Mega Doctor News
Across the nation, low-income and working families lack access to medical care for various reasons, including geographical barriers, the inability to afford a doctor’s visit, and a lack of health insurance.
In the Rio Grande Valley, economic and income inequality have resulted in great disparities in healthcare access, leading to each of the region’s four counties – Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy – being declared as medically underserved communities.
STHS Edinburg Among 53 Hospitals Recognized for Serving Underserved Communities
Between 25.3 to 32.8 percent of people in the Valley are currently living in poverty, according to the U.S. Census. In comparison, the uninsured rate throughout the region is approximately 30 percent, much higher than the statewide average.
Despite the healthcare disparities reported throughout the Valley, residents can count on South Texas Health System Edinburg and its sister facilities to provide high-quality care to underserved populations.
South Texas Health System Edinburg has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a Best Regional Hospital for Equitable Access for its success as a high-performing hospital providing excellent care to patients in our underserved communities.
“The Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access demonstrate by their example that a hospital can both excel in overall quality of care and provide a substantial amount of that exceptional care to historically underserved communities, said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor, U.S. News & World Report. “Recognizing community hospitals that lead in this respect is a modest but necessary step toward ensuring everyone in the U.S. has access to high-quality medical care.”
STHS Edinburg is one of only three hospitals in Texas to earn the distinction and is the only Valley hospital recognized for its equitable access.
“It’s imperative that all individuals have access to the care they need, regardless of age, race, gender, or socioeconomic status, and we’re proud of the staff and physicians at South Texas Health System Edinburg and our sister facilities who work tirelessly every day to provide quality, compassionate care to all patients,” says Lance Ames, Chief Executive Officer, STHS Edinburg & STHS Children’s. “South Texas Health System is committed to improving the health and well-being of all people in the Rio Grande Valley. Through our relentless focus on quality, we’re working to change lives and transform healthcare delivery for all.”
To earn the distinction, STHS Edinburg and the other 53 Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access had to meet at least two of the following criteria: 1) had 40 percent or more of its patients from a community of greater socioeconomic deprivation (according to the Area Deprivation Index), 2) served 20 percent or more racial/ethnic minority patients or was in the highest tier in at least 1 o f 5 measures of racial and ethnic patient representation and 3) served 20 percent or more Medicaid patients or was in the highest tier in the measure of low-income patient representation.
In 2022, STHS Edinburg opened a $105 million patient tower, which more than doubled the size of the facility, to provide expanded healthcare services in the City of Edinburg and its surrounding communities, including a new cardiac catheterization laboratory to help diagnose and treat heart conditions, an expanded laboratory department to more efficiently facilitate testing on biological samples and enhanced emergency, intensive care and rehabilitation services.
STHS Edinburg, which was also recently named a Best Regional Hospital by U.S. News & World Report for the third consecutive year, is part of South Texas Health System, the largest integrated network of care in the Rio Grande Valley. To learn more about the facility, its services and its commitment to health equity, visit www.sthsedinburg.com.
