Care Closer to Home: Shriners Children's Celebrates New Outreach Clinic in San Angelo, Texas

In a momentous step toward increasing access to pediatric orthopedic care, Shriners Children's Texas recently celebrated the opening of its new outreach clinic in San Angelo, Texas. Located at Shannon Health Clinic on Knickerbocker Road, a ribbon-cutting was held on February 20, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the children and families of West Texas.

The ceremony was attended by members of the local community, including representatives from the Suez, Sharon and Alzafar Shriners, along with the mayor of San Angelo, Brenda Gunter, and members of the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce. Their presence represented strong support for the new clinic and its potential to help families in San Angelo and the surrounding areas.

The clinic is the latest step in Shriners Children’s commitment to reaching more children in more places and bringing specialized care closer to home. "In my practice, I’ve realized kids deserve the opportunity to thrive and be their best selves," Shriners Children's Texas Chief of Pediatric Orthopedics Janay McKie, M.D., said. "Sometimes we have to be creative. Sometimes we have to bring care closer to their home. Sometimes it’s not beneficial to come and make long commutes. So, what we value is giving all patients access to care."

Bob Rogers, the vice chair of the Shriners Children's Texas hospital board, said it’s part of their long-time mission. "We’re wanting to get closer to more kids and provide them with care closer to home," Rogers said. "When you look at where San Angelo is, basically the geographic center of the state, it all makes sense."

Dr. McKie and other Shriners Children’s Texas medical staff will travel to San Angelo throughout the year to provide pediatric orthopedic care. This care will include not only new patient consultations, but also follow-up appointments for those who have already received treatment at the main Shriners Children’s Texas facility in Galveston. The vice chairman also said the hospital already has many patients in the San Angelo area, so having this facility will save those families the financial burden of travel for more care.

"Follow-up care will be able to be done out here, the initial consultations will be here, we’ll bring our medical team out here," Rogers said. "And it’s really an opportunity for us to complete that mission of seeing more kids in more places closer to home."

For families in San Angelo and the surrounding areas, this new clinic is incredibly convenient. It is a chance to receive the best care and support right in their own community, without the long drive to Galveston. This clinic makes it easier for children to get the care they need, helping them stay on track as they grow, and giving them a better chance of thriving in all that they do.

And for the chief surgeon, the reasoning is clear. "Because they deserve it,” Dr McKie said. "Why not?”