Bigger isn’t always better. The smallest hospital we’ve designed over our twenty years was in Hamilton, Texas where an outdated facility was creating operational inefficiencies. Repairs would have cost more than replacement and the small community was at risk of losing their hospital if they couldn’t come up with a cost-effective solution. Offering an interesting challenge, the new hospital was to be built just feet away from the existing structure. Adding to the pressure, the old facility – the primary healthcare provider for the county – had to remain open 24/7 until the new hospital was ready to go. Then, as soon as the new hospital opened, the old hospital had to be carefully torn down – wing by wing – and a parking lot built in its place.
We’re pleased to say that everything went off without a hitch and Hamilton County got their new hospital in 2005. At 38,000 square feet, it was not too big, not too small, but just right for the community’s service area population of 8,400 and an ideal fit within JJCA’s community hospital niche. Of course as the community grows, so does the hospital. We’re currently helping them add several new rooms and expand service offerings.