Hendrick Medical Center Brownwood provided the program at last week’s luncheon of the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce.  The presentation was made by Chief Administrative Officer Krista Baty, along with Erich Wallschlaeger, Chief Financial Officer, and Jory Lee, Chief Operating Officer.

The highlights:

Krista Baty said the Mission of Hendrick is “To deliver high quality healthcare emphasizing excellence and compassion consistent with the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.”  That leads to their four Areas of Focus here in Brownwood:

1.  Expand Our Mission.  This refers to outreach efforts to residents in surrounding towns and communities to choose Hendrick Medical Center Brownwood as their preferred provider of hospital services.
2. Culture of Yes.  This is an effort to keep local patients here, rather than going to hospitals in other towns.
3. Ease of Access.  The goal here is to make it easier to receive health care at Hendrick Brownwood by reducing the time required for appointments and medical procedures.
4. Reputation Management.  This means improving the perception of Hendrick Brownwood in our community.

Erich Wallschlaeger, CFO, provided statistics from fiscal year 2023/24.  Surgeries were up 13%; Admissions up 37%; MRI’s up 38%; Emergency Room registrations up 5%; Pediatric Admissions up 330%; Birth Deliveries down 12%; Gastroenterology procedures down 4%; Patients transferred in up 148%.

Wallschlaeger also said Hendrick Brownwood full-time equivalent employees is now 636, up 10% over the previous year, and up by 230 employees over the last four years.  In 2024 they have hired 66 nurses, and plan to hire 44 more in 2025.  Hendrick has added $16 million in new wages since acquiring the Brownwood hospital four years ago.  They have also employed temporary labor, including Doctors, Registered Nurses, physical therapists, and image technicians, with a financial impact of $1.4 million.

Jory Lee, COO, spoke of the many remodel and upgrade projects at the hospital over the last four years, including the Entrance Lobby, Emergency Room, Radiology Room, Walker Cancer Center, and Dialysis Center.  Hendrick has also invested in a new MRI machine, replacing the one in service since 1991, a new Linear Accelerator, and Surgical Robots.  The capital spending over the last four years has totaled $35 million.  Currently the Main Entrance is being remodeled.  Potential projects being considered for the future include a new Heart Center, Catheter Lab, and a Women’s and Children’s Center.