Hospitals snatch up Dallas-area land for medical systems of the future

Dallas-area hospitals are using millions of the dollars they take in to snap up hundreds of acres of undeveloped land. The two largest hospital systems in the area--Baylor Health Care System and Texas Health Resources--own more than 460 undeveloped acres in North Texas. For most of the land there are no immediate construction plans, but executives say buying now will save them money later. By buying now before the land is developed, the hospitals avoid a jump in price or the land being bought by a competitor, say hospital representatives.