Breaking new medical ground in Gonzales

Gonzales Healthcare Systems officials and the community celebrated a moment three years in the making with a groundbreaking Thursday, Aug. 22, for a new surgical wing and remodel of existing patient beds at the hospital.

GHS CEO Brandon Anzaldua, members of the GHS Board of Directors and members of the GHS Foundation Board of Directors turned symbolic shovels of dirt in a median behind the hospital where the 12,00-square-foot expansion will be built in a 14-month timeframe.

Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals who will be working in the new building also had their turn at turning earth to celebrate the occasion.

“Today marks a pivotal moment in our journey toward advancing healthcare and enhancing the lives of our community members,” Anzaldua said. “As we gather here for the groundbreaking of our new surgery expansion and patient room remodel, we are not just laying a foundation for a building, but for a future filled with hope, innovation and passionate care.

“This expansion represents our commitment to meeting the growing needs of our patients, embracing cutting edge technology and providing our dedicated healthcare professionals with the tools they need to excel.”

The surgical expansion, which is expected to be completed by November 2025, will include three operating rooms with state-of-the-art equipment, including robotic capabilities. A dedicated entrance will allow surgical patients to enter and leave without the need to go into the main hospital wing.

In the main hospital building — where GHS currently operates two Surgical Emergency Units (SEUs), three Obstetrics and Delivery (OB) rooms and 28 Medical/Surgery patient rooms — a remodel will reduce the number of patient rooms to 18, but will result in the addition of full ensuite bathrooms in each patient room, complete with roll-in showers for accessibility.

“These patient room remodels will bring us up to date to 2024,” Anzaldua said. “We celebrated the 45-year anniversary of the facility last fall so we're in major need of an upgrade.”

Anzaldua praised the cooperative support of the Gonzales Healthcare Systems Board of Directors, the Gonzales County Healthcare Foundation and the Gonzales Healthcare Systems Foundation Board of Directors for making both the expansion and remodel possible.

“We're not just constructing new spaces; we're building a legacy of excellence in medical care that will serve generations to come,” Anzaldua said. “Thank you for your unwavering support and for being a part of this transformative milestone.”

“This event celebrates a step in the evolution of Gonzales Healthcare Systems,” said GHS Board President Kenneth Gottwald said. “It's been a long time coming. A great deal of time, study and planning has gone into this expansion project. We've had input from doctors, staff and other members of the community, architects and engineers on what is needed to make this an asset.”

Gottwald said the goal for the expansion is “to provide medical services locally to avoid a lot of the long distance to travel for many of the healthcare needs” and that the end goal will be “a better experience for the patients and their families.”

He said between the surgical wing expansion and remodeling of inpatient rooms in the main hospital building, there will be “a lot of moving parts to this as we go forward, so bear with us as the construction proceeds and all that takes place.”

In conjunction with the planned expansion, the hospital has been recruiting additional surgical specialists to practice their medical expertise at the facility, Anzaldua said.

In an invocation given before Gottwald and Anzaldua spoke, Dr. David Meredith, a family practice and obstetrics provider at the hospital, said everyone involved is “so thankful for expansion and the ability to do more and more things for our community that will help them stay healthy and help them stay well.”

“Lord, I pray for the doctors and the nurses and all the ones that will be taking care of those to be able to do the job that they are able to do as best that they can, and continue to bring more life and more health to our community, so that we can continue to expand, not only here at the hospital, but in our in our community,” Meredith said. “I pray that all the workers that are working on this expansion are well and healthy and stay out of harm’s way and keep this on track so that we'll be able to do more and more things for you.”

The Gonzales High School Apache cheerleaders led the crowd in a pep rally cheer to stir up excitement for the project, while Amanda Frederick, the GHS Home Health administrator, sang the national anthem.

Members of the GHS Board of Directors include Gottwald, Vice President Gregory Tieken, Secretary Stephanie Kodack, Lisa Gindler, Gene Reed, Timothy Markham, Sascha Kardosz, Kerry Morgan and Wayne South.

Members of the GHS Foundation Board of Directors include President Carolyn Orts, Vice President Andrea Seger, Secretary/Treasurer Dora Noyola, Brian Fees, Barbara Koricanek, Roger Dyer, Darla Machacek, Britney Caka, Vince Ortiz and Wayne South.

The Gonzales County Health Foundation Board of Directors includes President Sue Ortman, Vice President John Mohrmann, Treasurer Darren Schauer, Secretary Dr. Terry Eska, Ricky Lester, Dr. Humberto Rivas, Greg McLain, Bryan Denman, Mark Lindemann, Tim Markham, Brandon Anzaldua and Greg Tieken.