Pediatric center in Ben Taub may be closed

The Harris County Hospital District says with 30 beds, Ben Taub's pediatric unit is rarely full. The hospital also desperately needs more adult beds. So it is exploring all options, including reducing the pediatric department or merging it with LBJ Hospital, the other county hospital.

"Our commitment to pediatrics is not going away. We want to do the right thing for our community. If ultimately that means we look for alternatives, we need to look at those very carefully," said David Lopez with the Harris County Hospital District.

A final decision on what will happen with Ben Taub's pediatric unit is at least a month away.