Texas Children’s Hospital extends expert pediatric and maternal care to Austin

HOUSTON – (June 1, 2017) – Today, Texas Children’s Hospital announced plans to expand their expert pediatric and maternal care services into Austin, Texas. The organization plans to open an initial pediatric urgent care clinic in spring 2018. This will mark the first Texas Children’s location in the Austin area, with plans to open three additional pediatric urgent care clinics, as well as 18 primary care pediatric practices, three pediatric specialty care locations and two maternal-fetal medicine practices across the city over the next five years.

“We are constantly evaluating new opportunities, and working to advance our mission to provide all children and women with the specialized care Texas Children's delivers,” said Mark A. Wallace, president and CEO of Texas Children’s. “We see this as an extension of our mission, to expand care and access to even more children and women in Texas. We are dedicated to providing families with the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Adding pediatric-focused urgent care, primary care and specialty care, as well as maternal-fetal medicine options in Austin will help us to serve the state of Texas even more successfully.”

Texas Children’s aspires to collaborate with the many established pediatric and OB/GYN providers in the region to help support the growing Austin market. Texas Children’s Pediatrics will build on its 20 plus years of experience working with community pediatricians and will partner with existing pediatric primary care practices in the region.

 “We are being thoughtful in our approach to the services we plan to bring to the Austin community,” said Michelle Riley-Brown, executive vice president at Texas Children’s. “Our goal is to elevate the level of care provided to children and women throughout the state by supplementing and adding value to the great health care options already available to Austin-area families.”

Children are not simply tiny adults. Their medical care, as well as the tools and equipment used, should be designed specifically to meet their needs. This is why it is important children are seen and treated by the experts trained to care for them. Slated to open in 2018, the first Texas Children’s Urgent Care location will provide high quality, efficient and affordable pediatric-focused care after hours and on weekends in a convenient location.

“We believe this will be a great benefit for the entire community. We plan to work with local pediatricians to give them a place to send their patients when their offices are closed and provide them with timely communication so they have the relevant information they need when their patients return to their office. We are creating a place pediatricians and caregivers can feel confident sending their children knowing they will be well cared for by experts specially trained in pediatrics,” said Kay Tittle, president of Texas Children’s Pediatrics and Urgent Care.

About Texas Children’s Hospital

Texas Children’s Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children’s hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children’s has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women’s health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children’s care for communities north of Houston. The organization also created Texas Children’s Health Plan, the nation’s first HMO for children; has the largest pediatric primary care network in the country, Texas Children’s Pediatrics; Texas Children’s Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that’s channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children’s Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.