BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Dr. Carlos Cardenas, MD, chairman and chief administrative officer of DHR Health, says the Rio Grande Valley is as deserving as any other region when it comes to first class medical care.
Cardenas made this point in an interview with the Rio Grande Guardian that focused on medical services in Starr County. DHR is currently constructing a medical plaza right across from Starr County Memorial Hospital that will work in conjunction with the hospital to provide medical services that are not currently being offered in the county. The plaza will include specialty clinics, a medical research center and a residency program for young doctors.
“It’s all about trying to level the healthcare playing field for our area so that our people can stay home and get the same level of care that they would in any other metropolitan area the same size as ours. We're as deserving as any other community in this country,” Cardenas said.
The Guardian had sought an interview with Dr. Cardenas following glowing remarks about DHR from Starr County Judge Eloy Vera. We were able to do this at a press conference DHR held at its Brownsville hospital. At the Rio Grande Valley Partnership’s recent State of the Region luncheon, held in Mission, Vera said his proudest accomplishment as county judge has been the advances made in medical services for his county. He said this was due in large part to DHR.
“We’re in lockstep with Judge Vera,” Cardenas told the Guardian. “It's been our vision since the beginning (to improve services in Starr County). “As you know, I worked at an outreach clinic there for many years, and I'm here in Brownsville now. But I am completely… and DHR Health, as a health care entity, is completely committed to raising the level of care in Starr County. From Cameron and Willacy counties, all the way to Starr County, we're one big family - the Rio Grande Valley.
“And it's not just about what you bring in terms of facilities and employment and all of the economic impact that comes from that. It’s about sowing the seeds to grow our own so that we have and train the next generation of physicians right here in the Rio Grande Valley, and that means in rural parts of the Valley as well. Starr County is going to be a shining example of what you can do when you come together with physician-led health care, because, as you know, we're physician-led.
“Making that part of what of what we are is a dream come true. We've already had the GME programs in Hidalgo County. For us, it's a natural extension to be able to do that there (in Starr County), and who knows, maybe ultimately, here in Cameron County as well.”
Judge Vera spoke about the improving medical scene in Starr County in a recent video interview with the Guardian. Here is the interview:
As mentioned earlier, Vera also spoke about medical advances in his county during his portion of RGVP’s State of the Region Address.
“One of the biggest accomplishments, or the one that I'm most proud of, is the advancements that we've had in our medical community,” Vera said. “As you all know, many years ago, Starr County had only one doctor for the whole county, and that was Dr Mario Ramirez. I don't know how he did it, but he served all our population by himself. So we are eternally grateful to him and the Ramirez family.
“Since then, of course, we built Starr County Memorial Hospital, and our services improved greatly. However, Starr County still has one of the highest patient-to-doctor ratios in the country, and that we're trying to improve.
“Doctor's Hospital at Renaissance has been a tremendous partner in Starr County and Starr County Memorial Hospital went into partnership (with them) for medical services. Since then, DHR has been sending some of their specialty doctors to our community, so that our people that need the services, who are usually the elderly, don't have to travel. They can see those doctors right there in their backyard. So that's been a great improvement.
“And right now, DHR is constructing a medical plaza right across from Starr County Memorial Hospital that will work in conjunction with our hospital to offer services that are not being offered at the hospital. They're building specialty clinics - the buildings are already done - and, most importantly, a medical research center and a center for a residency program for young doctors.”
Vera said if anyone had told him, just a few short years ago, that Starr County would have a medical residency program, he would have believed them.
“I would have said, you know, I would love to see it, but I don't think it'll happen in my lifetime. Well, guess what? The buildings are already up, and those programs will start, hopefully in 2026.
“We’re hoping that some of these young doctors that go through the residency program in Starr county will build roots there and will stay there, so that our patient-to-doctor ratio will improve. And we think that will happen because we have really good people in Starr County, and I know they'll make (the young doctors) feel very welcome.”
Vera rhetorically asked what all this means for Starr County and the Valley. He then answered his own question.
“Well, for one, we will have more medical services in our county. Also the research center; for years, our Hispanic community has been left behind as far as research (is concerned). And that's partly our fault, because we don't volunteer to be patients that will do research. But now having this facility there, hopefully that will improve and change, not only for us in the Valley, but for the whole country.”
