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The Texas Medical Center, with more than five million patient visits annually and one of the highest densities of clinical facilities and basic science and translational research of any location, is the largest medical district in the world. The center is located in Houston, Texas. It contains 42 medicine-related institutions, 13 hospitals, and two medical schools.

Adjacent to the center is Rice University, Hermann Park, Reliant Park and the Museum District. The center is sometimes referred to as the "Houston Medical Center" due to its location south of the central business district and Midtown Houston.

History

Founding and early years

The Texas Medical Center was established in 1945 through the generous philanthropy of businessman Monroe Dunaway Anderson. Anderson believed that a medical center that consisted of many different hospitals, academic and research institutions and support organizations should be built in Houston, next to Hermann Hospital. Anderson founded the M.D. Anderson Foundation prior to the charter of the medical center with an endowment of $300,000. The fund's first gift was a check of $1,000 to the Junior League Eye Fund for eyeglasses. Two years after establishing the M.D. Anderson Foundation, Anderson died, leaving $19 million to the organization, the largest charitable fund ever created in Texas. In 1941, the Texas state legislature granted funds to the University of Texas for the purpose of starting a cancer research hospital. The M.D. Anderson Foundation matched the state's gift to the university by supplying funds and land to construct the hospital.

President Roosevelt approved the purchase of 118 acres from the Hermann Estate in 1944 for the construction of a 1,000-bed naval hospital in Houston. The hospital, later renamed the United States Veterans Administration Hospital, opened in 1946 and became a teaching facility for the Baylor College of Medicine. Also in 1946, several projects were approved for inclusion in the Texas Medical Center including: Hermann Hospital, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, The Methodist Hospital, The Shriners Crippled Children's' Hospital, and the Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library. The M.D. Anderson Hospital for Cancer Research of the University of Texas began construction in 1953. Texas Children's Hospital admitted its first patient in 1954.

During the late 50's, the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research opened. The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute at Houston added the Gimbel Research Wing. Texas Woman's University Nursing Program began instruction.

In 1962, the Texas Heart Institute was chartered and became affiliated with St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital and Texas Children's Hospital. Ben Taub Hospital of the Harris County Hospital District opened.

Recent history and developments

In 1993, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center began a $248.6-million expansion project which constructed an inpatient pavilion with 512 beds, two research buildings, an outpatient clinic building, a faculty office building and a patient-family hotel. From 2005 to present, the George and Cynthia Mitchell Basic Sciences Research Building, the Ambulatory Clinical Building, the Cancer Prevention Center and a new research building on the South Campus opened. The Proton Therapy Center, the largest facility in the United States where proton therapy is used to treat cancer, opened in July of 2006. M.D. Anderson opens new proton therapy center, July 16, 2006. Houston Chronicle

The Memorial Hermann Healthcare System is constructing the six-floor, 165,000-square-foot Memorial Hermann Heart & Vascular Institute. Also under construction is the 30-story Memorial Hermann Medical Plaza, which will be largest medical office building in the Texas Medical Center and is currently the largest construction project in Houston.Texas Medical Center Projects. Memorial Hermann Century Project The new construction is part of the system's city-wide "Century Project" initiative.

Baylor College of Medicine with affiliated St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital opened The Baylor Clinic on June 29, 2005, a new adult outpatient center. A second structure, to be completed in 2008, will provide an estimated 250,000 square feet of additional space for ambulatory care.

Patient care institutions

Educational institutions

Academic and research institutions

Secondary schools

Support facilities

Infrastructure

The area is served by Metro bus service and the "Red Line" of the METRORail light rail system. Three METRORail stations are located near the center: (TMC Transit Center, Dryden/TMC Station, and Memorial Hermann Hospital/Houston Zoo Station).

Notes

External links

Hospitals in Texas | Houston, Texas | Institutions in the Texas Medical Center

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Texas Medical Center".

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