DCH News

Physician Recognition

Dirksen named chief of staff at Driscoll Children's Hospital

January 26, 2012
William Dirksen, M.D., is the new chief of staff at Driscoll Children's Hospital.
William Dirksen, M.D., is the new chief of staff at Driscoll Children's Hospital.
CORPUS CHRISTI - William Dirksen, M.D., has been named chief of staff at Driscoll Children's Hospital. His responsibilities include representing the medical staff to the chief executive officer and board of directors, working with hospital management concerning the care of all patients, presiding at all meetings of the medical staff and Medical Executive Committee, recommending medical staff representatives to hospital committees, identifying future medical staff leaders and more. Dr. Dirksen will serve as chief of staff for two years.

Dr. Dirksen has been with Driscoll since 1980 and currently serves as director of Medical Education, where he has fostered and grown its residency program and overseen Driscoll's affiliation with various medical schools and other hospital systems. He has also traveled to Ghana on a goodwill mission to deliver medical care.

Dr. Dirksen earned his medical degree in 1975 at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield and completed his pediatric residency at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.

Fergie recognized by American Academy of Pediatrics

November 02, 2011
Jaime Fergie, MD, FAAP, FIDSA
Jaime Fergie, MD, FAAP, FIDSA
CORPUS CHRISTI - Jaime Fergie, MD, FAAP, FIDSA, director of Infectious Diseases at Driscoll Children's Hospital, recently received an award from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in Boston in recognition of the distinguished service he rendered as an elected member of the executive committee of the Section on Infectious Diseases from 2005 to 2011. Members of the Section on Infectious Diseases, founded in 1990, meet to develop ideas and generate educational forums that will improve the care of infants, children and adolescents. They also serve in a liaison capacity to the AAP board of directors. Dr. Fergie has been a member of the AAP for 20 years and has practiced at Driscoll Children's Hospital since 1994.

Driscoll residents win Texas Pediatric Society awards

August 30, 2011
From left to right: Sheshashree Seshadri, MD, Claudia Gaviria, MD and Jaime Fergie, MD.
From left to right: Sheshashree Seshadri, MD, Claudia Gaviria, MD and Jaime Fergie, MD.
CORPUS CHRISTI - Two Driscoll residents recently won awards in the 2011 Texas Pediatric Society Fellow and Resident Poster Contest. Sheshashree Seshadri, MD, won first place in the Single or Multiple Case Presentations category for her poster titled, "Myositis and Paraparesis Associated with Murine Typhus." Claudia Gaviria, MD, received honorable mention for her poster in the Hypotheses Driven category titled, "MRSA Screening and Isolation Policy Does Not Decrease MRSA Nosocomial Infections in the NICU." Their posters were prepared with the direction of Jaime Fergie, MD, Driscoll's director of Infectious Diseases. Residents from 11 residency programs in Texas competed.

Ribbon-cutting, open house to be held for new Cancer & Blood Disorders Center

April 07, 2011
  • WHAT: A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house will be held for Driscoll Children's Hospital's new, $2.7 million Cancer & Blood Disorders Center. Officials and physicians from Driscoll, as well as Councilman John Marez, will participate in the ceremony. The Center is 40 percent larger than the previous space and will allow Driscoll to serve the growing population of South Texas children who need specialized hematology and oncology services. More than 160 children are served at the Center annually, and more than 40 new cancer patients are diagnosed there each year.

  • WHEN: 2 p.m. Friday, April 8

  • WHERE: Driscoll Children's Hospital, 3533 S. Alameda St.

With healthcare reimbursement at risk in state budget, Driscoll team will go to Austin, seek support from legislators

March 01, 2011
CORPUS CHRISTI - For Driscoll Children's Hospital, certain proposed cuts and changes in the state's budget mean reduced services for the children of South Texas. In response, a contingent of physicians and volunteers from Driscoll will travel to Austin to voice their concerns to legislators about healthcare issues. The group will leave the hospital by bus the morning of March 2 for a one-day trip.

There are two main issues that Driscoll wishes to address. The first is a proposed $20 million cut in Medicaid provider payments. Driscoll Children's Hospital is the second-highest-ranking hospital in the state for percentage of Medicaid patient days. The proposed budget would cut the hospital's inpatient and outpatient reimbursement by 10 percent, or approximately $10 million, and cut Driscoll's Upper Payment Limits reimbursement by approximately $10 million. If this is approved, Driscoll's ability to provide specialty services such as cancer treatment, kidney transplants and heart surgery will be diminished.

The other issue concerns a Medicaid managed care expansion, for which Driscoll is requesting support from legislators. This not-for-profit health plan, proposed by the state's Health and Human Services Commission, will enable the hospital to continue its wide range of services without fear of non-Medicaid payment.

The Driscoll team plans to make their case with simple, straightforward facts. This includes:

Driscoll has saved the lives of thousands of South Texas children. In many cases, Driscoll is their only source for medical help.

  • Medicaid is the lifeblood of medical care for many South Texas children.

  • Driscoll serves one of the poorest populations in the United States.

  • Medicaid presently pays approximately 85 percent of Driscoll's costs to treat Medicaid patients.

  • Driscoll is one of only five free-standing children's hospitals in the State of Texas, providing care from Victoria to Laredo and throughout the Rio Grande Valley.


Since 1953, Driscoll Children's Hospital's not-for-profit mission has been to care for the children of South Texas, regardless of their ability to pay.

Abstracts chosen for presentation at scientific meeting

February 03, 2011
CORPUS CHRISTI - Two abstracts co-authored by former Driscoll Children's Hospital residents, a current resident and faculty members were chosen for presentation at the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting April 1-4 in Dallas.

"Hospitalizations for Rotavirus Gastroenteritis Were Reduced After Licensing of a Pentavalent Rotavirus Vaccine" was co-authored by former residents Carolina Molleda, M.D., Alejandra Ayestaran, M.D., and Emir Campanini, M.D., and Driscoll faculty members Jaime Fergie, M.D. and Kevin Purcell, PharmD, M.D.

"MRSA Screening Cultures and Isolation of Selected Neonates Admitted to a NICU Do Not Decrease MRSA Nosocomial Infections" was co-authored by current resident Claudia Gaviria, M.D., former resident Katherine Yulo, M.D., and Driscoll faculty members Jaime Fergie, M.D. and Kevin Purcell, PharmD, M.D.

12 Driscoll residents are now board-certified pediatricians-100% pass rate

December 20, 2010
CORPUS CHRISTI - In October, all 12 pediatric residents from Driscoll Children's Hospital who took the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) certification examination successfully passed. They are: Dilachew Adebo, M.D.; Elizabeth Anyaegbu, M.D.; Cherish Lorica, M.D.; Kusuma Madaiah, M.D.; Foram Mankodi, M.D.; Leah Mercado, M.D.; Carolina Molleda, M.D.; Ravi Samraj, M.D.; Martel Samuels, M.D.; Elizabeth "Ann" Thyssen, D.O.; Tharak Yarrabolu, M.D.; and Karen Yulo, M.D. These physicians are now considered competent, knowledgeable, board-certified pediatricians. The residents spent three years training at Driscoll and graduated in June. Nationwide, about 79 percent of first-time takers of the ABP certification examination pass on their first attempt.

Martin becomes Diplomate of American Board of Pediatric Dentistry

November 19, 2010
Duane Martin
Duane Martin
CORPUS CHRISTI - Duane Martin, DDS, recently completed his certification examinations and is now a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD). The mission of the ABPD is to verify to the public and to the health professions that a pediatric dentist has successfully completed both an advanced educational program accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation and a voluntary examination process designed to validate the knowledge, application and performance requisite to the delivery of competent care in pediatric dentistry.

Dr. Martin has practiced in Corpus Christi since 1982 and in Alice since 1986.

"This is an accomplishment every pediatric dentist strives toward," he said. "It adds additional pride to the specialty of pediatric dentistry."

The ABPD is the only certifying board recognized by the American Dental Association for the specialty of pediatric dentistry.

Hernandez earns fellowship in American College of Surgeons

November 17, 2010
Ambrosio Hernandez, III, M.D.
Ambrosio Hernandez, III, M.D.
McALLEN - Ambrosio Hernandez, III, M.D., has been inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). He is a certified pediatric surgeon practicing at Driscoll Children's Medical Plaza - McAllen. The ACS, based in Chicago, is dedicated to improving the care of the surgical patient and to safeguarding standards of care in an optimal and ethical practice environment.

Mary Dale Peterson, M.D., M.H.A., designated Fellow of American College of Healthcare Executives

November 03, 2010
Mary Dale Peterson, M.D., M.H.A.
Mary Dale Peterson, M.D., M.H.A.
CORPUS CHRISTI - Mary Dale Peterson, M.D., M.H.A., president and chief executive officer of Driscoll Children's Health Plan, recently became board certified in healthcare management as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (A.C.H.E.). A.C.H.E. is a professional society dedicated to promoting the highest standards of professional, educational and leadership performance, the highest ethical standards and conduct and the advancement of healthcare management excellence.

"I am pleased that I have passed the rigorous process in achieving Fellow status in the A.C.H.E. and look forward to the continuous learning process in healthcare management, especially in light of all the challenges of today," Peterson said.