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 care,diagnostic imaging and eye surgery center; emergency department,rehabilitation,hospice and lifeline. A total of 6,605 admissions and 166,480 outpatient procedures documented last year,while the medical group's specialty and rural health clinics accounted for more than 131,235 office visits. In addition the DeBakey Heart Institute had 3,118 admissions while the Dreiling/Schmidt Cancer Institute provided services to 2,064. Last year 723 births were also recorded at the hospital while 13,016 patients were seen in the Emergency Department. The Center for Health Improvement,incorporating hospital-based fitness and rehabilitation programs with occupational medicine and independent physician clinics,opened it's doors five years ago and has a membership in the fitness area of 2,000.