Mega Doctor News
During a medical emergency, timely action is required, with access to proximate trauma and critical care services vital to reduce the risk of long-term disability and death.
In western Hidalgo County, South Texas Health System has provided 24/7 emergency medical care to thousands in the last decade at STHS ER Mission, the second of the healthcare system’s seven freestanding emergency departments (FEDs) in the region.
Opened in March 2015, STHS ER Mission – part of the STHS Trauma & Critical Care Institute, the largest integrated network of trauma and critical care in the Rio Grande Valley – began providing close-to-home emergency care to residents of Mission and the surrounding communities, including patients from neighboring Starr County.
Ten years later, STHS ER Mission has provided quality, compassionate care to 193,603 ill and injured patients, including more than 75,000 children, when they needed it most.
“For 10 years, STHS ER Mission has provided top-tier, close-to-home emergency care to our residents when they’ve needed it most,” says Mayor Norie Gonzales Garza, City of Mission. “Having access to this type of time-sensitive care, especially in a life-threatening emergency, is vital to a thriving community. The people of Mission, and the surrounding areas, are extremely grateful to South Texas Health System for making this care attainable.”
Unlike a night clinic or urgent care center, STHS ER Mission offers the same round-the-clock care available in South Texas Health System’s hospital-based emergency rooms, improving access to care for emergent patients in the surrounding communities, including rural areas like Alton, Palmhurst, Palmview, La Joya and Sullivan City, as well those requiring timely care in Starr County.
“STHS ER Mission has proudly provided quality, compassionate close-to-home care for people requiring medical attention in western Hidalgo County and Starr County over the last 10 years,” say Brenda Ivory, Chief Executive Officer, STHS Heart, who also oversees STHS FEDs. “Today, this facility serves as a pinnacle of emergency care in the Upper Valley, offering time-sensitive stabilizing treatment required during an emergency.”
To meet the critical medical needs of the ever-expanding community, STHS ER Mission 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. Since 2018, STHS ER Mission has helped provide swift attention to 3,073 patients experiencing chest pain, as well as 483 stroke patients.
In addition to providing 24/7 close-to-home emergency care, STHS ER Mission also offers convenient outpatient services with limited wait times. In the last decade, the facility has performed 1,122,663 laboratory studies, 108,957 X-rays, 45,704 computed tomography scans, 17,577 ultrasounds and 12,237 mammograms.
“For the last decade, STHS ER Mission has been able to provide routine outpatient laboratory and advanced imaging services to the people of Mission and the surrounding communities with limited wait times,” says Julia Niño, RN, Director, STHS ER Mission. “The same services provided at our acute care facilities are offered here, without requiring an appointment. Patients can walk in with their doctors’ orders, get the necessary studies or scans done and get their results right away, which always them to receive timely diagnosis and treatment from their physicians.”
To commemorate STHS ER Mission’s 10th anniversary, South Texas Health System hosted a special milestone celebration on Thursday, March 6, which spotlighted the decade of exceptional emergency care and outpatient services provided for infants, children and adults at the facility.
The milestone celebration featured the participation of STHS leaders and City of Mission officials, who spoke about the facility’s impact, as well as STHS ER Mission’s commitment to meeting the healthcare needs of residents in Mission and beyond.
During the ceremony, STHS honored two STHS staff members – Tabitha Wildenborg and Jessica Munguia, who not only helped launch the facility, but continue working there today. A third STHS employee, Norma Castillo, was recognized for helping open STHS ER Weslaco and STHS ER Mission.
“These resolute STHS staff members have been instrumental in the success of STHS ER Mission,” says Brett Stock, MBA-HA, BSN, System Director Freestanding Emergency Departments, STHS. “Since day one, their hard work, exceptional performance and commitment to excellence made a tremendous impact at STHS ER Mission. It’s an honor to collaborate with them.”
Along with honoring the long-standing employees, STHS leadership also presented a special Hometown Heroes Department Award to the U.S. Border Patrol Rio Grande Valley Sector for exceptional dedication, commitment and service to the health and wellbeing of individuals requiring emergency medical services in western Hidalgo County and the law enforcement agencies unwavering support of STHS ER Mission in the last decade.
“It’s been an honor to provide high-quality care in the City of Mission and beyond. We look forward to many more decades of service to residents in this ever-growing community,” says Ivory. “We’re so grateful to this community for entrusting South Texas Health System with their healthcare needs and contributing to the success of STHS ER Mission.”
For more information on the services provided by STHS ER Mission, visit southtexashealthsystem.com.
