DeTar Healthcare System is Vital to the South Texas Crossroads
3/18/2024
Delivers essential medical services and broad impact to the larger community
VICTORIA, Texas – Over the course of 2023, DeTar Healthcare System played a vital role helping people get well and live healthier at more than 257,000 patient encounters across its hospital and growing network of DeTar Medical Group physician clinics and other outpatient sites of care.
At more than 39,000 emergency department visits each year, lifesaving medically necessary care is provided for all patients regardless of their ability to pay. Members of the community who cannot fully afford their medical care are provided deep discounts or even charity care and the hospital has resources to help them secure medications and medical support devices. Last year, DeTar Healthcare System provided more than $120 million in charity and uncompensated care for the community’s most vulnerable.
“We have served as a trusted healthcare partner for generations and play an integral role in our community’s health and wellness,” said Bernard Leger, chief executive officer for DeTar Healthcare System. “Around the clock, every day of the year, for more than 100 years, we have helped people get well and live healthier.”
Other support for social determinants of health in the community includes financial donations for charitable organizations such as VISD Education Foundation and Billy T. Cattan Recovery Outreach, and acts of service such as the Jars of Love drive collecting peanut and other nut butters for the Food Bank of the Golden Crescent.
DeTar Healthcare System applies its resources to medical services, facilities and technologies that patients want to access close to home. DeTar Hospital North’s designation as Victoria's only Level III NICU means babies born as early as 26 weeks are able to receive specialized care around the clock, every day and the new $15.5 million DeTar Cancer Center provides patients comprehensive cancer care in a centralized location. Cardiac services are also growing to include advanced procedures, such as leadless pacemaker insertion and left atrial appendage closure techniques to help reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Having advanced medical services available in patients’ home communities eases the emotional, physical and financial burden of long-distance travel for care. DeTar Medical Group physicians offer clinics in Beeville, Corpus Christi, Cuero, Edna, Hallettsville, Port Lavaca, Refugio and Yoakum. More than 1,900 patients were transferred into the DeTar acute care hospitals to receive a higher level of care than offered in their communities.
Civic resources and services are supported by DeTar Healthcare System’s tax payments of more than $11 million and the payroll of more than $93.5 million ripples across the local economy as employees buy goods and services.
Workforce development remains a priority and strong relationships with local nursing programs and Texas A&M School of Medicine help train future generations of providers. Investments are being made to help team members achieve their personal and professional goals through assistance with student loan repayments, as well as tuition reimbursement.
To help fill the need for critical care nurses, DeTar created an innovative approach to prepare graduate nurses by pairing them with seasoned ICU nurses in a six month program to practice and hone the skills they learned in nursing school. The cohort participation improves their understanding of the physiologic needs of an ICU patient and helps make them successful in these high volume, high demand roles.
“This year we celebrate a century of caring for residents of the South Texas Crossroads,” continued Leger. “We reflect on our legacy of providing high quality, compassionate medical services and are encouraged for the future and what our dynamic presence means for our community. We will continue our commitment to expand services through recruitment of primary care and specialty providers, as well as building on the strong foundation we have to develop programs on par with those in more metropolitan areas so our patients can continue to receive the care they need, close to home. We are here for you.”
To help the community live healthier, DeTar Healthcare System offers a free e-newsletter with a monthly dose of health and wellness inspiration sent directly to your inbox. Sign up at detar.com/enewsletter-sign-up.
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