EDINBURGH, TX, March 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Access to specialized care for children in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) is set to improve significantly soon. Together, Driscoll Children’s Hospital (DCH) and the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation are working to bring the best possible care to children in South Texas by recruiting new pediatricians for this medically underserved region.

A transformative $17 million gift to Driscoll Children’s Hospital, the largest donation in the hospital’s 70-year history, from the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation will allow Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rio Grande Valley to recruit new specialty pediatricians from Bringing world class to the RGV.

The donation will be used solely for the recruitment and start-up costs of new specialist pediatricians who will relocate to the Valley. The aim is to bring dozens of new specialists and sub-specialists in paediatrics to the region over the next three years.

The Rio Grande Valley is one of the most medically underserved regions in the United States, based on Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) data, with limited access to pediatric health care, primarily due to a lack of specialized providers.

The Rio Grande Valley region faces a shortage of pediatricians, with only 14.9 pediatricians per 100,000 children, about 30% of the national average. With the opening of the region’s first freestanding dedicated children’s hospital in late 2023, Driscoll’s ability to recruit additional full-time pediatric specialists will be critical to providing specialty and acute care close to home.

“Improving access to specialized care for children in the Rio Grande Valley has long been a priority for Driscoll Children’s Hospital. I am honored to serve these dedicated physicians with a broad spectrum of…