Now that the children's hospital bond initiative has been approved by El Paso voters, the work will begin on making it a reality.

"We want to exceed El Pasoans' expectations for Thomason and the children's hospital," Thomason CEO Jim Valenti said Wednesday.

The passage of the $120 million bond issue means that Thomason Hospital will spend more than $250 million on new construction and improvements.

In November 2005, the El Paso County Commissioners Court OK'd $120 million for the hospital in tax and revenue bonds for construction and expansion, and in the fall of 2006, the court approved $16 million for repairs and maintenance.

"We will start seeing some cranes and some heavy equipment, and you will start seeing signs of normal construction," said Ron Acton, chairman of Thomason's Board of Managers.

"What El Pasoans will be able to see in 2008 and certainly in 2009, 2010 and 2011 is absolutely new buildings and a new look for the hospital district."

Groundbreaking for the children's hospital will be next summer.

Valenti said that in the short term, he would travel today to Tulsa, Okla., to visit a children's hospital being built there.

"I'm going to tour that hospital and visit with the medical staff and the management team and the board in Tulsa and review with them how they are progressing and learn from them," he said.

He said Thomason would also be watching with interest the site visit by an accreditation committee next week at Texas Tech because Thomason would be working collaboratively with the medical school.

"That's a big step we need to pass with flying colors," Valenti said.

In the longer term, he said, a staff recruitment plan will be finished in the next few months to determine which specialities to begin recruiting to the children's hospital. New physicians are expected to arrive in the El Paso area as early as 2008.

Also in the next several months, Thomason will focus on designing the children's hospital.

Valenti said he was determined to keep El Pasoans informed about the progress of the project.

"I'm going to also do a lot of public speaking," Valenti said. "I want to keep the public informed about our plans, and I also, since there was confusion in the campaign and since the vote was a close vote, I want to be able to go to the public and let them know of our plans."

The mood at Thomason was one of excitement.

Dr. Antonio Jesurun, director of the neonatal intensive care unit at Thomas, said, "We've been transferring 30 babies a year out of our institution because we don't have the specialists in town to take care of the babies. I think it's wonderful that the people of El Paso have been thinking of the future, and everybody in the community is going to benefit."

Hospital officials said the work on making the effort a success would extend beyond Thomason's walls.

"We need our elected officials to take their appointments to this hospital board as well as other boards very, very seriously," Acton said. "In the hospital district's case, we will be spending a quarter of a billion dollars. We need the absolute highest caliber individuals on that board."

The children's hospital is expected to open in 2011.

Erica Molina Johnson may be reached at emolina@elpasotimes.com; 546-6132.