College contemplates hospital partnership

In the near future Texarkana College and Christus Saint Michael might have a partnership for the health and fitness of the community, students and faculty. TC is looking to merge the fitness side and wellness side together, TC President Dr. Alan Rasco said. Cusimano and Associates, a survey firm from San Antonio, Texas,  has been hired to survey both facilities.

"With the Pinkerton Center we have the fitness part and with St. Michael's they have the medical side of the house, which we don't have, like registered dietitians, the physical therapists, the certified athletic trainers and the medical doctors and staff," Dr. Rasco said.

"So we are looking at ways to have something unique, that is not available."
Results from these surveys should be completed by the end of June.

"Their survey will include analyzing everything they have at St. Michael's and analyzing the Pinkerton Center as well and seeing how we can join together," Dr. Raso said.

Dr. Rasco said they may even co-brand the institutions, like Texarkana College and St. Michael's Wellness Center.

"It could be beneficial for the employees at the college and the students," Dr Rasco said.  "So there are a lot of things we are looking at for the medical side. It could be things like cholesterol screening, diabetic education with a certified diabetic educator, some of the things they have that we don't."

With the other agendas already ongoing at the Pinkerton Center, this would just be an addition to the schedule.

"What we plan on doing is keeping what we have in place, so of course nothing would change with that," Dr. Rasco said. "We would just have to work whatever additional things we will offer into our current schedule."

Once the survey is completed, then the changes can begin to take place. The Pinkerton Center will also receive a facelift.

"I would say the Pinkerton Center needs major remodeling," Dr. Raso said. "It has not been updated in a long time and our goal is to be very appealing and some place you want to be."