Mega Doctor News
When it comes to medical emergencies, time is of the essence, with access to nearby critical care vital to helping ensure positive patient outcomes.
Over the last decade, South Texas Health System ER Weslaco has become a crucial community fixture in the Mid-Valley, providing 24/7 critical care to nearly 200,000 patients.
In December 2014, the South Texas Health System Trauma & Critical Care Institute – the largest integrated network of trauma and critical care in the Rio Grande Valley – began operating STHS ER Weslaco, the first of South Texas Health System’s seven freestanding emergency departments (FEDs) in the region.
By January 2015, the facility was fully operational, providing close-to-home emergency care to residents of Weslaco and the surrounding communities.
Unlike an urgent care center or night clinic, STHS ER Weslaco was able to provide the same round-the-clock care as South Texas Health System’s hospital-based emergency rooms, improving access to care for trauma patients in rural areas.
“While not physically connected to a hospital, emergency physicians and staff at STHS ER Weslaco can perform many of the available studies and procedures you’d find in a hospital-based ER,” says Christen Wirth, MBA-HCM, BSN-RN, CNML, CEN, EMT-P, Facility Director, STHS ER Weslaco. “Unlike most urgent care centers, our freestanding ER can conduct lab tests, as well as perform ultrasounds, CT scans and other imaging services necessary to properly diagnose and treat patients.”
Since opening its doors, STHS ER Weslaco has provided quality, compassionate care to 197,862 patients and counting, including nearly 75,000 children.
To meet the critical medical needs of the people of the Mid-Valley, the facility has earned numerous accreditations and certifications in the last decade, including a Chest Pain Management certification and Acute Stroke Ready Hospital designation by The Joint Commission, as well as a Level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).
“STHS ER Weslaco is committed to providing a high standard of care that meets the unique healthcare needs of residents in the Mid-Valley, including the time-sensitive stabilizing treatment required during a medical emergency,” says Brenda Ivory, Chief Executive Officer, STHS Heart, who also oversees STHS FEDs. “This facility was the first of its kind for our parent company, Universal Health Services Inc., and has served as the model for the nearly 30 facilities like it across the U.S., including STHS’ six other freestanding emergency departments in the Rio Grande Valley.”
In addition to providing 24/4 close-to-home emergency care, STHS ER Weslaco convenient outpatient services with limited wait times, including mammograms, imaging and laboratory services.
“STHS ER Weslaco has become a pillar in the Mid-Valley community in the last decade,” says Wirth. “We’re proud to have served the region over the years, bringing critical care and outpatient services to the people of Weslaco and the surrounding communities. We’re grateful for the opportunity to meet their medical needs right in their backyard.”
To commemorate STHS ER Weslaco’s 10th anniversary, South Texas Health System will host a special ceremony at the facility, located at 330 W. Expressway 83 in Weslaco, on Thursday, January 9, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Open to the community, the milestone celebration will look back on the decade of exceptional emergency care and outpatient services provided for infants, children and adults in the community and feature the participation of South Texas Health System and City of Weslaco leaders. To RSVP to the event, please email STHSMarketing@uhsinc.com.
For more information on the services provided by STHS ER Weslaco, visit southtexashealthsystem.com.
| Who: | South Texas Health System ER Weslaco |
| What: | STHS ER Weslaco 10th Anniversary Celebration |
| When: | Thursday, January 9, 2025, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. |
| Where: | South Texas Health System ER Weslaco 330 W. Expressway 83Weslaco, TX. 78599 |
