Temple’s history with health and life sciences dates back to the early 1900s with the beginning of a partnership that formed long-standing, homegrown healthcare system Baylor Scott & White Health (BSWH). Additionally, the Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Medical Center – part of the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (CTVHCS) – has a history dating back to World War II.
Over the next century the industry continued to evolve in the region, leading to the opening of the Temple Medical and Educational District (TMED) in 2009. Today, the industry generates an estimated $102.6 million annually in local tax revenue and is home to over 2,700 health & life sciences establishments.
In addition to BSWH and TMED, newer hospitals, businesses and educational campuses are advancing Temple’s life sciences and health sector. Read on to see how businesses in this space continue to have a positive impact on Temple’s regional economy.
Temple Health and Bioscience District
Spurred by the need to support innovators graduating from nearby colleges and universities, the Temple Health and Bioscience District (THBD) has nurtured biotech entrepreneurs and startups through every stage of their journeys since 2015. The facility’s 5,000 square feet of office, lab and conference space provides an ideal platform for professionals to learn, collaborate and work throughout the product development life cycle.
THBD now welcomes innovators from around the world. In 2020, the district participated in the Texas Global Health Security Innovation Consortium — a meeting between universities, organizations and investors seeking ways to combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Baylor Scott & White Health Medical Center
BWSH Medical Center provides many medical services to the Temple community, including cancer care, orthopedic care, psychiatry, and surgical services. The location also achieved Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in 2021, a program that recognizes hospitals with nursing leaders that successfully align strategic goals to improve the organization’s patient outcomes.
McLane Children’s Medical Center
Also a part of BSWH, McLane Children’s Medical Center is the only children’s hospital between Dallas and Austin, and the only Level IV intensive care unit for newborns. McLane Children’s has been awarded both the Magnet designation and the Pathway to Excellence program designation from the ANCC.
The hospital, which now covers more than 40 pediatric specialties, celebrated 10 years in Central Texas in 2021.
Everest Rehabilitation Hospital
In fall 2019, Everest Rehabilitation Hospital held a ribbon cutting for its new 36-bed, 41,000 square foot modern rehabilitation hospital located directly across from Temple College in the THBD. While many rehabilitation hospitals are in larger cities, Everest Rehabilitation Hospital’s CEO said the Temple location was chosen because of its proximity to BSWH and the patients requiring post-operative care.
The $23 million dollar hospital created over 100 jobs for Temple residents and focuses on 13 diagnoses including brain injury, spinal cord injury, strokes, cerebrovascular accidents, amputations and burns.
Baylor College of Medicine
Healthcare service providers are not the only ones accelerating Temple’s health and life sciences growth trajectory. In late 2020, Baylor University announced plans to open a new medical campus in the city by Fall 2023, increasing resources for physician training and research in Central Texas.
The new location will offer the same curriculum as in Houston, making Baylor College of Medicine’s Temple campus an integral part of the community’s healthcare system. The initial class is expected to admit 40 students and the school plans to increase its numbers every year until it reaches a capacity of 160.
Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (CTVHCS)
The main CTVHCS campus, housed at the Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Medical Center in Temple, has seen numerous upgrades and modernizations throughout the years, including a 120-bed nursing home care unit, a domiciliary, and a full-service teaching hospital. It is also home to an $11.5 million VA Research Institute.
As the largest VA medical consortium in Texas and the fourth largest in the United States, CTVHCS serves more than 250,000 veterans across 39 Texas counties each year. Located less than 30 miles from Fort Hood, the largest active-duty armored post in the U.S. Armed Services, Temple is home to a growing number of military veterans, many of which are cared for by the local workforce.
With a growing segment of businesses to complement established healthcare systems mentioned above, the health care and life sciences industry in Temple plays a key role in the success of the regional economy. Learn more about the sector and get in touch with our team to see how your business can begin its next phase of growth in Temple, Texas.