East Texas

Construction has begun on a $9 million East Texas Medical Center facility near Lake Palestine. It is to provide state-of-the-art fitness and outpatient rehabilitation services, as well as a new and expanded physician clinic, officials announced this week.

The ETMC Regional Healthcare System purchased the land, at Farm-to-Market Road 344 and Texas Highway 155 in Flint, several years ago to prepare for growth in southern Smith County, ETMC CEO/President Elmer G. Ellis said.

"The communities in the Lake Palestine area have really exploded in growth over the past several years, and this expansion will help us better serve the needs of East Texans and bring health care closer to home," Ellis said.

The 25,000-square-foot health care facility features a striking contemporary design with a wall of glass extending three stories high.

ETMC Lake Palestine will include a physician clinic with extended-hour urgent care. ETMC also plans to offer imaging services, such as a CT scan, digital mammography, X-ray and diagnostic testing. Other services will include physical therapy, cardiac rehabilitation and possibly a sleep lab. The building is also expandable for future growth needs.

"ETMC Lake Palestine will not only help people when they are sick but also encourage a healthy lifestyle with the addition of our Olympic Center," Ellis said. "The two-story fitness facility will include a swimming pool for both free-style activities and rehabilitation, as well as modern exercise equipment, aerobics and other group exercise classes and a suspended indoor walking track that overlooks the fitness floor.

The ETMC Olympic Center will also feature certified fitness staff, fitness assessments and exercise prescriptions. The cardio equipment has iPod capability with individual TV monitors on the equipment. ETMC will also offer cardiac rehab with specialized classes and instructors as well as physical therapy and other types of rehab.

The construction should be completed in late 2009. ETMC will offer more information on memberships to this Olympic Center in the coming months.