Press Release

Pflugerville to launch active healthcare initiative

February 28, 2008 – Pflugerville, TX – During the City Council regular meeting held on Tuesday, February 26, Economic Development Director and Assistant City Manager, Charles Simon, introduced the City’s initiative to increase the healthcare presence, and more specifically to bring a hospital, into Pflugerville.

The Background

The City of Pflugerville has never had a hospital.  The closest facilities have traditionally been in Austin and surrounding areas, approximately 15 miles and a 20 to 25 minute drive away.  The Williamson County cities of Round Rock and Taylor also have hospitals and are slightly closer, but the Pflugerville community has been more strongly tied to Austin hospitals.  

Currently, 12 physicians practice in Pflugerville, offering services that range from pediatrics to limited imaging services.  Clinics of four large regional healthcare providers opened in Pflugerville recently.   Providers operating clinics in Pflugerville are the three previously mentioned and Austin Diagnostic Clinic.

While Pflugerville has experienced tremendous growth over the past several years and currently boasts 40,003 residents, it is not expected to end soon.  The City’s population is expected to grow to greater than 60,000 by 2012 and greater than 75,000 by 2016.  Additionally, areas immediately outside Pflugerville’s City limits, yet part of the “Pflugerville community,” are growing at the same or greater pace.  Approximately 15,000 residents live in those areas currently and are not included in the Pflugerville projected populations above.

Pflugerville has an abundance of land available for development along the two newest highways in Texas.  Greater than 5,000 acres of undeveloped land is immediately adjacent to the State Highways 45 and 130 (SH45 and SH130), which intersect in Pflugerville. 

The Strategy

The active approach the City is taking on bringing a hospital to Pflugerville includes determining what the City wants, what is right for Pflugerville, where the City wants the facility to be located and then going out and recruiting to find the best match.

The first action step in the healthcare initiative is to contract with a professional healthcare organization to complete critical analysis and guide the community effort.  By May 2008, the City plans to select an organization/consultant to complete the healthcare assessment, with funding of the study and marketing effort to be provided by the Pflugerville Community Development Corporation (PCDC).    

The second action step will be to create a steering committee at the direction of the Mayor, City Manager and Economic Development Director.  This committee will serve as a sounding board and resource for consultants to use in completing the market study.  The City will also have a working group subcommittee that will serve as the day-to-day liaison for consultants.  The Committee will be made up approximately 25 members, including Councilmember Darelle White; Mayor Jeff Coleman; City Manager, David Buesing; Economic Development Director, Charles Simon; the PCDC Board President; area business representatives; Pflugerville physicians; ministers/clergy; major Pflugerville landowners and others. 

The initiative calls for quarterly updates on progress in local newspapers, the Key to the City weekly e-newsletter and other publications.

The fourth action step is to identify potential locations for a major Pflugerville healthcare facility.  This involves securing commitment from landowners for a healthcare site and identifying a list of viable incentives to attract and retain a major healthcare facility within the City limits of Pflugerville

The fifth and final step will be to request proposals from healthcare providers for a facility in Pflugerville.  The City’s goal is to have a request for proposals prepared by the end of November 2008 based on the assessment and consultant recommendations, and to solicit responses by January 2009. 

“We just want to make sure that the healthcare needs are taken care of for the 75,000 plus people who will be in Pflugerville a few years from now,” stated Simon.

For more information on the City’s healthcare initiative, contact Charles Simon, Economic Development Director, at 512-990-3725 or charless@cityofpflugerville.com.

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