Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Expanding Pediatric Care Across South Texas with Eric Hamon
Mar 1, 2026
Eric Hamon, President and CEO of Driscoll Children’s Hospital with decades leading pediatric expansion. He discusses growing regional pediatric facilities and specialist recruitment. He describes an innovative six-plane program that brings care to remote South Texas communities. He reflects on continuous improvement, balancing flights with new clinics, and advocating early investment in children’s health.
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Founding Mission Built a Vast Pediatric Network
- Driscoll Children's began from Clara Driscoll's 1945 will to serve South Texas children regardless of ability to pay.
- The hospital opened in 1953 as a 25-bed facility and grew to 377 beds by 2026, covering a 33,000 sq mi footprint from Port Lavaca to Brownsville.
Local Hospital Cuts Family Travel Burden
- Building a local hospital reduces family burden from multi-hour round trips for pediatric care.
- Driscoll opened DCH Rio Grande Valley in 2024 to avoid five-hour round trips for seriously ill children and their families.
Grow Beds And Specialists Together
- Expand both inpatient capacity and specialist depth when entering new pediatric markets.
- DCHRGV is adding 15 ICU beds, 20–25 more specialists next 12 months, plus outpatient clinics and new clinics in Laredo and Brownsville.