart (OB/GYN).

Dr. Fowler explained his view as one of the local physicians in this partnership.

“From the physicians’ standpoint, we are extremely excited to partner with Hendrick and to have this opportunity to take our trade outside of the hospital into a surgery center setting,” said Dr. Fowler.  “This is just a wonderful opportunity for us to expand healthcare choices for individuals, that is something we are very excited about and very proud of.”

Brownwood Mayor Stephen Haynes spoke at the ground breaking, welcoming Hendrick to Brownwood.  He stated that this new facility will bring more jobs in the medical field that the area has needed.

Haynes explained that with Hendrick’s partnership with local physicians, providing new opportunities for not only people moving to the area, but also to those who have been here and who have been invested in our community for a long time.

“I think that says a lot for the character of Hendrick Medical Center and the type of business they are going to be,” said Mayor Haynes.  “To Tim and the rest of the staff Hendrick Medical Center, we wish you nothing but the best of luck.  Welcome to Brownwood and we thank you for coming today.”

Lancaster stated that he is personally excited to bring the new center to Brownwood.

“I lived here as a kid and lived here again as an adult. To be able to come back and bring a new business, I am just personally very, very excited about it,” said Lancaster.  “Brownwood is very blessed to have some great physicians that are local. For us to have the opportunity to partner with great physicians and to be in a community that I have an affinity with, it’s just a win, win, win all the way around.”

Pictured above breaking ground during the ceremony were Brett Emmett- Director of Regional Services at Hendrick, Dr. Michael Neel, Hendrick CEO Tim Lancaster, Brownwood Mayor Stephen Haynes, Hendrick Board Trustee Paul Waldrop, Brownwood Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ray Tipton, Dr. James Fowler, and Dr. Bohn Young.

Pictured below is a rendering of the Hendrick Surgical Center to be constructed by Erdman and Associates of Dallas.