Children's Health
A conceptual rendering of Children’s Health and UT Southwestern's new pediatric campus.
Children's Health and UT Southwestern Medical Center on Wednesday unveiled plans for a new $5 billion pediatric health campus in Dallas' Southwestern Medical District.
Spanning more than 33 acres, the new pediatric campus, officials say, will expand services and serve as a joint hub for innovation, academic research and training, as well as the development of life-saving technologies.
The approximately two million-square-foot children's hospital will have two 12-story towers and an eight-story tower to replace the existing Children's Medical Center Dallas, significantly expanding inpatient, surgical, and ambulatory capacity.
The campus will be built on the UT Southwestern Campus on the corner of Harry Hines Boulevard and Mockingbird Lane, across from UTSW's William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital.
Its expected date of opening is six to seven years, according to a press release.
“For more than 110 years, Children's Health has served the children of North Texas, adapting and growing with the needs of our community," said Christopher Durovich, president and CEO of Children's Health, in a statement.
“This new pediatric campus, a joint investment with UT Southwestern, enhances our shared capacity to provide comprehensive care for children, including those with the most complex medical and surgical needs. It enables us to continue pioneering academic research, life-saving treatments, and industry-leading technology for pediatric patients for generations to come.”
Hospital officials said the expansion will better accommodate the increasing demand for healthcare in Dallas-Fort Worth as the region’s population growth consistently outpaces the national average. It is estimated that by 2025, the region will be home to 8.5 million people.
Currently, the pediatric population in the Dallas-Fort Worth region is almost 2.5 million. It is expected to surpass three million children by 2032 and to double by 2050, according to estimates.
Highlights of the project include:
- 4.5 million square feet of construction
- 552 beds (38% increase) with space for future expansion
- Increased emergency department space (15%) and operating rooms (22%)
- Two helicopter pads
- A Level I pediatric trauma center, 90 ER exam rooms and 24 observation rooms
- A connector bridge between the new campus and Clements University Hospital, ensuring continuity of care for babies with direct access to the pediatric expertise provided at the Children's Health Level IV NICU and Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU)
- A new fetal care center to provide the region's most advanced and accessible services for complex maternal and fetal health care, including fetal surgery capabilities at the adjoining Clements University Hospital
- A new outpatient clinic building that will add 96 exam rooms to the 344 that will continue to operate at the existing Specialty Center Dallas outpatient facility on Stemmons Freeway at Medical District Drive
"The pediatric campus is the next chapter in our more than 60-year partnership with Children's Health and will elevate clinical innovation and transformative science that will benefit pediatric patients and their families for generations to come," said Daniel K. Podolsky, president of UT Southwestern Medical Center. "The expertise on our campus, supported by state-of-the-art technologies and facilities, will enhance our commitment to excellence and compassion in providing the very best care for children and position us to accelerate the future of pediatric medicine together."