Starting Nov. 16, patients in Tyler will be able to have surgery in the same building where future doctors are being trained.
UT Health East Texas is opening eight new operating rooms on the fifth floor of the UT Tyler School of Medicine building. The space is part of a joint investment of about $350 million between UT Health East Texas and UT Tyler. The medical school building opened in April, and the new suites will serve patients and students alike.
Where Patient Care Meets the Classroom
Jimmy Clark, chief operating officer of UT Health Tyler, said the project shows the system’s commitment to improving care today and training the caregivers of tomorrow.
“It integrates the clinical care that we’re providing in addition to training the next generation of doctors,” Clark said.
Medical students already use the building every day. With the new operating rooms, they will be able to take part in real patient care alongside experienced surgeons and providers. Clark said it gives them a chance to put what they learn in the classroom into practice right away.
What Kinds of Surgeries Will Happen Here
Clark said about half of the surgeries at the new facility will be orthopedic, covering joints, sports medicine, hands and the spine. The other half will include women’s health procedures, ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeries, and outpatient bronchoscopies used to diagnose lung diseases.
The center will also offer:
- Robotic-assisted total knee and hip replacements done on an outpatient basis, so many patients can go home the same day
- A full bronchoscopy lab for robotic-assisted, minimally invasive procedures that can biopsy small, hard-to-reach lung nodules
Clark said the center will offer the newest robotic, minimally invasive options for joint, gynecology and pulmonary procedures.
Filling a Gap in East Texas
Clark said one of the main goals is to close gaps in women’s health and lung care across East Texas.
Rural access to care is a real problem in the region. A 2021 report from the APM Research Lab found that Texas had 25 rural hospital closures over two decades, with most of them in East Texas. About 28% of Texas counties don’t have a hospital within a short drive, which makes training doctors for rural East Texas even more important.
The layout of the building also helps patients. The women’s health and pulmonary clinics sit directly below the surgical suites, so patients can get everything they need for those services in one place.
More Room for the Main Hospital
UT Health East Texas expects to perform about 7,000 surgeries a year at the new center. Clark said the eight operating rooms and a procedure room could handle up to 50 surgeries a day, depending on how long each case takes.
That extra capacity should also ease the load on UT Health Tyler’s main hospital across the street. Clark said the main hospital will then have more room for higher-acuity cases, meaning patients who need more intensive care.
An integrated Sterile Processing Department will support the new rooms and will keep serving surgical services across the wider UT Health Tyler campus.
Built With the Future in Mind
The new rooms work the same way as the ones in the main hospital, but they come with newer equipment and technology. Clark said the ceilings are one example of how the rooms were “future-proofed.”
“We designed them with a modular ceiling that allows us to reconfigure the room,” he said, so the space can be adapted for types of surgery the hospital may not perform today.
A Smoother Experience for Patients
Clark described the center as a consumer-friendly facility. A patient can be dropped off at the front door, check in easily, go up to surgery, get the care they need and head home without any hassle.
He also said the shared space encourages teamwork, with specialists learning from one another. Students, residents and fellows who have already toured the space are excited to work in a newer, roomier setting.
Some staff have moved over from the main hospital’s surgery department, but Clark said both locations are fully staffed.
“It’s really a significant milestone for us as a health system,” Clark said.