Hays Medical Center is a private, not-for-profit hospital formed by the 1991 merger of two religiously affiliated facilities, and provides the only tertiary level services in the region. The organization's Vision Statement, developed collaboratively with local and regional physicians, hospital administrators and community board representatives, was refined to a single core purpose: "To Help People Be Healthy," and an overriding goal: "To Be the Best Tertiary Care Center in Rural America."


HMC's DeBakey Heart Institute provides heart surgery for the western half of the state. Additionally the 207-bed facility provides medical, surgical and pediatric care along with cardiac, neonatal and intensive care units; cancer, joint and spine care, diagnostic imaging and eye surgery center; emergency department, rehabilitation, hospice and lifeline. A total of 6,696 admissions and 173,321 outpatient procedures documented last year, while the medical group's specialty and rural health clinics accounted for more than 145,464 office visits. In addition the DeBakey Heart Institute had 2,374 admissions while the Dreiling/Schmidt Cancer Institute provided services to 2,580. Last year 721 births were also recorded at the hospital while 13,644 patients were seen in the Emergency Department. The Center for Health Improvement, a MFA accredited fitness center, incorporates hospital-based fitness and rehabilitation programs with occupational medicine and independent physician clinics, opened it's doors 11 years ago and has a membership in the fitness area of 2,000.



Hays Medical Center maintains a local market share of nearly 90%; with total primary/secondary/tertiary service are at 25%. Patient utilization figures demonstrate approximately one-half of all hospitalizations in the region are maintained in the small rural hospitals surrounded by Hays Medical Center. Administering perhaps the largest Critical Access hospital network in the country, HMC earned the 1997 National Rural Health Association Outstanding Program Award for its EACH/RPCH and Telemedicine programs. It is NIAHO Hospital accredited, a Level 3 Trauma Center, an accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI and Primary Stroke Center.



More than one thousand associates staff the medical center and physician clinics, accredited by DNV Healthcare and the American College of Radiology.