In February, Harris Health celebrated the completion of a major renovation and construction project that signaled the continuation of quality care in Houston. The ribbon cutting ceremony occurred at the fully-reimagined Harris Health Casa de Amigos Health Center, a patient-centered primary and specialty facility in Houston’s historic Near Northside. The nearly $19 million modernization project focused on expanding services, increasing access to high quality care, and beautifying the campus in a rapidly changing part of the city.
“This renovation signals to the community that we’re keeping up,” says Kelsie Reed, MSN, RN, CEN, senior operations manager, Casa de Amigos, Harris Health. “Sometimes there’s a perception that a safety-net healthcare provider doesn’t provide the same quality care as other systems. The new Casa de Amigos dispels that myth.”
A Reimagined Harris Health Casa de Amigos Health Center Upholds a Legacy of Care in Historic Near Northside
By Ryann Swift on MARCH 18, 2025
SPONSORED BY Harris Health
“We're almost like a brand-new facility at this point,” says Hammad Mahmood, MD, MBA, medical director, Casa de Amigos, Harris Health. “We offer family medicine and pediatrics. Altogether, we have eight primary care providers who are internists and family medicine specialists, and two pediatricians on staff.”
The newly expanded Casa de Amigos also offers obstetrics, midwifery services and specialties like rheumatology, optometry, psychiatry, behavioral health, podiatry, clinical pharmacy and nutrition. The center expanded its radiology capabilities by adding a state-of-the-art digital X-ray machine, the best on the market. The renovation is symbolic of Harris Health’s commitment to an area where redevelopment is everywhere. “With this expansive renovation, the community knows we’re here to stay,” he says.
"Currently less than 50% of those suffering cardiac arrest receive bystander CPR. Training more bystanders in CPR could double the survival rate."
“We benefit by training the best and brightest from the next generation of healthcare leaders,” Mahmood says. “Harris Health and the medical college partnership is something that fosters excellence and derives a lot of quality improvement, performance enhancement, meaningful change and advocacy for our patients."
Small agrees. “Our partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and UTHealth is invaluable. We can’t do this alone.”
Reed says completion of the center transformation is especially gratifying. She’s seen the evolution of Casa de Amigos go from architectural plans to a stunning reality.
“During our entire renovation, we never closed, we never lost services,” she says. “It was challenging, but we did it. It demonstrated the strength and passion we have for our patients.”
Visiting the newly renovated facility, Reed's point is on full display. The center is bright, open, and airy, with stylized landscaping, new signage, and convenient access to Houston’s light rail system. But even more impressive than the building’s cosmetic makeover is the transformation of its care capabilities. About 95% of Casa de Amigo’s 29,000 square feet was redone—with a further 3,000 square feet added—to establish a one-stop for all the community’s health needs. From pediatrics to geriatrics, radiology to lab work to a visit to the OB/GYN, everything at Casa de Amigos happens under one roof, a huge advantage for its patients that might have transportation barriers.
Jennifer Small, AuD, CEO, Ambulatory Care Services, Harris Health
Kelsie Reed, MSN RN CEN, senior operations manager,
Harris Health Casa de Amigos
Hammad Mahmood, MD, MBA, medical director, Harris Health Casa de Amigos
Mahmood is proud to note the level of commitment his staff has shown the community since Casa de Amigos opened in its current location back in 1982. Dedicated clinicians, like Roberta Torres, MD, have been serving here since the beginning, providing compassionate care and guiding multiple generations of families through their healthcare journey.
For Jennifer Small, AuD, CEO, Ambulatory Care Services, Harris Health, a key aspect of the renovation is its lasting positive impact on healthcare accessibility. “The layout of the facility is much more open and inviting,” she adds. “We co-located women and children services so that they're in the same suite, which is very convenient for our families.”
Harris Health is known for its seamless transition in care and adaptability. With care available in multiple languages, understanding your health should never be a barrier. Those without a primary care physician, even uninsured or underinsured, are encouraged to see how Harris Health can offer you a medical home. The health center also functions as a portal to the wider services offered by the fully integrated healthcare system.
Despite the rousing success of Casa de Amigos, Harris Health isn’t stopping its improvement of the facility. It will soon begin a next phase of construction to build a new full-fledged urgent care center to expand its care capabilities.
“Our patients have access to the highest level of quality care,” Small says. “Now we have the refreshingly modern facilities to match.”
Previously, pediatrics and women’s services were in two different buildings separated by a parking lot, making accessibility more complicated. Now, the services not only share the same building, but the same waiting area as well. It’s a small but consequential detail serving a larger goal.
“We want to ensure that we're devoted to high-quality, accessible care for our families,” Small explains. “The co-location also makes it easy for pregnant mothers to meet the pediatricians that we have at that practice, so that they know that once they do deliver, we're more than happy to continue care of their baby as well as continued care for them.”
While much of Casa de Amigos is new and expanded, some things haven’t changed. Casa de Amigos remains staffed by physicians and nurse practitioners from Baylor College of Medicine.
“Sometimes there’s a perception that a safety-net healthcare provider doesn’t provide the same quality care as other systems. The new Casa de Amigos dispels that myth.”
Harris Health is known for its seamless transition in care and adaptability. With care available in multiple languages, understanding your health should never be a barrier. Those without a primary care physician, even uninsured or underinsured, are encouraged to see how Harris Health can offer you a medical home. The health center also functions as a portal to the wider services offered by the fully integrated healthcare system.
Despite the rousing success of Casa de Amigos, Harris Health isn’t stopping its improvement of the facility. It will soon begin a next phase of construction to build a new full-fledged urgent care center to expand its care capabilities.
“Our patients have access to the highest level of quality care,” Small says. “Now we have the refreshingly modern facilities to match.”
In February, Harris Health celebrated the completion of a major renovation and construction project that signaled the continuation of quality care in Houston. The ribbon cutting ceremony occurred at the fully-reimagined Harris Health Casa de Amigos Health Center, a patient-centered primary and specialty facility in Houston’s historic Near Northside. The nearly $19 million modernization project focused on expanding services, increasing access to high quality care, and beautifying the campus in a rapidly changing part of the city.
“This renovation signals to the community that we’re keeping up,” says Kelsie Reed, MSN, RN, CEN, senior operations manager, Casa de Amigos, Harris Health. “Sometimes there’s a perception that a safety-net healthcare provider doesn’t provide the same quality care as other systems. The new Casa de Amigos dispels that myth.”
Visiting the newly renovated facility, Reed's point is on full display. The center is bright, open, and airy, with stylized landscaping, new signage, and convenient access to Houston’s light rail system. But even more impressive than the building’s cosmetic makeover is the transformation of its care capabilities. About 95% of Casa de Amigo’s 29,000 square feet was redone—with a further 3,000 square feet added—to establish a one-stop for all the community’s health needs. From pediatrics to geriatrics, radiology to lab work to a visit to the OB/GYN, everything at Casa de Amigos happens under one roof, a huge advantage for its patients that might have transportation barriers.
“We're almost like a brand-new facility at this point,” says Hammad Mahmood, MD, MBA, medical director, Casa de Amigos, Harris Health. “We offer family medicine and pediatrics. Altogether, we have eight primary care providers who are internists and family medicine specialists, and two pediatricians on staff.”
The newly expanded Casa de Amigos also offers obstetrics, midwifery services and specialties like rheumatology, optometry, psychiatry, behavioral health, podiatry, clinical pharmacy and nutrition. The center expanded its radiology capabilities by adding a state-of-the-art digital X-ray machine, the best on the market. The renovation is symbolic of Harris Health’s commitment to an area where redevelopment is everywhere. “With this expansive renovation, the community knows we’re here to stay,” he says.
Mahmood is proud to note the level of commitment his staff has shown the community since Casa de Amigos opened in its current location back in 1982. Dedicated clinicians, like Roberta Torres, MD, have been serving here since the beginning, providing compassionate care and guiding multiple generations of families through their healthcare journey.
For Jennifer Small, AuD, CEO, Ambulatory Care Services, Harris Health, a key aspect of the renovation is its lasting positive impact on healthcare accessibility. “The layout of the facility is much more open and inviting,” she adds. “We co-located women and children services so that they're in the same suite, which is very convenient for our families.”
Previously, pediatrics and women’s services were in two different buildings separated by a parking lot, making accessibility more complicated. Now, the services not only share the same building, but the same waiting area as well. It’s a small but consequential detail serving a larger goal.
“We want to ensure that we're devoted to high-quality, accessible care for our families,” Small explains. “The co-location also makes it easy for pregnant mothers to meet the pediatricians that we have at that practice, so that they know that once they do deliver, we're more than happy to continue care of their baby as well as continued care for them.”
While much of Casa de Amigos is new and expanded, some things haven’t changed. Casa de Amigos remains staffed by physicians and nurse practitioners from Baylor College of Medicine.
“We benefit by training the best and brightest from the next generation of healthcare leaders,” Mahmood says. “Harris Health and the medical college partnership is something that fosters excellence and derives a lot of quality improvement, performance enhancement, meaningful change and advocacy for our patients."
Small agrees. “Our partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and UTHealth is invaluable. We can’t do this alone.”
Reed says completion of the center transformation is especially gratifying. She’s seen the evolution of Casa de Amigos go from architectural plans to a stunning reality.
“During our entire renovation, we never closed, we never lost services,” she says. “It was challenging, but we did it. It demonstrated the strength and passion we have for our patients.”
"Currently less than 50% of those suffering cardiac arrest receive bystander CPR. Training more bystanders in CPR could double the survival rate."
Hammad Mahmood, MD, MBA, medical director, Harris Health Casa de Amigos
Kelsie Reed, MSN RN CEN, senior operations manager,
Harris Health Casa de Amigos
Jennifer Small, AuD, CEO, Ambulatory Care Services, Harris Health