The formal construction kicked off for what will be the largest pediatric outpatient center in Southwest Missouri. It will accompany St. Louis Children’s Hospital, CoxHealth, and WashU School of Medicine’s efforts to work collaboratively to bring more top US News & World Report ranked care to children and families in Springfield, MO, and the surrounding region, reducing the need for families to travel long distances for specialty care.
Leaders from CoxHealth, St. Louis Children's Hospital, and WashU Medicine marked the occasion on the site of the future St. Louis Children’s at CoxHealth Specialty Care Center in Springfield.
"Our ultimate goal is to keep patients here at CoxHealth, close to home," says Sarah Becker, vice president and administrator of St. Louis Children's at CoxHealth. "Caring for our children as they navigate complex medical conditions is one of the greatest challenges we can face as parents and family members. With this new, dedicated pediatric outpatient specialty care center, we are expanding local access to highly specialized medical and surgical care for our kids.”
When the 133,000 square-foot facility opens in summer 2027, it will feature ambulatory surgery, imaging, laboratory services, infusion, pediatric specialty care clinics, and more. Specialties will significantly expand access to advanced pediatric care with the addition of cardiology, hematology, oncology, ophthalmology, surgery, and urology.
Today’s celebration is the next step in our journey to create a hub for specialty pediatric care for families in southwest Missouri.
“We know that nearly one-third of pediatric patients in our community currently have to leave the region to receive specialized care,” says Ashley Casad, CoxHealth senior vice president and president of Springfield hospitals. “At CoxHealth, we are deeply committed to changing that reality by bringing care closer to home for the families who need it most.”
