Newsroom

Lufkin, Texas (May 12, 2025) – Woodland Heights Medical Center is pleased to announce the recipients of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The DAISY Award, presented by the DAISY Foundation, recognizes nurses who demonstrate exceptional compassion, commitment, and excellence in patient care. Winners for the first quarter of this year were Jake Schmidt and Jacob Palomo. The DAISY Award is a national award program that recognizes nurses who go above and beyond in their roles. The award is presented... ... Read More

First in Deep East Texas to deploy the technology Lufkin, Texas – Woodland Heights Medical Center is taking another step forward to provide patients with access to surgical procedures performed using the latest technology for minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery. Woodland Heights has offered robotic assisted surgery since 2012 and currently has two systems utilized by surgeons. This new technology now being used by Woodland Heights surgeons minimizes trauma to surrounding tissues and can lead to ... ... Read More

Lufkin, Texas (April 8, 2025) – Woodland Heights Medical Center has been named as one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals® by Premier, Inc., who performed an independent quality analysis. “This recognition is a testament to our mission to be the leader in service excellence and quality,” states Jose Echavarria, CEO of Woodland Heights Medical Center. “I am so proud of our team for the compassionate care they provide our patients each day.” This year’s analysis compared the study’s top performing hospitals... ... Read More

Lufkin, Texas – To celebrate National Doctors’ Day this year, Woodland Heights Medical Center is making charitable contributions to five local organizations in honor of its medical staff. This day is set aside to recognize physicians for their dedication and contributions to our community. “I cannot say enough good things about the medical staff at Woodland Heights,” states Jose Echavarria, CEO of Woodland Heights Medical Center. “Deep East Texas is fortunate that so many gifted and caring physicians ca... ... Read More

When patients come through our doors at Woodland Heights Medical Center and our outpatient clinical care sites, it is our privilege to provide quality, compassionate medical care to help them get well and live healthier. And we are proud to play an important part in the health of Lufkin and the larger region with a collective impact in 2024 of approximately $132 million. Delivering Medical Care Across our hospital and clinical care sites, we delivered care and service at more than 114,400 patient encoun... ... Read More

Lufkin, TX (October 21, 2024) – Woodland Heights Medical Center will host the 3rd Annual Super Safety Saturday (a FREE safety fair event) on Saturday, November 2, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Woodland Heights parking lot (loop side of the hospital). “The start of school and the beginning of the hectic holiday season is a good time to remind the community of ways to stay safe,” said Stephen Bennett, Woodland Heights Medical Center’s emergency services director. “We wanted a way to reach kids and families t... ... Read More

Lufkin, TX – Woodland Heights Medical Center is the first facility in Lufkin to utilize a new leadless pacemaker used to treat patients with bradycardia. The device is implanted directly into the heart using a minimally invasive approach that does not require the use of leads. This redefines the patient experience by reducing activity restrictions post-implant. It also eliminates the chest scar or bump that comes with transvenous pacemakers. VIvek Mangla, M.D., electrophysiologist/cardiologist was the f... ... Read More

Lufkin, TX – Woodland Heights Medical Center is the first facility in Lufkin to utilize a new access system that aids in the implantation of left atrial appendage closure devices. LAA closure devices are utilized as an alternative to long-term medication for patients with atrial fibrillation, which reduce their risk of stroke. Not all hearts are the same and can be difficult to navigate. The new system offers intuitive handle design and device positioning so the cardiologist has better contol. It is des... ... Read More

Lufkin Texas – Woodland Heights Medical Center has received two American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® and Mission: Lifeline® achievement awards for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital. Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke or heart attack, and heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death i... ... Read More

Lufkin, Texas – (August 16, 2024) – The midpoint of the year is a good time to review health insurance policies to ensure you will get the most out of plan benefits, especially if you have already met the annual deductible. Many insurance plans will cover most, if not all, costs for eligible medical procedures and treatments once an individual meets the deductible and out of pocket maximum, making the second half of the year an opportune time to schedule any necessary or elective medical procedures that... ... Read More