Houston Health Pavilion Renamed in Honor of Sonny Watson

Houston Health Pavilion, located at 233 North Houston Road in Warner Robins, has a new name, the Roy H. “Sonny” Watson Health Pavilion. The facility was renamed in honor of Roy H. “Sonny” Watson, Jr., longtime Houston Healthcare System, Inc. Board Chair. Mr. Watson now serves as Chairman Emeritus. The Houston Healthcare System, Inc. Board of Trustees, one of the two governing bodies for Houston Healthcare, under the leadership of newly elected Board Chair Ivan Allen, EdD, voted to change the name at their Strategic Planning meeting in December 2022. Signage reflecting the new name was installed May 2023.

The health pavilion was a focus for Mr. Watson. As healthcare trended more toward outpatient settings in the 1990s, Mr. Watson saw an opportunity for expansion outside the hospital walls. The Hospital Authority purchased the former Sears store at Houston Mall in Warner Robins and renovated the 50,000-square foot building in 1995 as Houston Health Pavilion, an ambulatory care center. Further renovation and expansion took place between 2013-2014 and continues as needed.

Today, the newly named Roy H. “Sonny” Watson Health Pavilion is home to the Pavilion Diagnostic Center, Pavilion Family Medicine Center, Pavilion Med-Stop, Pavilion Rehabilitation Center, Houston Healthcare’s Community Education (EduCare) Department, the Cary W. Martin Conference Center, Trinity School of Medicine, numerous physician practices, and offices for several Houston Healthcare administrative departments.

EduCare hosts free exercise, cooking, and wellness classes. Support groups host meetings. The Cary W. Martin Conference Center can be rented for larger scale health and community events. Five physician specialty groups are housed here as well as a medical college, radiology, lab services and urgent care.

“We are pleased to honor Mr. Watson for his countless hours and dedication to help our health system grow,” says Houston Healthcare President & CEO Charles Briscoe. “The health pavilion was his vision, so it only seems fitting that it bear his name.”