Driscoll Children’s Hospital Heart Center marked a historic milestone today with the ribbon-cutting of its newly expanded facility, a $100 million investment that significantly enhances pediatric heart care for children across South Texas. The expansion adds over 50,000 square feet of dedicated cardiac care space, including two state-of-the-art operating rooms, two advanced cardiac catheterization labs, and a 35-bed Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU).
"This expansion is more than just adding space, it’s about ensuring that every child receives the best possible care with the latest advancements in pediatric cardiology and surgery," said Karen Long, Vice President of Clinical Operations at Driscoll. "We are making an unparalleled commitment to the children and families of South Texas, ensuring they have access to world-class heart care without leaving home."
The investment comes as Driscoll Heart Center continues to achieve some of the best surgical outcomes in North America. Over the past four years, the center has performed more than 600 congenital heart surgeries with a 98.5% survival rate, surpassing national benchmarks and placing Driscoll among the top programs in the country according to Society of Thoracic Surgeons data.
“Pediatric heart surgery demands precision, expertise, and a commitment to progress. At Driscoll, every case is part of a continuum—each advancement builds on the last, driving better outcomes and greater possibilities for our patients. This expansion strengthens that mission, equipping us to take on more complex cases and push the boundaries of what we can achieve in pediatric heart care,” said Dr. Stephen Langley, Medical Director of the Heart Center and Chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.
Driscoll’s Heart Center treats a high percentage of complex congenital heart conditions and provides expert multidisciplinary care from a team of more than 40 specialists.
"Every child we care for is helped by a hundred hands—every person in our program plays a role in that child’s outcome," said Dr. Daniel McKenna, Medical Director of Pediatric Cardiology. "This expansion ensures that our entire team has the best resources to provide the highest level of care."
As South Texas grows in population, Driscoll Heart Center will continue to expand services to more children with the long-term goal of performing more than 500 pediatric heart surgeries each year. The Heart Center is increasing surgical capacity, recruiting additional cardiologists and specialized staff to strengthen regional access to care. A newly opened cardiology clinic in El Paso extends services to West Texas, while the upcoming launch of South Texas’s first Mobile ECMO Program will provide lifesaving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support for critically ill cardiac patients during transport.
Driscoll Heart Center Expansion Highlights:
