Special to the Star
Valley Baptist Health System celebrates National Doctors’ Day by paying tribute to its physicians for their service, skill and compassion. The observance commemorates the nation’s doctors, who have dedicated themselves to public service by helping to ensure the good health of US citizens. Doctors are qualified and licensed individuals who practice medicine of all forms. This year, we celebrate our physicians as valuable members of our Community Built on Careand will honor them with special celebrations.
“On behalf of our Governing Board, and all of our employees, I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to our physicians, the gatekeepers of healthcare in the Rio Grande Valley,” said Manny Vela, Chief Executive Officer forValley Baptist Health System. “I believe strongly in the value of saying thank you every day, but this national observance lets us set aside a special time to honor the contributions of physicians to the health and wellness of our community.”
Celebrated on March 30 each year, Doctors’ Day was officially established in 1991 when President George Bush issued a proclamation in observance of the day. National Doctors’ Day is commonly celebrated in healthcare organizations, like Valley Baptist, as a day to recognize the contributions of doctors to individual lives and communities.
“We are incredibly thankful to all our physicians for the sacrifices they make to better the lives of our patients each day,” said Vela.
Most recently, Valley Baptist-Harlingen achieved a grade “A” for patient safety from Leapfrog Group. The hospital also received the “2018 Patient Safety Award” from Healthgrades, recognizing the hospital for providing excellence in patient safety by preventing infections, medical errors and other preventable complications. Recipients of this award were recognized as being in the top 10% in the nation for patient safety. Other recent significant achievements include, being designated as: the first Adult Trauma Level II facility in the Rio Grande Valley, the only Comprehensive Level I Stroke Facility certified by Texas Health and Human Services in the Rio Grande Valley and south of San Antonio (one of only 30 in the State of Texas), the only DNV Healthcare Comprehensive Stroke Center south of San Antonio, a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) designated by the Texas Department of State Health Services and a CARF Accredited Inpatient Rehab Unit. .
“Our dedicated team of physicians play an integral role in achieving higher designations and ensuring the care we provide our patients is done so with the highest and safest standards of quality,” said Vela. “This Doctors’ Day, we encourage our staff and our community to take the time to thank a physician.”
ABOUT VALLEY BAPTIST HEALTH SYSTEM
Valley Baptist Health System is an 866-bed faith-based regional health system located in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. It is focused on helping people achieve health for life through compassionate service inspired by faith. Valley Baptist extends many of its services beyond its facilities and into local communities, offering free screenings for the community, support groups and numerous educational opportunities. For more information, visit www.ValleyBaptist.net.
