Construction of new Wilford Hall to begin Published Nov. 1, 2010 By Sue Campbell 59th Medical Wing Public Affairs LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Construction of the new Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center will soon begin on Lackland Air Force Base. Funding for phase one of the new medical facility was approved in fiscal year 2010 and the construction contract was awarded on Sept. 3. "This is the biggest thing to happen to the Wilford Hall medical campus in 35 years, probably since the mid-1970's when the clinic addition occurred," said Rich Anaya, director of Facilities Management for the 59th Medical Wing. "The entire medical campus is being redesigned to support the 59th MDW's new ambulatory surgical and clinical function. The new campus and facilities will be ultra-modern, patient friendly, more accessible, and more energy efficient." Phase one of construction includes the first wing of a 681,000-square foot facility and a 1,000-car parking garage. The new state-of-the-art ambulatory surgical center, or ASC, will be four wings, each three stories tall with a basement. The center will be constructed in three phases and house more than 40 outpatient clinics and services when completed. Both the ASC and the parking garage will be constructed in parking lot B and part of lot A, in front of the existing Wilford Hall Medical Center. However, Mr. Anaya explained that, because of planned additional temporary parking lots, parking availability will be maintained at the current level throughout the construction. "Parking and access during construction is very important. The 59th MDW has already constructed some new temporary parking lots and there's more to come," he said. "They'll be farther out, but we plan to provide increased shuttle service to help move patients and staff." The parking garage construction is scheduled to begin in late 2010 and will close part of the hospital parking lot, the Highway 90 gate and part of the Wilford Hall Loop between the Hwy 90 gate and Bergquist Drive. Construction on the first wing of the new ASC is scheduled to begin in March 2011. The completion date of the entire ASC is projected for late-2017. "The current Wilford Hall Medical Center building will be demolished sometime after the new ASC is complete and fully operational. The landscaping in front of old Wilford Hall, including the flagpole and 100-year-old oak trees, will remain in front of the new ASC as a connection to our historical past," said Mr. Anaya. The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure law directs that all Wilford Hall Medical Center inpatient functions be relocated to Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston by Sept. 15, 2011, creating the fully integrated, Air Force and Army staffed, San Antonio Military Medical Center, or SAMMC. "Although the ASC construction is not BRAC-funded, the ambulatory surgical center will be a major platform of the new San Antonio Military Health System, post BRAC," said Mr. Anaya. Patients and staff can obtain the latest news about construction and road closures on the Wilford Hall Medical Center web site at www.whmc.af.mil. Additionally, articles will be published in local military newspapers and posters will be displayed at various locations in the hospital. "During the next five years, our beneficiaries are going to see quite a transition take place as our inpatient services and staff move to the future San Antonio Military Medical Center and the new Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center is built," said 59th Medical Wing Commander Maj. Gen. Tom Travis. "I'm very excited that we will be able to offer enhanced care, focused on patient requirements and needs, in modern, state-of-the-art facilities."