Texas Children’s is set for expansion in a “weird” place

Texas Children’s Hospital made a surprise announcement this morning, making news that it will expand its network to Austin.

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The elite pediatric institution, founded 63 years ago in Houston, is aiming to capitalize on an under-served Central Texas market, which currently claims Dell Children’s Medical Center as its only Level I pediatric trauma facility.

“This expansion reflects both an opportunity and a need,” said Dr. Mark Kline, Texas Children’s physician-in-chief, to the Houston Chronicle. “It’ll be an entrance into a market where we haven’t had a presence and a benefit to Austin of our integrated and holistic pediatric-care model that we think is second to none.”

The first project in The Capitol City will be an urgent-care clinic in South Austin set for next spring, with plans over the next five years to open more urgent-care locations, as well as specialty clinics, 18 primary-care practices and two maternal-fetal medicine practices.

Interestingly, Dell’s management was caught unaware about the development.

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“Having just been notified about the plans, we look forward to gaining a better understanding of them,” chief of external and academic affairs Greg Hartman said in a statement. “Seton and Dell continually seek to improve health care in our community, and we hope Texas Children’s will also commit to better care for our youngest patients and their families — care that’s based here in Austin, and stays here in Austin.”