During a special "ground blessing" ceremony in Round Rock symbolizing the start of construction, leaders of the Seton Family of Hospitals, and area religious, business and government leaders broke ground Friday, Sept. 22, on the new Seton Medical Center Williamson - soon to be the largest hospital in the county.

Mayor Nyle Maxwell, right, presents a stone representing Round Rock to Mark Hazelwood, president and CEO, Seton Medical Center Williamson, during the ground blessing ceremony. Seton photo

"This project is much more than bricks and mortar," said Charles Barnett, president and CEO of the Seton Family of Hospitals, the region's only faith-based hospitals. "This is a commitment by Seton to greatly expand our community ministry in this rapidly growing area. While Seton has served the residents in Williamson County for many decades, the time is right for us to put a facility right in the middle of these growing neighborhoods."
 
During the ceremony, mayors and civic leaders from across the area presented a stone from their respective communities. These stones will be incorporated into the new medical center and symbolize community collaboration and support in building an enduring healthcare resource. Building upon this message, Barnett and Sister Joanne Vasa, Daughter of Charity, read scriptures passages (Joshua 24:25-27 and 1 Peter 2:5) which described stones as symbols of sturdy, faithful relationships. Bishop Gregory Aymond blessed the site and dedicated it to the ministry of healing.

"Seton Medical Center Williamson is the type of hospital you want in your community, obviously for its exemplary health care, but also because Seton makes a great partner for Round Rock and Williamson County," said Round Rock Mayor Nyle Maxwell. "Seton has proven to have tremendous involvement in the communities it serves."

"I have long supported plans by the Seton Family of Hospitals to expand into Williamson County, and believe it is great news for Round Rock and the surrounding communities," said Congressman John Carter. "The healthcare needs of the region are rapidly expanding, and Seton Medical Center Williamson will be critical to ensuring that residents of Williamson County continue to receive quality healthcare services."

The Seton Family of Hospitals has contracted with Universal Health Services Inc. to design and develop Seton Medical Center Williamson. The 360,000 square-foot facility, scheduled to open in early 2008, will be constructed at the corner of FM 1460 and University Boulevard on 74 acres in north Round Rock. The first phase of the campus will include a 181-bed hospital, ambulatory surgery center and a diagnostic and imaging center. It will also include the first of several medical office buildings. By 2020, the hospital is expected to expand to approximately 350 beds.

"The facility will be state of the art in design, technology and delivery of complex care," said Mark Hazelwood, president and CEO, Seton Medical Center Williamson. "Patients, physicians and staff will find a peaceful, nature-inspired environment that promotes healing."

The design will combine a healing garden, waterscape, outdoor courtyard and nature-inspired interior, with the latest technology, including electronic medical records, automated delivery of critical test results, room service and wireless access. A beautiful chapel and serene "reflection room" invite people of all faiths to pause and retreat in a peaceful environment.

"Seton Medical Center Williamson will be a preeminent resource for health care by attracting the most qualified and committed medical professionals to the facility," said Gary Piefer, MD, vice president of Medical Affairs, Seton Medical Center Williamson.

Planned services at Seton Medical Center Williamson include:

• Full-Service Emergency Department
• Critical Care
• Inpatient Medical Services, including oncology, digestive, neuroscience and pulmonology
• Surgical Care, including orthopedics, plastics, urology, ophthalmology, gynecology, cystoscopy, ENT, endoscopy, neurosurgery and general surgery
• Cardiac Care, including open heart surgery and electrophysiology services
• Diagnostic and Interventional Services
• Women's Services, including labor and delivery, obstetrics/gynecology, and nursery
• Outpatient Therapies

"We are committed to bringing the same clinical excellence offered throughout the Seton Family of Hospitals to Williamson County," said Michelle Robertson, vice president and COO, Seton Medical Center Williamson. "Four of our hospitals have received 'Magnet Designation,' which is the highest award given by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and our goal is for Seton Medical Center Williamson to become a Magnet facility."

The medical center will also be a hub for new major growth and economic development in the region. In the initial years of operation, the medical center will generate more than 1,400 new jobs and provide an estimated total positive economic impact of more than $190 million.

The Seton Family of Hospitals is the leading provider of health care services in Central Texas with approximately 20 locations throughout the region. The Seton Family of Hospitals includes the only Heart Transplant Center in Central Texas; the busiest Level II Trauma Center in the state; and the first two Designated Stroke Centers in Texas to receive a Gold Seal of Approval by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The Seton Family of Hospitals has been awarded four Magnet Designations, the highest award for nursing excellence given by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The ANCC is an independent subsidiary of the American Nurses Association, the nation's largest organization of nursing professionals. In FY 2005, Seton, a member of Ascension Health, the largest not-for-profit health network in the nation, provided more than $247 million in charity and community benefit to Central Texans.