As the lead Level III trauma center in Hidalgo County, the Emergency Department at McAllen Medical Center handles the most difficult and devastating medical emergencies. The staff is ready day and night to respond quickly when patients need immediate trauma surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery or other emergency procedures.

"We receive about twice as many patients by ambulance as any other emergency room (ER) in the area, and many of these patients need emergency surgery," says Kenneth Ro, MD, Medical Director of Emergency Services for South Texas Health System. "Surgical teams perform emergency procedures often, and they perform them well."

Surgeons are either in the hospital or on call at all times, and the staff is always ready to help patients, regardless of their needs -- whether it's getting blood work or diagnostic tests -- and get them into surgery as quickly as possible.

"Patients' chances of surviving trauma and having positive outcomes improve if they get to the appropriate facility and receive surgical services within that critical first hour after their injuries," says Mark Lieser, MD, a trauma surgeon at McAllen Medical Center. "Our goal is to start procedures within 30 minutes of a patient's arrival at the ER."

"Whether patients suffer head injuries, gun shot wounds, ruptured appendixes, crushed or broken bones or other serious medical emergencies, they can have peace of mind because we provide the same level of emergency surgical services that are available at medical centers in major metropolitan areas," says Mario Garza Jr., RN, MSN, Director of Surgical Services at McAllen Medical Center.

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