Press Release

Rep. Cuellar Announces Partnership between Laredo VA Outpatient Clinic and Doctors Hospital of Laredo

New partnership will expand access to inpatient surgical and emergency care for area veterans

LAREDO, Texas, August 18, 2015 | Rafael Benavides ((956) 725-0639)
Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX28) today announced the expansion of health care services for veterans at the Laredo Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Outpatient Clinic.

 

A new partnership between the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System, TriWest and Doctors Hospital of Laredo will allow qualifying Laredo-area veterans to receive inpatient surgical and emergency care services.

 

This partnership brings the convenience of a community hospital within reach to over 5,000 Webb County veterans who will no longer have to travel to San Antonio for their healthcare needs.

 

As per this agreement, Doctors Hospital will notify the VA when a local veteran arrives to the emergency room, or when a veteran arrives as a transfer from the Laredo VA Outpatient clinic. The hospital will then provide in-patient services, emergency room care and advanced radiological services including MRI and CT scans.

 

These new services are in conjunction with existing on-site clinic services, which have recently been expanded to include primary care, dentistry, mental health, women’s health, telemedicine, podiatry, on-board EMS, radiology and laboratory work. 

With this new agreement, the Laredo VA Outpatient Clinic now has partnerships with two Laredo hospitals to make sure veterans get the care they need.

 


Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) today announced a new partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs Texas Valley Coastal Bend and Doctors Hospital of Laredo to provide inpatient services to Webb County Veterans. L-R: Hugo Martinez, Public Affairs Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs; Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz; Rep. Henry Cuellar; Rene Lopez, CEO of Doctors Hospital of Laredo; and Robert Walton, Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Texas Valley Coastal Bend.


"Veterans’ needs have been a priority of mine since being elected into Congress more than 10 years ago. Our veterans have paid a great price to defend our country. They deserve nothing but the best and that means receiving the best healthcare here at home, with their families.

 

“This new partnership with the VA and Doctors Hospital of Laredo is another step to our shared commitment to provide excellent healthcare to our area veterans. I thank the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Director Robert Walton and Doctors Hospital of Laredo CEO Rene Lopez for their hard work and dedication to our local veterans,” said Congressman Henry Cuellar.

“We at the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System are very pleased with this new partnership with Doctors Hospital, as we continue to improve access to care and services for our Veterans in the Laredo area.  Our mission to honor our veterans is a noble one, and we are very thankful Mr. Rene Lopez and all the staff at Doctors Hospital for contributing to our mission,” said Robert Walton, Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Texas Valley Coastal Bend.

“We are excited about this opportunity to offer these services to our veterans,” said Rene Lopez, CEO, Doctors Hospital of Laredo. “This is in line with our mission to provide quality care that improves the lives and well-being of people living in our communities.”