HOUSTON — On Thursday, the City of Houston and other entities celebrated the groundbreaking of the first Level I trauma center outside of the Texas Medical Center.
A new $1.6 billion hospital is coming to the Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital Campus in northeast Houston.
The 12-story hospital will replace the aging LBJ Hospital. It's expected to open in late 2028 and will become the county's third adult Level I trauma hospital.
"LBJ and Ben Taub were built over 30 years ago, and in that time our community has grown exponentially," president and CEO of Harris Health System Dr. Esmaeil Porsa said. "The addition of a Level I-capable trauma center will be the first of its kind in Harris County outside of the Texas Medical Center and is vital in meeting the growing needs of our region, as is the expansion of our primary care platform with new clinics."
Executives and board members of Harris Health and UTHealth Houston attended the ceremony along with philanthropic supporters from the Harris Health Strategic Fund and Harris County Hospital District Foundation.
“This is the beginning of a monumental improvement in our medical infrastructure to provide state-of-the-art facilities and exceptional healthcare for all Harris County residents. The expansion of this hospital is way overdue and will go a long way to helping us better meet the needs of our staff, our patients and our Harris County residents,” Harris Health System Board Chair Dr. Andrea Caracostis said.
New hospital features
The following information was provided in a news release.
The new hospital will include approximately 1.3 million square feet and will feature 390 private rooms with the space to add 60 more when additional capacity is needed. With a rooftop helipad, 15 dedicated operating rooms and a cutting-edge hybrid operating room, the hospital is designed to cater to a wide range of medical needs from routine procedures to the most complex emergency surgeries.
Where did the money come from?
In November 2023, 72% of Harris County voters approved the $2.5 billion bond in support of Harris Health's plan.
“The northeast side has been underdeveloped for many years, especially in healthcare,” Porsa said. “For us to put this hospital here, it will be central to serving this community for many, many generations to come.”
The hospital site will continue to serve as the training ground for residents and faculty of UTHealth's Houston McGovern Medical School.
“I know firsthand the benefit of this, as I did my clinical training here 30-plus years ago. It’s where the doctors and specialists of tomorrow get their start."
The new hospital has not been named.