Here’s a roundup of the latest in health and medical news from providers and organizations across the borderland:
In 2025, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation celebrated its 30th anniversary.
Photo provided by Paso Del Norte Health Foundation
PASO DEL NORTE HEALTH FOUNDATION
30 years of improving health
In 2025, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation celebrated its 30th anniversary. Established in 1995 with a $130 million endowment from the sale of Providence Memorial Hospital, the Foundation set out to build healthier communities through strategic investment and strong partnerships.
The foundation celebrated its anniversary by recognizing founding board members, local, state, and federal proclamations, and milestone events made possible through its grantmaking, including the ribbon-cutting for the new El Paso Center for Diabetes, a groundbreaking for the Texas Tech Health El Paso Fox Cancer Center, and the dedication of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation Terrace at UTEP’s Health Sciences Building.
The health foundation concluded the year with $14.9 million in awarded grants and charitable expenses to organizations working to improve health in the region.
The Paso del Norte Health Foundation advanced healthy living in 2025 by expanding access to active spaces, prevention resources and youth programs across the region.
Progress on the 70-mile Paso del Norte Trail continued, with over $31 million approved for new segments that connect communities and increase safe options for walking, running and cycling.
The Smoke-Free Initiative launched a Teen Mock Bedroom Trailer in Southern New Mexico to help parents recognize signs of vaping and substance use while encouraging open family conversations.
The BOOST Network celebrated 10 years of connecting youth to high-quality out-of-school programs. The programs now reach 36,000 children and support over 100 organizations regionwide.
These initiatives are part of our Healthy Living efforts to connect individuals and families with resources, spaces, and support to lead healthier lives.
Individuals with disabilities now have more options to support diabetes prevention and management.
With support from the Health Foundation’s Disease Prevention and Management priority area, Amistad launched its Diabetes Awareness Prevention Team (ADAPT).
As the first program in Texas designed to fully include people with disabilities, ADAPT increased access through flexible online, in-person, and hybrid formats.
The program engaged 145 participants and provided quarterly incentives to sustain motivation and healthy habits. It also welcomed caregivers and family members, broadening its reach and fostering a supportive environment for lasting lifestyle change.
By serving a diverse client base, Amistad connected underserved populations with critical diabetes prevention resources, demonstrating the impact of inclusive, community-centered care.
In 2025, the foundation awarded 32 grants and contracts for diabetes and pre-diabetes prevention and management.
Fifteen additional grants supported mental and emotional well-being, helping reduce stigma and expand access to services. Learn more by visiting pdnhf.org.
THE HOSPITALS OF PROVIDENCE
In March, The Hospitals of Providence East Campus unveiled a new 20-bed medical unit to add bed capacity in the rapidly growing area. The latest investment represents a $20 million-dollar commitment to add the city’s newest medical unit, 20 private state-of-the-art rooms designed for comfort and healing.
“This new unit has been critically important to help ensure patients have access to needed care and that bed capacity remains readily available when they need it most,” said Tasha Hopper, chief executive officer for The Hospitals of Providence East Campus.
With the additional unit and expansion, East Campus has now grown its bed capacity from 218 beds to 238 beds.
The Hospitals of Providence broke ground on the Mission Ridge Campus Medical Office Building at 12951 Eastlake to meet the needs of East El Paso and Horizon.
The $21 million, 60,000-square-foot building is set to be unveiled this fall.
“We are incredibly excited to unveil these state-of-the-art physician offices to ensure our friends and loved ones in Horizon City and East El Paso have access to talented and dedicated physicians, close to home,” said Nicholas Tejeda, Western Group president for Tenet Healthcare.
The Hospitals of Providence, in partnership with Emerus, is improving emergency room access with its new facility at 11201 Gateway Blvd. W., Ste. A.
The hospitals’ 10th emergency room, which is scheduled to open in the fall, is 10,899-square feet, with a 10-bed emergency room. It is designed to provide 24/7 high-quality emergency care closer to home for residents of East El Paso and the Lower Valley.
The facility will also feature a triage room, a comprehensive team of specialized physicians, nurses and staff, around-the-clock emergency services for adults and pediatrics, and onsite imaging and lab for faster diagnosis.
University of Medical Center of El Paso received the highest level of accreditation for epilepsy care from the National Association of Epilepsy Centers for 2026 to 2028.
Photo provided by MC
UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER of EL PASO
Epilepsy Center accreditation
UMC received the highest level of accreditation for epilepsy care from the National Association of Epilepsy Centers for 2026 to 2028.
As a Level 4 Epilepsy Center, UMC provides the highest level of medical and surgical care for patients with complex epilepsy care, including advanced surgical procedures that can bring real relief and improved quality of life.
UMC provides comprehensive diagnosis and treatment, specialized monitoring, medication management, and surgical capabilities from a multifaceted team of neurologists, neurosurgeons, EEG technologists, neuropsychologists, radiologists and a Neuro ICU team.
According to the NAEC, epilepsy affects an estimated 3.4 million people in the United States, making access to advanced care more important than ever.
UMC continues to lead the way, becoming the first hospital in El Paso to achieve this distinction.
da Vinci 5 robotic surgery
UMC is the first teaching hospital in Texas, and the only one in the region, to fully upgrade its robotic surgery systems to the state-of-the-art da Vinci 5 platform with dual teaching consoles.
UMC’s upgraded da Vinci 5 fleet allows real-time collaboration between surgeons, improving precision during complex procedures. With AI-powered analytics, high-definition 3D visualization, and enhanced ergonomics, this technology enhances safety and accuracy.
UMC was the first in the region to introduce da Vinci 5 technology in 2024, and are proud to continue leading the way in advanced surgical care, providing the best options for our patients.
UMC is also the only hospital in the region to offer an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) program.
ECMO is a form of life support that provides oxygen to the blood and removes carbon dioxide when the heart and lungs are unable to function adequately. It is used to treat patients with severe respiratory or cardiac failure caused by conditions such as pneumonia, trauma or heart disease.
During its first year, the ECMO program at UMC anticipated treating 12 patients. However, it exceeded expectations by caring for 30 patients since its launch on Jan. 30, 2025.
Before the launch of UMC’s ECMO program, the closest center was located in Albuquerque. UMC now provides ECMO services to patients within a 300-mile radius.
LAS PALMAS DEL SOL HEALTHCARE
America’s 250 best hospitals
Las Palmas Medical Center and Del Sol Medical Center were each recognized on the Healthgrades America’s 250 Best Hospitals list for 2026. Healthgrades recognizes the top 5% of hospitals in the country for clinical excellence. Inclusion on this list recognizes superior performance in providing care for conditions and procedures across multiple specialty lines and areas.
To be eligible, a hospital must have evaluations in at least 21 of the 31 Healthgrades procedures and conditions using independent, publicly available Medicare inpatient data from the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review file from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
To determine this year’s list, Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for more than 30 of the most common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide.
Top rating for patient safety
Del Sol Medical Center and Las Palmas Medical Center received a 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades for providing exceptional, patient-centered care.
This distinction places Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare facilities among the top 5% of hospitals for their commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care. This is the eighth consecutive year that Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare facilities have received this recognition.
Recognition is based solely on patient outcomes.
The annual study found that patients treated in hospitals that received the 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Award have a significantly lower chance of experiencing certain complications than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.
Best in Texas for critical care
Del Sol Medical Center and Las Palmas Medical Center earned high marks in critical care, stroke care and neurosurgery in Healthgrades 2026 state rankings.
The hospitals were No. 1 in Texas for critical care and gastrointestinal medical treatment, care, and surgery; No. 3 in Texas for neurosciences and orthopedic surgery; and No. 4 in Texas for stroke care.
In addition to these honors, the hospitals received the following America’s Best Specialty Awards:
America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery for three years in a row (2024-2026)America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery in 2026America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Stroke Care for three years in a row (2024-2026)America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Gastrointestinal Care for three years in a row (2024-2026)America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Gastrointestinal Surgery for three years in a row (2024-2026)America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Critical Care for three years in a row (2024-2026)