Emergency Care When and Where You Need It

As the world around us changes, at least one thing stays the same – our commitment to your health. If you come to our hospital for an emergency or a necessary surgery, know that we have extra precautions in place for your safety.

We stay at work for your emergencies. So DON’T stay home if you have signs of a heart attack such as chest pain or difficulty breathing. Call 911 for signs of a stroke, too – weakness or drooping on one side of your face and/or one arm, slurred speech. Every second counts. Your safe care is our priority.

You can find out more about our current safety protocols in place at our www.valleybaptist.net/services/emergency-room/hospital-er-safety.

During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic at Valley Baptist emergency departments, you can expect we are:

• Evaluating patients and teams when entering the hospital
• Keeping potential COVID-19 patients separated from other patients
• Increasing precautions for infection prevention
• Wearing masks and other protective gear to prevent contact and spread of germs

Why Choose Valley Baptist for Emergency Care?

Shorter waiting times and multiple locations throughout the Rio Grande Valley — these are just a couple of reasons you should choose Valley Baptist for your emergency care. Here are a few more:

• We’re home to the Valley’s Most Experienced Comprehensive Stroke Center since 2016, which makes it the Rio Grande Valley’s FIRST Comprehensive (Level I) Stroke Facility Certified by DNV and the Texas Health Human Services Commission.
• Two Stroke Designated Hospitals across Cameron County:
  • Valley Baptist Medical Center – Harlingen: Comprehensive Stroke Center (DNV)
  • Valley Baptist Medical Center – Brownsville: Primary Stroke Center (TJC)
• Experienced, multi-disciplinary teams across the continuum of care to treat you for your stage of care needs.
• We offer fast and compassionate emergency care at our combined multiple emergency locations, including our two acute care hospitals, once micro hospital and three freestanding emergency centers across the Valley.

When time is of the essence and high-quality, compassionate care is what you seek, look no further than Valley Baptist. We’re always ready to help you and your family in an emergency. We are A Community Built on Safety.

Improved Entry and Triage

We’ve renovated our patient entry areas, and now have more nursing assistants and care providers to meet you when you arrive. Even if it’s something as simple as registering you at the bedside, we know you need care now, and we’re ready to make that happen.

Trauma Centers

Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen is certified as a Level II Trauma Center by the Texas Department of Health and the American College of Surgeons, the first such designated facility in the Rio Grande Valley since 2018. This designation means that the Valley Baptist-Harlingen Emergency Room is capable of initiating definitive care for all injured patients.

Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville is certified as a Level III Trauma Center.

CAART Program

Valley Baptist is proud to offer Child to Adult Abuse Response Team services for abused children, adolescents and adults. This program includes a special treatment room for victims of abuse, where our team of doctors, social workers and forensic nurse examiners can help the most vulnerable among us in a safe, secure environment.

Comprehensive Stroke Center

Valley Baptist-Harlingen is certified by DNV GL Healthcare as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, the first in the Rio Grande Valley and South of San Antonio since 2016. Valley Baptist has also been recognized by The Joint Commission as a certified Primary Stroke Center, meaning our stroke patients can expect quality, specialized care that meets or exceeds national standards. Plus, we’ve received the American Heart Association’s Gold Award for completing its “Get With The Guidelines” program for stroke prevention and treatment services, which means that we use all best practice treatments and techniques for stroke care. If you or a loved one experience stroke symptoms, we’re ready to help.