In the News

Valley Baptist-Brownsville Becomes Provider for UnitedHealthcare; Thousands of Valley Residents
Can Now Access Brownsville's Largest Hospital

BROWNSVILLE, August 15, 2006 -- Effective August 15, 2006, Valley employees, their employers and others with health insurance coverage through UnitedHealthcare can access Brownsville’s largest hospital, as Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville is now a United Healthcare provider. (Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen is also a UnitedHealthcare provider.)

The new contract between Valley Baptist and UnitedHealthcare means thousands of Lower Valley residents and their doctors will have greater access and more choices for outpatient procedures and elective inpatient procedures. Valley Baptist Health System offers a full range of health care services, including the hospital, located on Central Blvd. at 1040 W. Jefferson in Brownsville, as well as outpatient services, rehabilitation, home health, hospice, and other services. Valley Baptist is one of the largest health systems in South Texas with more than 800 beds.

UnitedHealthcare provides health benefit plans and services for 25 million consumers nationwide, helping its members to achieve improved health and well-being through various health service systems.

“The new contract between Valley Baptist-Brownsville and UnitedHealthcare increases the options for UnitedHealthcare members in the Brownsville area -- and it also provides greater flexibility for their physicians,” said Jim Wesson, CEO of VBMC-Brownsville. “Valley Baptist looks forward to serving UnitedHealthcare members and providing enhanced choices in health care services.”

For heart care, Valley Baptist-Brownsville offers a new Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory which recently received a national 4-Star Customer Service Award from Professional Research Consultants (PRC), a national healthcare marketing research company. The award is based on the percentage of patients who rated the hospital as “excellent” for overall quality of care.
“This, our second cath lab, is part of more than $40 million that Valley Baptist has committed to invest in the hospital over the next few years to provide superior health care in state-of-the-art facilities, with greater convenience for our patients and physicians,” Mr. Wesson said.

In July, Valley Baptist became the first hospital in the Brownsville area to install a Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS), which is making it easier and faster for patients and physicians to obtain test results from mammograms, ultrasound, X-rays, CT-scans, MRI, and nuclear medicine procedures. Valley Baptist is also the first hospital in Brownsville to offer digital mammography in its new Breast Center.

In addition, Valley Baptist operates the only two diabetes centers in Cameron County accredited by the American Diabetes Association. Valley Baptist-Brownsville holds classes on diabetes management for all ages, as well as a Diabetes Support Group, with all services provided in English and Spanish.

Valley Baptist is one of the first hospitals in the country to use the Six Sigma quality improvement program to maximize performance and patient satisfaction. The improvements are making a measurable difference for patients throughout the health system. For more information on advancements in health care for the Brownsville area, please call (956) 698-5400.

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About Valley Baptist Health System

“Valley Baptist Health System is a community health service performing spiritually-based health, education and charitable programs in accordance with the teachings and healing ministry of Jesus Christ.”

Valley Baptist Health System (VBHS) is proud of the comprehensive health care services we provide to the communities we serve. As a Regional Integrated Delivery System, VBHS includes two acute care inpatient facilities, a skilled nursing facility, a durable medical equipment company, home health, hospice and infusion care, an imaging center, ambulatory surgery centers, and a 350-member physician-hospital organization. Valley Baptist (www.ValleyBaptist.net) has earned a reputation as a health care leader with our dedicated staff, modern facilities, state-of-the-art technology, and commitment to providing for the health of our community. VBHS strives to deliver excellence with compassion and caring. Valley Baptist is one of the first health care organizations in the country to use the Six Sigma quality improvement program to maximize performance and customer satisfaction throughout the health system. We also extend many of our services beyond our facilities and into local communities, offering services and expertise to area businesses and other organizations through our “Value Partners” and other programs; free screenings for the community; support groups; and numerous educational opportunities.

About UnitedHealthcare

UnitedHealthcare (www.unitedhealthcare.com) provides a full spectrum of consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services, helping 25 million individual consumers nationwide achieve improved health and well-being through various health service systems. UnitedHealthcare arranges access to quality, affordable care with more than 500,000 physicians and care professionals and 4,600 hospitals across America. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.