Mission Regional Medical Center celebrates 70th anniversary

Seventy years is considered a lifetime — and with that amount of time, the Mission Regional Medical Center continues to dedicate healthcare to patients.

Last Thursday, inside the Mission Event Center lobby, healthcare professionals, stakeholders, and guests celebrated seven decades of community-centered medical service.

“It’s the 70th anniversary of Mission Regional Hospital. What an accomplishment,” said CEO Kane Dawson. “And it’s only due to the steadfast work from our employees, physicians, all our stakeholders — along with the support of the community of Mission.”

Seven decades of service and counting

Mission Regional Medical Center (MRMC) has served patients since 1954.

“For seven decades, Mission Regional Medical Center has been dedicated to serving this community — this is our community — with the highest standings of care,” said Dawson.

From 40 hospital beds in 1953 to 297 in 2024, this nonprofit hospital is extending healthcare in the Mission area by creating four outpatient clinics: Monarch Obstetrics & Family Medicine; Maternal Health Clinic of Mission; Mission Heart & Vascular (cardiology clinic); and Restore Joints & Spine (orthopedic clinic).

Since 2020, the hospital has accumulated awards from nationally acclaimed medical associations such as the American Heart Association, Becker’s Hospital Review, Healthgrades, and Leapfrog.

MRMC has acquired a spot in the 100 Great Community Hospitals of 2024 by Becker’s Hospital Review, received a Five-Star Recipient for the Treatment of Heart Failure with Healthgrades, and a grade A by Leapfrog for Hospital Safety — to name a few.

“Our goals were to be a Leapfrog A. We have been for four years straight,” said Dawson.

The hospital CEO stated MRMC found its way into the Watson’s Health 100 Top Hospitals list in 2020 and 2021, one of four Texas-based hospitals in the Large Community Hospitals category beside Houston, Grapevine, and Austin.

“It’s kind of a hidden gem,” he added.

The “hidden gem” of a medical center also plans to establish a free-standing emergency department in Palmview, the latest project of the center’s expansion.

Expansion in the hospital’s healthcare is something Medical Care Advisory Committee member Elizabeth Garza has witnessed for 20 years.

“I was on prior to Prime [Healthcare] acquiring us, to which — Prime was phenomenal and coming in and purchasing Mission Hospital for the community,” said Garza. “What I’ve seen is the doctors they bring in — always actively recruiting more doctors to provide additional medical services. That’s what I’ve seen more than anything else.”

Community hospital, community care

And with that growth comes personalized, family-like care, with doctors such as 72-year-old Obstetrician Felipe Gomez Escandon.

Gomez, who has worked with MRMC for 25 years, has welcomed newborns to the world like clockwork.

In one earnest scenario, this doctor helped deliver a patient’s child not once but thrice.

Joshua Rojas, the South Texas Regional Director for Senator Ted Cruz, told Progress Times how his wife’s second birth kept Gomez out of retirement —then leading to MRMC asking him to rejoin.

“When our first daughter was born, it was [at] Mission Regional, and she [Rojas’ wife] had a different OBGYN. But she was not available that night and needed an emergency c-section,” Rojas said. “Dr. Gomez was on call and did the c-section.”

According to Rojas, since he and his wife wanted a c-section as a last effort, Gomez gave the couple remedies to induce a natural birth and refused to rush it.

Since then, the Rojas family has kept Gomez as their obstetrician. Last April, Gomez was set to retire until he was asked to deliver their second child in May.

“He postponed his retirement,” Rojas said. “But when we told him when the due date was, he said ‘I’ll talk to the hospital and see if I can extend my contract. So he did.”

When asked why he delayed his retirement to deliver the Rojas’ son, Gomez said he chose to help them as an act of service.

“They’re a lovely family. They wanted me there,” he said. “I just can not retire.”

After retiring in October of 2023, Gomez returned in June of this year.

Despite jumping back into his specialty of obstetrics, Gomez’s wish for the hospital is to acquire more professionals, especially those of the younger generation.

“We need a new generation. We need to prepare nurses and doctors and technicians to serve,” he said. “We need to dedicate more resources to education and research.”

A toast for Mission

To end the event, after the hospital received certificates and awards from the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce and the offices of Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz, Congressman Henry Cuellar, Sen. John Cornyn, Sen. Ted Cruz, and a personal congratulatory message from Gov. Greg Abbott, Dawson led a toast to 70 years of community health.

“I would like to toast all of our staff, our dedicated team,” Dawson said as attendees raised glasses of champagne. “I would also like to honor the community we serve. So, cheers, everyone!”