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Metropolitan Methodist Hospital Women’s Pavilion Offers More Space and Amenities for Expectant Moms

San Antonio, TX - Metropolitan Methodist Hospital officials held a ribbon cutting today to mark the completion of their new Women’s Pavilion. The Metropolitan Methodist Hospital Women’s Pavilion is a 78,000 square foot building and the only stand-alone facility in downtown San Antonio dedicated to women’s services.

The need to build the Women’s Pavilion was driven by a 35 percent increase in maternity admissions at the hospital over the last three years, coupled with the number of women visiting the hospital’s free pregnancy testing centers located at 2338 E. Southcross, on 137 Southwest Military Drive and the Las Palmas Center at 803 Castroville Road.

The Women’s Pavilion includes seven antepartum beds, 16 labor-and-delivery suites, 48 postpartum beds, a 16-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and an expanded newborn nursery. The facility features easy access for maternity patients with a dedicated drive-up entrance and it’s own admitting/registration area as well as a gift shop and chapel. The Metropolitan Methodist Hospital

Women’s Pavilion was designed to give women a better patient experience. As soon as patients enter the building, they will see that the décor is more feminine than the current units, making for a more calming environment. Most rooms have flat screen televisions and there are 4 VIP rooms for those moms that want more spacious quarters.

“Our expansion and renovation is an investment in the health care of the people who live and work in the downtown area,” said Mark Bernard, CEO of Metropolitan Methodist Hospital. “Though this area is home to many seniors, it is also home to growing families. Many of these families have limited financial resources, so having accessible and appropriate health care services is important to them. Methodist is committed to providing those services to them, in their own neighborhood” continues Bernard.

Currently, physicians and staff at Metropolitan Methodist Hospital deliver about 3,000 babies a year – that is an average of 250 to 300 babies a month. The increased capacity in the Women’s Pavilion will now give us the ability to deliver 450 babies a month. The Metropolitan Methodist Women’s Pavilion will open for business in early September.

The completion of the new facility marks the completion of Phase I of the hospital’s master expansion plan, with subsequent phases involving the expansion of the cardiology department, increase in critical care beds and the square footage of the hospital’s emergency department will grow to four times its current size. Expected completion of the entire project is late 2006.

Located at 1310 McCullough, the 278-bed Metropolitan Methodist Hospital provides a complete range of health care services to San Antonio and the many neighborhoods and businesses the area. Opened in 1973 as Metropolitan General Hospital, the facility became part of Methodist Healthcare in 1995. It was the first hospital built using the multi-floor module system, the unique construction style made famous by the H.B. Zachry Company when constructing the Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel during HemisFair. The 16.5-acre hospital campus includes 280,000-square feet of office space with two parking garages that serve doctors’ offices as well as the hospital.

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A few interesting facts about the Metropolitan Methodist Women’s Pavilion:

The amount of concrete used on the Women’s Pavilion is equivalent to 828,093 gallons of milk

The steel weight of the Women’s Pavilion is equal to 124,750 (8 pound) babies

The total length of wire used is equal to 75,428 (21 inch) babies!