Doubling down on its commitment to patient-centered care, William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital unveiled its new third tower last month. A technology-infused example of human centered design, the new building expands the five-year-old hospital’s capacity and adds dedicated care facilities for an array of neuroscience and brain-related specialties.

UT Southwestern Medical Center leaders officially opened the new addition with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 3, 2020. Because of social-distancing requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the public was invited to join the celebration remotely via video.

“This remarkable facility embodies UT Southwestern's commitment to exceptional patient care.”

“This remarkable facility embodies UT Southwestern’s commitment to exceptional patient care,” said Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., President of UT Southwestern. “As we celebrate this milestone, we understand that what makes this building truly special is the dedication, compassion and expertise of those working here to provide outstanding care and comfort to our patients and their families. The newly expanded Clements University Hospital provides an environment that helps make that possible.”

Construction of the patient-centered facility was supported by the UT Southwestern community. Throughout the hospital, waiting areas, operating rooms and other care spaces bear the mark of those whose generosity brought the project to fruition. Philanthropy’s impact is evident from the moment you step inside.

Comprised of more than 5,000 stainless steel spheres suspended above the entry lobby, the effervescent and stunning public artwork “Myriad,” was a gift from Barbara Thomas Lemmon in honor of her late husband Mark L. Lemmon, M.D.

The focus on healing continues atop one of the building’s rooftop decks. Given in honor of Deedie and Dusty Rose by Gay and Bill Solomon, The Rose Garden is an innovative and tranquil wellness garden that provides an open-air space for psychiatric patients to reflect and heal.

"This new tower is more than just the addition of 291 new hospital beds,” said Dallas-native Nancy Halbreich, a community and philanthropic leader who supported the project with her husband, Jeremy Halbreich. “This tower will be a place of hope, where people with serious illnesses get second chances, including those who have been impacted by brain diseases and injuries.”

“This tower will be a place of hope, where people with serious illnesses get second chances …”

The hospital expansion is designed to add capacity and deepen UT Southwestern’s commitment to patients by building on the institution’s team-based approach to care. The new tower will also serve as the clinical home for the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute and comes replete with specialty care units for patients with diseases of the brain such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, or stroke.

“Since Clements University Hospital opened six years ago, we have achieved national recognition for the quality of care we provide and the experience of our patients,” said John Warner, M.D., UT Southwestern Executive Vice President for Health System Affairs. “Over the last four years, we’ve been ranked as the number one hospital in DFW by U.S. News & World Report and now reside in the top 30 hospitals in the United States.”

Within the third tower’s clinical spaces, 19 new operating theaters embrace technology’s capacity to transform surgery outcomes, adding tools like an intraoperative MRI that enable physicians to more precisely monitor the removal of a tumor. To aid the rapid evaluation and treatment of stroke, an adjoining angiography suite is equipped with the latest in blood vessel imaging technology, aided by robotics.

Directly across from the operating suites, a 24-bed Intensive Care Unit allows for seamless transitions from the operating room to recovery, elevating safety and the standard of care. In total, more than 48 new ICU beds have been added to Clements University Hospital as part of the expansion. The addition increased the capacity of the hospital’s emergency department by more than 50%, helping UT Southwestern meet community needs during the ongoing pandemic.

The expansion also features specialty care units such as an in-patient psychiatric unit featuring a soothing color palette and an optimistic care environment that welcomes families as partners in returning loved ones to health. Rooms for epilepsy patients feature ceiling-mounted cameras and microphones to discreetly monitor patients at risk for seizure as well as a support harness suspended from the ceiling that enables patients to move independently and safely around their room.

• Dr. Podolsky holds the Philip O’Bryan Montgomery, Jr., M.D. Distinguished Presidential Chair in Academic Administration, and the Doris and Bryan Wildenthal Distinguished Chair in Medical Science.
• Dr. Warner holds the Jim and Norma Smith Distinguished Chair for Interventional Cardiology and the Nancy and Jeremy Halbreich, Susan and Theodore Strauss Professor in Cardiology.