Hospital advisory council to offer insight, ideas

Several Katy-area business and community leaders say they hope to contribute ideas, insight and information about the growing community and its medical needs as part of a new advisory council for Texas Children's Hospital West Campus.
We'll provide insight and council on the programs planned for Texas Children's Hospital West Campus and will help highlight the needs of our community based on our knowledge and experience," said Ann Hodge, president and CEO of the Katy-area Chamber of Commerce and volunteer member of the hospital's new council. Texas Children's opening will be an enormous benefit for families and I think the community will be impressed."
In addition to Hodge, Katy community leader Nancy McDermott and Katy business leader Marsherria Wilson were also selected to serve on the nine-member West Campus Advisory Council, a volunteer committee created to provide hospital leaders with recommendations on programming and services to better serve the community.
Other members include Eva Bisso, executive board member of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show; Les T. Csorba, III, senior partner of Heidrick & Struggles, Inc.; Charles H. Herder, III, co-chairman and principal of Colliers International; David Hightower, executive vice president and chief development officer of Wolff Companies; John. E. Lowe, assistant to the chief executive officer of ConocoPhillips; and Charles Moser, publisher emeritus of the Brenham Banner-Press.
Texas Children's is progressing with construction of phase one of its first community pediatric hospital at the corner of Barker Cypress and the Katy Freeway. The 220,000-square-foot outpatient clinic will offer cardiology, gastroenterology, occupational therapy, pediatric surgery, and physical and speech therapy services among other specialties when it opens in later this year.
The second phase of the hospital includes an inpatient facility and pediatric emergency center that will open in the spring of 2011. Hospital leaders expect to serve a growing population of children and families in the Katy community as well as in the West Houston area from Sugar Land to Bryan-College Station.
With the rapid growth of the Greater West Houston area, Texas Children's Hospital West Campus is important to maintaining a higher quality of living for the Katy community as well as surrounding areas," said Nancy McDermott.
As Texas Children's prepares for its opening, leaders are working with the members of the new advisory council to gather suggestions for hospital programs and patient experiences. The council, which has already had its inaugural meeting, will also help hospital leaders identify and develop supportive relationships and partnerships with local businesses and community organizations, said Michelle Riley-Brown, vice president, Texas Children's Hospital West Campus.
Council members will play a vital role in the growth and development of West Campus by serving as advocates for Texas Children's Hospital West Campus and related programs in the community," Riley-Brown said. Each member has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to service and providing for the health and well-being of the community's children."
As a business leader and active volunteer in the Katy community, Marsherria Wilson said she is looking forward to providing guidance to hospital leaders and developing new partnerships.
I believe I can serve as a connection between our community and Texas Children's West Campus in order to provide the optimum services and programs that best support the needs of our families," said Wilson, who is president of Paradise Funeral Home & Cemeteries and senior vice president of Wilson Financial Group, Inc.
With the opening of Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, new jobs and volunteer opportunities will be created and benefit the Katy area, Wilson said. In addition, families in Katy will soon be able to access the professional medical services available in the Texas Medical Center closer to home, Wilson said.
It is already a traumatic occurrence when a family is handling a sick or injured child. The added commute into the Medical Center several times a day makes it even more overwhelming," Wilson said. Now we have the best medical care for our children right here in our backyard."
Despite an economic downturn last year, Texas Children's pushed forward with construction of its $220-million medical facility. While many local businesses have faced challenges in the last year, Hodge said the Katy area has weathered the economic storm well.
Katy has had its share of successes and we've seen some challenges, and those are to be expected, but by and large we've done extremely well," Hodge said. We have a tremendous quality of life, phenomenal education system and we still have that sense of being a small town. In think we're blessed."