Driscoll Children’s Hospital RGV completes 10,000 surgeries

Not long ago, families in the Rio Grande Valley had to drive hours when a child needed surgery. Parents packed bags, arranged time off work and braced for hours on the road — often with a sick, hurt or anxious child in the back seat.

Care was out there somewhere, but it wasn’t anywhere close.

Today, that story looks much different.

At Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rio Grande Valley, care is no longer a road trip. It is right here — and 10,000 surgeries later, the impact is clear.

“It has been a really great two years of operation, and we’ve had a lot of milestones,” said Matthew Wolthoff, president of Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rio Grande Valley. “Our most recent was our 10,000th surgery, and we’re very, very proud of that accomplishment.”

The number stands out. But behind it are thousands of families who did not have to leave home to get exceptional care.

A significant number of those cases would have required travel two to three hours away before the hospital opened in May 2024. For many, that distance meant delayed care, added cost and added stress at a time when families needed support most.

From gap to access

The Rio Grande Valley is home to more than half a million children, yet for years, access to specialized pediatric care remained limited.

Families often pieced together care across multiple locations or traveled to cities, like Corpus Christi and Houston, for more complex needs.

That changed when the $100 million, eight-story Driscoll RGV hospital opened in Edinburg — the first freestanding children’s hospital in the region.

From the start, the goal was simple: close the gaps and bring care closer to home.

“We treat a lot of children who need ongoing or specialized care,” Wolthoff explained. “Before, many of them had to travel hours. Now, they can stay close to home.”

That shift shows up in the hospital’s growth. In its first year alone, Driscoll RGV logged thousands of emergency visits, inpatient stays and surgeries — early signs of just how great the need was.

Now, with 10,000 surgeries completed in less than two years, that need is even clearer.

“It’s indicative not only of the need in the Rio Grande Valley, but also the level of support that we’ve received from pediatricians and the community,” Wolthoff said. “There’s trust in the care we provide.”

Care built just for kids

Not all care settings are the same — especially for children.

In the past, some pediatric procedures took place in hospitals designed primarily for adults. While those teams worked hard to serve young patients, the environment was not always built around them.

Driscoll RGV was designed differently.

“Every single person who works in this hospital is solely dedicated to taking care of kids,” said Dr. Ana Almeda, chief medical officer.

That focus shapes everything — from equipment sized for children to care teams trained specifically in pediatric medicine.

Even procedures that may look similar on paper can feel very different in practice.

“It really is a whole other level of care,” Wolthoff said.

That difference extends across specialties. Today, Driscoll RGV offers a wide range of surgical services, including ear, nose and throat (ENT) procedures, general pediatric surgery, orthopedics and dental care.

One area of rapid growth has been pediatric ENT services. The hospital now has a five-physician team and has expanded access to advanced procedures, such as cochlear implants.

For children with severe hearing loss, that care can be life changing.

“With the newest technology giving them access to sound at a much younger age, it is just transformative,” Dr. Almeda said.

A team — and a community — behind every case

Driscoll’s surgical milestone also reflects something less visible but just as important — the people behind the care.

Driscoll RGV has worked to build a full pediatric care team, from surgeons and anesthesiologists to nurses, techs and support staff.

“It’s the whole team that’s fully dedicated to taking care of children,” Wolthoff said.

That team includes physicians who have returned home to serve the Valley.

Dr. Almeda is one of them. After growing up in the region and training in San Antonio, she came back home to help build something the community never had before.

“I couldn’t have imagined what we have brought to the Valley,” she said.

That sense of purpose carries across the hospital. Many team members are not just providers — they are also parents, neighbors and community members.

And families notice.

The hospital’s emergency department has consistently ranked at the top nationally for patient experience, reaching the 100th percentile among NRC Health partners and earning strong feedback from families. That includes one survey respondent, who said, “Loved the care they gave us and called the next day to check on my baby!”

Dr. Almeda said Driscoll’s focus on experience is intentional.

“We focus on quality, and we also focus on patient experience,” she said. “We’re constantly raising the bar.”

Growing to meet the need

The 10,000-surgery milestone is not a stopping point. In many ways, it marks the beginning of the next phase.

Demand has already outpaced expectations in some areas. Construction is underway to add 15 pediatric ICU beds, expanding critical care capacity for the region.

The hospital also is working toward a Level III trauma designation, which would strengthen emergency care for children across the Valley.

At the same time, leaders continue to recruit pediatric specialists and build out services that once required travel outside RGV.

“There are still some areas where families have to leave,” Wolthoff said. “Our goal is to continue to bridge those gaps.”

That includes building the future workforce.

This summer, Driscoll RGV will welcome its first class of pediatric residents — the first program of its kind in the Valley.

“We’re really excited to see those new residents start,” Wolthoff said.

For Dr. Almeda, who once hoped to see a program like this in her hometown, the moment is especially meaningful.

“When you train physicians in a community, they’re more likely to stay,” she said.

More than a number

Ten thousand surgeries.

It is a milestone that speaks to growth, access and trust. But for the families who have walked through the hospital’s doors, it means something much more personal.

It means a child treated sooner. A parent spared a long drive. A family able to recover at home, surrounded by support.

It means care that feels closer — both in distance, and in experience.

And it reflects something the hospital set out to build from the start. A place where children in the Rio Grande Valley can get the care they need, without leaving the community they call home.

As Wolthoff looks ahead, he returns to that same idea again and again.

“We’re going to continue to grow and expand our services to meet the needs of our children here in the Rio Grande Valley,” he said.

No doubt, the number will keep rising.

But the goal stays the same.

Exceptional care, close to home.