DCH News
Laredo Specialty Center
Open house to highlight Driscoll's pediatric services in Laredo
May 30, 2012
WHAT: Pediatricians, their office and nursing staffs and the public are invited to an open house to celebrate the newly expanded and relocated Driscoll Children's Specialty Center - Laredo. Driscoll officials and physicians will be on hand to provide information on the specialized medical services the hospital brings to patients who may otherwise be underserved in the community.
WHEN: 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 30
WHERE: Driscoll Children's Specialty Center - Laredo, 10710 McPherson, Ste. 202
New partnership to provide faster patient transports to Driscoll Children's Hospital
September 16, 2011
"The purpose of this partnership is to transport newborns, infants and children with life threatening illnesses and injuries to the hospital as fast as possible," said Steve Woerner, president and CEO of Driscoll Children's Hospital.
Helicopters roughly cut transport time in half compared to ambulances, according to Driscoll records. For example, the average round trip by ambulance from Driscoll to a hospital in Brownsville is seven hours. The same round trip by helicopter is around three hours.
"By having a dedicated HALO-Flight helicopter, Driscoll will be able to better serve children throughout our 31-county service area," Woerner said. "This is monumental in our mission of providing hope and healing to the children of South Texas."
Excellent patient care is at the forefront of HALO-Flight's partnership with Driscoll, said Tom Klassen, HALO-Flight, Inc.'s executive director.
"Our goal is to continue to provide advanced critical care utilizing our premier helicopters and the highly skilled flight crews at Driscoll. HALO-Flight is dedicated to ensuring that the children of South Texas have the opportunity for a better chance at life by receiving air ambulance transports. We are two companies who have been, and will continue to be, serving South Texas residents' emergent needs."
Driscoll Children's Hospital is the only major hospital in South Texas to have this partnership with HALO-Flight, according to Patricia Carr, director of Driscoll's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and Transport Department. The hospital's service area covers 31 counties and 33,000 square miles, with its level III NICU offering the highest level of care in the area.
Driscoll, HALO-Flight to announce new partnership
September 15, 2011
WHAT: Officials from Driscoll Children's Hospital and HALO-Flight, Inc. will hold a press conference to announce a new partnership that will result in an unprecedented level of service for critically ill and injured children of South Texas. A helicopter will be unveiled during the event.
WHEN: 9:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 16
WHERE: Driscoll Children's Hospital helipad, 3533 S. Alameda St.
WHEN: 9:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 16
WHERE: Driscoll Children's Hospital helipad, 3533 S. Alameda St.
Driscoll's Laredo clinic relocating
March 11, 2011
LAREDO - In order to expand their space and serve a growing number of patients, Driscoll Children's Specialty Center - Laredo, 10710 McPherson Ave., Suite 100, is relocating to offices above their current location, to Suite 202. The relocation will be complete and patients will continue to be seen on Monday, March 14. For more information, call the clinic at 1-800-525-8687.
With healthcare reimbursement at risk in state budget, Driscoll team will go to Austin, seek support from legislators
March 01, 2011
CORPUS CHRISTI - For Driscoll Children's Hospital, certain proposed cuts and changes in the state's budget mean reduced services for the children of South Texas. In response, a contingent of physicians and volunteers from Driscoll will travel to Austin to voice their concerns to legislators about healthcare issues. The group will leave the hospital by bus the morning of March 2 for a one-day trip.
There are two main issues that Driscoll wishes to address. The first is a proposed $20 million cut in Medicaid provider payments. Driscoll Children's Hospital is the second-highest-ranking hospital in the state for percentage of Medicaid patient days. The proposed budget would cut the hospital's inpatient and outpatient reimbursement by 10 percent, or approximately $10 million, and cut Driscoll's Upper Payment Limits reimbursement by approximately $10 million. If this is approved, Driscoll's ability to provide specialty services such as cancer treatment, kidney transplants and heart surgery will be diminished.
The other issue concerns a Medicaid managed care expansion, for which Driscoll is requesting support from legislators. This not-for-profit health plan, proposed by the state's Health and Human Services Commission, will enable the hospital to continue its wide range of services without fear of non-Medicaid payment.
The Driscoll team plans to make their case with simple, straightforward facts. This includes:
Driscoll has saved the lives of thousands of South Texas children. In many cases, Driscoll is their only source for medical help.
Since 1953, Driscoll Children's Hospital's not-for-profit mission has been to care for the children of South Texas, regardless of their ability to pay.
There are two main issues that Driscoll wishes to address. The first is a proposed $20 million cut in Medicaid provider payments. Driscoll Children's Hospital is the second-highest-ranking hospital in the state for percentage of Medicaid patient days. The proposed budget would cut the hospital's inpatient and outpatient reimbursement by 10 percent, or approximately $10 million, and cut Driscoll's Upper Payment Limits reimbursement by approximately $10 million. If this is approved, Driscoll's ability to provide specialty services such as cancer treatment, kidney transplants and heart surgery will be diminished.
The other issue concerns a Medicaid managed care expansion, for which Driscoll is requesting support from legislators. This not-for-profit health plan, proposed by the state's Health and Human Services Commission, will enable the hospital to continue its wide range of services without fear of non-Medicaid payment.
The Driscoll team plans to make their case with simple, straightforward facts. This includes:
Driscoll has saved the lives of thousands of South Texas children. In many cases, Driscoll is their only source for medical help.
- Medicaid is the lifeblood of medical care for many South Texas children.
- Driscoll serves one of the poorest populations in the United States.
- Medicaid presently pays approximately 85 percent of Driscoll's costs to treat Medicaid patients.
- Driscoll is one of only five free-standing children's hospitals in the State of Texas, providing care from Victoria to Laredo and throughout the Rio Grande Valley.
Since 1953, Driscoll Children's Hospital's not-for-profit mission has been to care for the children of South Texas, regardless of their ability to pay.