1st look at new William Beaumont Army Medical Center
EL PASO, Texas -- Officials held a news conference Monday morning to offer a first look at the new William Beaumont Army Medical Center, which is slated to open July 11 after years of construction and several setbacks. (You can watch the entire news conference in the video player at the bottom of this article.)
Officials indicated that inpatients will be moved from the current hospital - also known as the legacy hospital - to the new 1.3 million square foot campus when it opens.
It cost nearly $1.4 billion to build the new WBAMC campus, originally set to open in 2017. The hospital will have 135 beds, 10 operating rooms and 30 speciality clinics. The hospital is also working to become a Level 2 trauma facility to eventually take some civilian emergency cases.
Back in March, the hospital had to push back its opening date because of several safety concerns that were brought up during staff training.
There's been no word so far on what will be done with the current WBAMC, which still houses the El Paso Veterans Administration office. Officials said the hope is to have the VA move to the new campus eventually.
