September 24, 2007
St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System and Texas Children’s Hospital Strengthen Partnership through Land Purchase, Expansion in the Woodlands

The Woodlands, TX – St. Luke's Episcopal Health System and Texas Children’s Hospital today announced the completion of a joint purchase of 22 acres of land in The Woodlands.  The property is adjacent to the St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital (SLTWH)'s existing 40 acre campus, including the Texas Children’s Health Center®.  While there are no current plans to develop the site, the proximity of the land is important to future growth for both institutions.

“This initiative between the two hospitals is a reflection of our shared commitment to deliver high-quality care in the fast-growing Woodlands community,” said David J. Fine, President and CEO, St. Luke's Episcopal Health System.

Mark A. Wallace, president and CEO of Texas Children’s Hospital, said, “For more than 50 years, Texas Children’s Hospital has been growing with Houston.  Our current expansion into West Houston is a direct response to the future needs of our community.  When the opportunity arose to acquire the land in the Woodlands, we seized the chance to further strengthen our partnership with St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System and to ensure that we are prepared to meet the future needs of that community when the time comes.”

St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital is a faith-based 91-bed hospital. Its state-of-the-art facilities offer the latest technology in innovative health care.  In addition to Cardiovascular and Endovascular Care, Emergency Medical Care, Pediatric Services, Surgical Services, a Family Birthing Center, and Oncology Services, the hospital features the area’s first all-digital Diagnostic Imaging Department, a Sleep Center, four surgical suites, pathology and pulmonary departments, and a medical staff that includes over 575 credentialed physicians.  SLTWH has clinical affiliations with the Texas Children’s Hospital and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, in addition to a relationship with Texas Heart Institute through St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital.

Texas Children’s Hospital currently manages pediatric emergency care, the level II nursery and pediatric in-patient care within SLTWH, staffed by pediatric specialists from Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine.  Texas Children’s also operates a Health Center within the St. Luke’s Medical Arts Building.  As one of five Texas Children’s Health Centers in suburban communities, the center provides pediatric subspecialty medical, diagnostic and therapeutic services in a colorful, child-friendly atmosphere that caters to young patients' needs and interests.

“I am grateful for the support and the level of investment both St. Luke's Episcopal Health System and Texas Children’s Hospital have committed to The Woodlands community,” said Debbie Sukin, CEO of SLTWH. “This purchase not only builds upon our successful relationship with Texas Children’s Hospital and underscores our investment in this growing local community, but it also will allow us to continue to build a ‘Medical Center’ atmosphere right here in South Montgomery County, therefore ensuring that we are prepared to expand for future generations.”

This property was purchased from The Woodlands Land Development Company, LP. "We are very pleased that St. Luke's and Texas Children's Hospital, two of the most respected names in medical care in the country, will be expanding their campus in The Woodlands," said Alex Sutton, president of The Woodlands Development Company.  "With a population of more than 85,000, we need to be able to offer the latest advances in all specializations of medical care, right here in our own community."

Michael Richmond, chairman of SLTWH board of directors, added,  “It is clear that the North Harris Montgomery County community prefers to have their healthcare needs satisfied locally with the same level of quality medical care that exists in the medical center, especially given the emerging needs of our aging population. This land purchase will give us the campus size and flexibility to achieve that goal.”

St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System comprises the flagship St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, founded in 1954 by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas; St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital, opened in 2003; St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities, a charity devoted exclusively to assessing and enhancing community health, not just for ill-care but for lifelong health and well-being; and Kelsey-Seybold Management, LLP, overseeing 21 area clinic locations. St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital is home to the Texas Heart® Institute, founded in 1962 by Denton A. Cooley, MD, and consistently ranked among the top 10 cardiology and heart surgery centers in the nation by U.S.News & World Report. Affiliated with several nursing schools and two medical schools, it serves as the primary adult teaching hospital for Baylor College of Medicine. St. Luke’s was the first hospital in Texas named a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence, and the Health System has been recognized by FORTUNE as among the “100 Best Companies to Work For” (2002 and 2004) and by Houston Business Journal as the top healthcare employer in Houston for three consecutive years.