Skip to main content

Physicians Play Key Role in New Joint Venture Hospital

 |  By bcole@healthleadersmedia.com  
   February 18, 2010

Methodist McKinney (TX) Hospital, a joint venture between area physicians, Methodist Health System, and Nueterra Healthcare, has officially opened to serve residents in the growing Collin County region of north Texas.

The guiding principle during the hospital's development was to establish a community-based hospital in McKinney that would be a "destination medical center" for residents in the region, says Kevin D. Jones, president of Methodist McKinney Hospital. According to U.S. Census Data, in 2000, the population of Collin County was 491,675, and by 2008 the Bureau estimated that its population had reached 762,010—making McKinney an attractive area to establish the new hospital.

"Based on the feedback we received from local focus groups during development of the project, it was evident that area residents and, perhaps, prospective patients wanted another option for healthcare services in McKinney so they don't have to go to another city to receive care," Jones says.

The 65,000 square-foot facility includes six operating rooms, two procedures rooms, 22 pre-op/PACU bays and 15 private inpatient rooms. Services offered include surgical interventions in orthopedics, general surgery, ENT, neurosurgery, pain management, urology, gynecology, and GI.

Methodist McKinney also operates an around-the-clock emergency room, and an imaging department offering MRI, CT, ultrasound, and mammography services.

"The greatest benefit is the increased access to care for the residents of McKinney and the surrounding communities through our operating rooms, emergency department, and diagnostic imaging services," says Jones, who came to Methodist McKinney from Parkland Health & Hospital System in Dallas, where he served as director of Simmons Ambulatory Surgery Center.

"Our project brings together 31 physician investors and approximately 75 medical staff members to deliver care to a rapidly growing population in McKinney and Collin County."

The joint venture strategy that allows input from both Nueterra Healthcare and Methodist Health System is beneficial from both a business and quality-care standpoint, Jones says.

"Having Methodist as our health system partner not only affords us an advantage when negotiating supply costs, vendors' contracts, insurance contracts, etc., but it also gives the hospital immediate credibility with patients because of the system's strong brand in North Texas," Jones says. "Nueterra brings its extensive expertise in the successful development and management of smaller, surgically-focused hospitals."

But, he adds, that perhaps most importantly, both Methodist and Nueterra understand that the hospital's success is dependent upon strong physician leadership—and the joint venture structure incorporates that idea.

Physician partners significantly contributed to the design, look, and feel of the hospital, and the participation by physicians was a critical success factor given how in-touch the providers are with their patients and how educated the physicians are about evidence-based design principles, Jones says.

"From the architectural design to the interior color schemes to the artwork selections, the physicians and our Board of Managers were very involved in this process," he adds. "They wanted a hospital that did not look like a hospital and we succeeded in creating a truly unique patient-centered environment."

Ben Cole is an associate online editor with HealthLeaders Media. He can be reached at bcole@healthleadersmedia.com.

Tagged Under:


Get the latest on healthcare leadership in your inbox.