Cuero Regional Hospital is continuing its commitment to strengthening rural healthcare by offering free pediatric cardiac screenings to students in local schools. This program is designed to identify hidden heart conditions that might otherwise go unnoticed — especially in young athletes — and provide early intervention when needed.
Recently our healthcare team visited Meyersville ISD and Westhoff ISD to perform screenings on students in the 3rd-8th grades. A total of 64 students were screened and 11 students were identified as needing further evaluation with a pediatric cardiologist. The importance of this screening is to identify a possible cardiac risk, and further evaluate to ensure the patient receives the care they may need.
These screenings are made possible through the generous support of the DeWitt Medical Foundation, which contributed $25,000, along with grant funding provided through Troy Medical and its Rural Health Hub initiative.
In rural communities, access to specialty care can be limited, making early detection and prevention efforts especially important. By bringing these screenings directly to school campuses, Cuero Regional Hospital is helping remove barriers and ensuring more families have access to potentially life-saving information.
“Our goal is to meet families where they are,” said Lynn Falcone, Cuero Regional Hospital, CEO. “By offering these screenings in schools, we can raise awareness, detect concerns early, and give parents peace of mind.”
The free screening includes a brief health history questionnaire, quick, non-invasive EKG to assess heart rhythm and function, advanced stethoscope exam to detect unusual heart sounds or murmurs and a review by a qualified healthcare provider The Rural Cardiac Screening Program is a collaborative effort involving local school districts, Cuero Regional Hospital, and Troy Medical. Screenings are conducted on school campuses with oversight from hospital clinicians, while access to pediatric cardiology specialists is available through telehealth when follow-up is needed.
By working together, these partners are creating a sustainable model for rural healthcare that prioritizes prevention, early detection, and access to specialized care.
Cuero Regional Hospital remains dedicated to improving the health of the communities it serves—both inside and outside its walls—by investing in innovative programs that make care more accessible for all.
For information about the program, please contact Cuero Regional Hospital at 361-275-6191.
