Mega Doctor News
By Roberto Hugo González / Mega Doctor News
RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas — Community leaders, healthcare professionals, and public officials gathered March 5, 2026, to dedicate the new DHR Health medical campus in Starr County, a project designed to expand access to healthcare and strengthen the region’s long-term medical workforce.
Marissa Castañeda, senior executive vice president at DHR Health, opened the ceremony by welcoming attendees and highlighting the significance of the investment. “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Marissa Castañeda and I serve as a senior executive vice president at DHR Health,” she said. “Thank you for joining us and welcome to this historic dedication ceremony and our medical campus preview here in Starr County.”
Castañeda said the project represents more than new facilities. “Today we celebrate more than just new buildings. We celebrate expanded access to care, new opportunities for physician training, groundbreaking clinical research, and a healthy future for our beloved community,” she said.
The new campus includes a multi-specialty clinic that will allow residents of Starr County to receive care closer to home. Services such as cardiology, oncology, and general surgery are expected to reduce the need for patients to travel long distances for treatment.
DHR Health Chief Executive Officer Dr. Manish Singh said the expansion reflects the organization’s commitment to improving healthcare access in underserved areas. “Our goal is simple: to continue expanding services so that this care can be provided right here in this community,” Singh said.
A central component of the campus is the Family Medicine Residency Rural Track Program, an initiative designed to train physicians within the community where they will practice. The program aims to address a long-standing shortage of doctors in rural South Texas.
Dr. Naomi D’Acolatse, program director for the family medicine residency and rural track program, said the initiative is designed to create a sustainable pipeline of physicians for the region. “Our rural track program will create a pipeline of physicians who will train here, serve here, and ultimately remain here, helping to address the physician shortage that affects so many rural communities across Texas,” she said.
Local officials emphasized the economic and social significance of the development. Starr County Judge Eloy Vera called the dedication a historic moment for the county. “Today is probably one of the best, if not the best day, in my 28-year career as county judge,” Vera said. “This brings several things to our community. It brings jobs, much-needed jobs, good-paying jobs. It brings hope, and it brings a future to our community.”
A highlight of the ceremony was the dedication of the new DHR Health Family Medicine Clinic in honor of Dr. Alberto “Beto” Gutierrez, a Rio Grande City native recognized for more than five decades of service to patients in the Rio Grande Valley.
Castañeda noted Gutierrez’s lasting impact on the community. His career spans more than 54 years, during which he treated thousands of patients in the region.
Gutierrez addressed the audience and emphasized the importance of improving healthcare access in Starr County. “Starr County is number six in the nation in poverty,” he said. “A lot of people need to be funded, need to be cared for, and we’re here for that.”
He also highlighted the long-term impact of the residency program on the region’s healthcare workforce. “With this building, you’re going to have residents training here, and historically 30 percent of residents stay in the community,” Gutierrez said. “So, we’re going to have old people like me going away, and you’ll have some new doctors taking over for you guys.”
Gilberto Falcon, mayor of Rio Grande City, presented a special proclamation recognizing Gutierrez’s decades of service. “This is a wonderful celebration, and it means a great deal to our city,” Falcon said. “This celebration means that people continue to believe in Rio Grande City. It means that people want to keep investing in our community and in our future.”
The new campus is expected to expand healthcare access, create jobs, and strengthen medical training opportunities in Starr County, positioning the project as a long-term investment in the health and economic future of the Rio Grande Valley.
