Families wouldn’t be faulted for thinking they walked into a luxury hotel when they deliver in the newly renovated Margot Perot Center for Women and Infants at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. The $60 million enlarged rooms, reconfigured space, and added amenities for families before, during, and after childbirth.
The labor and delivery unit, operating rooms, and clinical areas were all part of the refresh, as were common areas, outdoor spaces, and lounges. The 8-story, 325,000-square-foot facility was dedicated in 1983 to celebrate Ross and Margot Perot’s 25th wedding anniversary. Around 5,000 children are born at the Perot Center each year.
North Texas is a competitive market for having babies, with steak dinners, private suites, and luxury furnishings typical of the childbirth experience. New players are set to enter the space as well. The original plans for the new pediatric campus built by Children’s Health in the medical district describe a hospital with a labor and delivery unit, which Children’s Medical Center Dallas currently lacks.
The hospital is one of 24 Level IV maternal care facilities in the state and is responding to changing patient demand and the continued emphasis on hospitality in the healthcare industry. The 64 renovated postpartum rooms include new interiors, adaptable furnishings, and completely new bathrooms equipped with antibacterial lighting. All postpartum and delivery rooms are now private.
There are 19 refurbished luxury suites that include private adjacent lounges equipped with televisions and couches for friends and family who want to be there for the birth but don’t want to crowd the new mom and baby. Both the lounge and postpartum room come with their own bathroom and a total of 680 square feet of space. A new mom and family will be greeted in the suite by luxury bedding, fresh flowers, spa and beauty items, snacks, a refreshment room, and other services. There are also three options for a celebratory meal. A kitchenette and family lounge were also included in the renovation.
The renovated admitting space was built with hospitality in mind, with private lounge areas and direct access to triage and the operating room should the mother-to-be need immediate intervention. There is also an 18-20-bed modernized high-risk pregnancy unit and an 84-bed neonatal intensive care unit. The facility includes a maternal and neonatal transport team, surgical operating suites, a dedicated pediatric outpatient clinic, and the Peggy Bell Diagnostic Imaging Center.
“The facilities give it more of a hotel experience. Having a baby can be an anxious time, but it is also one of the most incredible experiences you’ll ever encounter in your life,” says Texas Health Dallas President Chris York. “We want it to be in an environment where people can be comfortable, enjoy the moment, take it all in, and reflect on those life-changing experiences.”
The 16-bed L&D unit (up from 15) was reconfigured to provide better access to the emergency department, intensive care unit, and high-risk obstetrics. It includes pass-through supply closets in the room that opens to the hallway, allowing staff to resupply the room without entering it and interrupting special or tense moments. “The new configuration is more convenient and streamlines access to emergency services,” says Kelly Fossee, director of antepartum and childbirth services at Texas Health Dallas.
Common area changes include an upgraded outdoor space with turf, climbing stones, colorful seating, and a pergola. The main lobby features a hanging sculpture honoring the mothers and babies that will be born in the space called “Delivering Miracles” by Houston artist Ed Wilson. Hanging from the roof five stories above are dozens of clouds and storks made from perforated aluminum that sway with the air circulation and reflect changing light colors.
“The Margo Perot Center has been the birthplace of over 150,000 tiny little Texans,” says York, who took the helm of the hospital in May. “Our objective is to create the next generation of facility to care for the next 150,000 that are going to be born.”
Author
