Unveiling set for Allegiance/Good Shepherd alliance

Allegiance Specialty Hospital and Good Shepherd Medical Center will celebrate the addition of new services coming to Kilgore with a grand opening 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 6.

The event includes the unveiling of a new outdoor sign, a brief program at noon and a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the front lawn of the hospital.

There will also be information and educational displays outlining the services provided.

Good Shepherd is opening an urgent care center in the former emergency room space of the hospital, which will also include family medicine, occupational medicine and OrthoDirect services.

Allegiance will open an acute care unit on the second floor of the hospital later this month for persons age 18 and over who require 24-hour nursing care for a few days.

"Allegiance and Good Shepherd invite the community to join them in celebrating the expansion of health care services for Kilgore and the surrounding area," said Sherry Bustin, Allegiance CEO.

"We are excited to partner with Good Shepherd as we share the common vision of providing better access to health care services in this community," Bustin said.

The celebration on May 6 also kicks off National Hospital Week and National Nurses Day, and Bustin said she can think of no better way to promote a positive vision of health care in the community than by expanding services.

"We also recognize and appreciate the people who meet the daily health care needs of others because they are a committed, compassionate group of individuals united by their calling to provide care," she said.

Allegiance Specialty Hospital currently operates an 18-bed inpatient behavioral health unit for senior adults that has treated more than 2,000 patients since Allegiance opened the program in 2003, as well as two intensive outpatient counseling programs in both Kilgore and Tyler.