Two major hospitals collaborate to improve pediatric care

Driscoll Children’s Hospital and CHRISTUS Spohn collaborate to create a hospital within CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi-South. The agreement is expected to deliver on both hospitals’ continued commitment for both mothers and babies.

Driscoll Children’s Hospital, a leader in pediatric care, and CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi - South, a leader in women’s health services, announced the forming of a strategic relationship where Driscoll will own and operate the 24-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on the campus of CHRISTUS Spohn - South. The new facility will be known as the Driscoll Children’s Hospital Neonatal Care Center. Together, the two organizations will build upon their unique strengths and effectively collaborate to improve the health and well-being of families they both serve today.

The agreement provides benefits for both organizations, physicians, and, more importantly, the most vulnerable and smallest of patients. Driscoll Children’s Hospital Neonatal Care Center will boast a newly constructed NICU with new, state-of-the-art equipment. It will be even better equipped to care for all patients, but especially those most at risk and in need of the collaborative, high-quality care provided by nationally-ranked South Texas health care leaders.

This relationship will also create greater opportunities for joint investments in new programs and the expansion of services and resources to support existing and aligned NICU operations, as both Driscoll and CHRISTUS Spohn are committed to advancing services and care for South Texas women and children. Under the agreement, the two organizations will purposefully develop innovative solutions through technology and clinical collaboration, enabling the delivery of advanced, integrated care and providing expectant parents additional peace of mind.

“This is an exciting time for CHRISTUS Spohn,” said Osbert Blow, MD, Ph.D., FACS, CEO of CHRISTUS Spohn Health System. “CHRISTUS Spohn and Driscoll are very strong. Through this collaboration, we are now stronger for South Texans. We are excited to work closely with Driscoll, a devoted organization that shares our commitment to expert care and outreach to those we are so fortunate to be able to serve.”

Driscoll is the only NICU in South Texas to achieve Level IV (Advanced Intensive Care) designation by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Equally as impressive, CHRISTUS Spohn - South was the first hospital in the region to receive a Level IV Maternal Care Designation, which means the CHRISTUS Spohn - South campus provides the highest level of comprehensive care for pregnant and postpartum patients.

“The families of South Texas are the beneficiaries of this powerful collaboration.“ said Eric Hamon, President, and CEO of Driscoll Health System. ”Driscoll Children’s Hospital is proud to join forces with CHRISTUS Spohn – South in the creation of the neonatal care center. We are also grateful to our more than 4,000 donors for providing philanthropic support to make this vision a reality.”

The Driscoll Children’s Hospital Neonatal Care Center is made possible, in part, by a $1MM contribution from the Driscoll Development Foundation and its many supporters.

“We share a common commitment – our patients; and a common responsibility – to ensure that South Texans seeking the highest quality, coordinated care can find it right here,” said LaNell Scott, MSN, RN, NE-BC, President CHRISTUS Spohn - South. “Together, we will share best practices and resources to expand our ability to deliver compassionate and advanced medicine for anyone who might need us. And we’re so excited to do this alongside Driscoll, as we’ve both proudly served this community for decades. We admire their commitment to the health of South Texas children and are eager to accomplish even more together.”