HCA Healthcare plans to build 5 new hospitals in Texas

HCA Healthcare, Inc. has announced plans to expand in Texas, adding to the company’s large footprint in the Lone Star State.

The company said Wednesday it plans to build five new full-service hospitals in Texas. HCA Healthcare already operates 45 hospitals and 632 affiliated healthcare sites in Texas.

HCA outlined the plans to build new hospitals in the state’s major metropolitan areas, working with partners in some cases.

HCA plans to build a hospital in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and a hospital in Houston.

HCA is planning to build two hospitals in the Austin area, in partnership with St. David’s Foundation and Georgetown Health Foundation. HCA also said it will build a hospital in the San Antonio area, in partnership with Methodist Healthcare Ministries. The company didn't include a timeline for construction or projected openings.

The company has placed its focus on some of America’s fastest-growing regions in recent months. Sam Hazen, CEO of HCA Healthcare, pointed to the growth in Texas in the announcement.

“Communities across Texas are undergoing a rapid increase in population, and the addition of these new hospitals will help our existing network meet the increasing need for healthcare services,” Hazen said in a news release. “We are thrilled to expand our presence in Texas, and we believe it will enhance our care and better serve our patients.”

Last fall, HCA said it is building three new hospitals in Florida. The company also just opened a new hospital in Davie, Fla. in November.

In September, HCA Healthcare agreed to buy Steward Health Care’s five hospitals in Utah. Those hospitals joined HCA Healthcare’s Mountain Division, which includes 11 hospitals in Utah, Idaho and Alaska. Utah was the fastest-growing state in the country, according to the 2020 Census.

Texas added 4 million residents in the 2020 Census, making it the third-fastest growing state.

HCA says it provides healthcare to more patients than any organization in Texas. The company said it has invested $6.6 billion in Texas over the past five years, including some expansion projects already underway.

While HCA has been expanding in some markets, the company has shown it is willing to pull out of markets where other competitors have an edge. Last year, HCA also sold four hospitals in Georgia to Piedmont Healthcare.

Rich Bayman, senior vice president and managing director of H2C Securities Inc., said in an interview with Chief Healthcare Executive earlier this month that HCA Healthcare focuses on areas where it can be a meaningful player.

“They’ve been probably the best of the investor-owned health systems in terms of managing their portfolio,” Bayman said.

“HCA is a very well-run organization and they’re focused on growth.”

HCA, based in Nashville, Tenn., operates 183 hospitals and about 2,000 ambulatory sites across the United States and the United Kingdom.