William Beaumont Army Medical Center

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The von Braun team set up shop in the dusty remains of a former temporary hospital area. The wooden buildings contained no laboratories or equipment but they were the best that could be provided at the time. At least it was a place to begin, and it was close to the new missile firing range at White Sands, New Mexico. [29]

Beaumont was one of only ten of the Army's sixty-three general hospitals retained after World War II. Besides providing medical care to returning wounded soldiers during the conflicts in both Korea and Vietnam, the hospital also provided general medicine and surgical services to veterans and personnel at Fort Bliss and other regional military installations. [28]

William Beaumont Army Medical Center (1969–present)

After the December 2015 winter storm Beaumont Hospital with snow 27 Dec 2015.jpg
After the December 2015 winter storm
WBAMC and Summit Place neighborhood viewed from the trail up to El Paso's Sugarloaf Peak. Summit Park and Reservoir (at Piedras Street and Fillmore Avenue) are visible toward the right. Beaumont Hospital from Sugarloaf.jpg
WBAMC and Summit Place neighborhood viewed from the trail up to El Paso's Sugarloaf Peak. Summit Park and Reservoir (at Piedras Street and Fillmore Avenue) are visible toward the right.

In 1969, the Army began construction of a new, 12-story hospital to the west of the WBGH area. Completed in 1972, the new facility became known as the William Beaumont Army Medical Center. The building is in the modernism architectural style, with a 124 ft tower. [30] Although originally designed for 611 beds, by the early 1980s the hospital had a capacity of 463. The Omar N. Bradley building, an addition to the west-side of the main hospital, was opened in 1982; it provides an additional 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2) of clinical and administrative space. Today, the hospital has a bed capacity of more than 150 patients; during contingencies, the hospital can expand to a capacity of 373 patients. As the Southwest's major regional Army medical center, this modern facility now provides medical care to active and retired military personnel and their dependents in the three-state region of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. [18]

Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Charles C. Pixley, the hospital commander from September 1975 through December 1976, was promoted to lieutenant general in 1977 and became the Surgeon General of the Army. [31] [32]

Fisher House

The Fisher House Foundation, which provides free lodging for military families with a hospitalized relative, operates a facility at WBAMC. [33] [34] It celebrated its 20th anniversary of operation on 22 February 2014. [35]

Unit insignia

The design of the WBAMC unit insignia symbolizes some of the highlights of WBAMC's namesake Dr. William Beaumont, Beaumont's patient Alexis St. Martin, the unit's medical tradition, and the unit's location in El Paso. [36]

The previous Beaumont Hospital, in use until July 2021. William Beaumont Army Medical Center from High Vista Apartments.jpg
The previous Beaumont Hospital, in use until July 2021.

The fleur-de-lis pointing north refers to Dr. Beaumont's assignment in 1820 to the Northern Michigan outpost of Fort Mackinac. The circular window at the center of the cross refers to Alexis St. Martin's stomach wound which never closed, presenting Beaumont with a window through which he could study the workings of the human stomach. [36] The white and maroon colors are traditional to the US Army Medical Department. [36] [37] [38] The Maltese cross refers to the Knights Hospitallers of medieval times as a symbol of the medical profession. [36] [39] WBAMC's location in El Paso, Texas, is symbolized by the vertical arm of the cross passing between the mountains (in reference to the English translation of El Paso as "the pass") and terminating upon the blue wave which represents the Rio Grande. [36]

Notable patients

Co-located Veterans Health Care Center

The El Paso VA Health Care System has a joint venture with William Beaumont Army Medical Center. This joint venture allows both activities to maximize resource utilization. Through the joint venture, VA purchases emergency department service and inpatient care for acute medical, psychiatric and surgical emergencies. The joint venture has led to unique agreements that have increased patient access in general surgery and vascular surgery. [43]

See also

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References

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This article contains information that originally came from US Government publications and websites and is in the public domain.

William Beaumont Army Medical Center
Defense Health Agency
New Beaumont Hospital.jpg
USA Texas location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of hospital on map of Texas
Geography
Location El Paso, Texas, United States
Coordinates 31°49′58″N106°19′31″W / 31.8327°N 106.3253°W / 31.8327; -106.3253
Organization
Care system Tricare
Type Teaching hospital, General
Affiliated university Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
Services
Emergency department Level II Trauma Center
Helipad 31°50′09″N106°19′39″W / 31.8357°N 106.3275°W / 31.8357; -106.3275
History
Opened1849
Links
Website william-beaumont.tricare.mil
Other links
Fort Bliss Post Hospital (1893)
Ft Bliss Hosptial 1893.jpg
Photograph of the Fort Bliss Post Hospital in 1893
Location El Paso, Texas
Built1893
Architect US Army
Architectural style Greek Revival, Original porch was Stick Style
NRHP reference No. 98000427
Added to NRHPFebruary 23, 1972