Strategic Ideaboard

Chief Surgical Officer — Texas Children's Hospital West Campus

Platform, ideas, and open questions for the open CSO role (incumbent steps down Aug 2026)
Current designation: Level IV trauma  •  Aspiration: Level III + phased pediatric burn program  •  Prepared for Dr. Yan Shi
PILLAR 1

Level III Trauma Upgrade

From Level IV. Demonstrates comprehensive surgical capability; needs dedicated surgeon availability + robust OR/ICU infrastructure.

PILLAR 2

Pediatric Burn Program

Fills a genuine gap — no pediatric burn center in Houston proper. A differentiator Memorial Hermann cannot easily replicate.

PILLAR 3

The Texas Children's Brand

The asymmetric advantage. Rivals can hire pediatric surgeons; they cannot become Texas Children's Hospital.

"Not 'West Campus wants to grow' — there are children in West Houston who need this care close to home, and we are the only institution positioned to deliver it."
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Burn Center Strategy — Tiered Regional Network (phased)

Phase 1 — Acute Management HubResuscitation, wound care, moderate burns, first 48–72h. Keep transfer agreements with Shriners / UTMB Galveston (~50 mi) for large-TBSA + complex reconstruction. Fills a geographic gap, not direct competition.
Phase 2 — Program Development → ABA VerificationBuild clinical volume + nursing/PT/OT depth, develop academic/research identity, pursue American Burn Association verification (often joint with ACS-COT).

Why phased: faster approval, lower initial capital, politically hard to oppose (Shriners still gets complex cases), serves community need immediately.

Open Questions to Resolve

  • What was the outgoing CSO's agenda — done vs. unresolved?
  • System leadership's capital appetite for West Campus?
  • Any burn-trained surgeons in-house, or recruit a co-champion?
  • Realistic timeline + political path for Level III DSHS designation?
  • Your surgical subspecialty as clinical-champion credibility?

Competitive landscape

Memorial Hermann is growing pediatric surgical services at a competing community site. The defensible answer is brand + burn, not a volume war. Houston's own Shriners facility consolidated into Galveston (~2021), widening the burn gap. Compete by occupying ground rivals can't take — and by getting upstream of demand through community need-mapping.

Sepia ideaboard · sourced from your West Campus CSO strategy notes · verify local figures against internal West Campus data before the interview.