Dallas health brief: New pediatric cardiac ICU, Parkland annual report, and DFW norovirus closure

Hospital capacity: pediatric cardiac ICU opens in Dallas

Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas has opened a new pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) as part of an expansion of its Congenital Heart Center. The hospital described the new unit as a $48 million project spanning 33,000 square feet, adding 25 dedicated cardiac beds for children recovering from congenital heart surgery or catheter-based procedures. The expansion also includes family- and staff-support spaces, including a patient playroom and a staff tranquility room.

Medical City said the new CICU is intended to keep diagnosis, intervention, surgery and recovery connected within one program as children with complex heart conditions move through care.

Safety-net care: Parkland posts its 2025 annual report

Parkland Health has released its 2025 annual report, adding a new public snapshot of Dallas County’s largest safety-net health system. The report is available through Parkland’s website.

Emergency response staffing: Dallas OKs short-term police and fire labor deal

The Dallas City Council approved a short-term ‘meet-and-confer’ labor agreement with six police and firefighter groups that runs through Sept. 30, 2026, according to The Dallas Morning News. The agreement totals more than $75.5 million and is intended to serve as a bridge while the city and unions negotiate a longer-term contract.

The report notes the agreement includes changes affecting pay and incentives, including higher education incentive pay for certain advanced degrees and adjustments aimed at early-career officers and lateral recruits.

Health insurance watch: Medicare Advantage growth slows nationally

Medicare Advantage enrollment is still growing nationally, but Axios reported that growth has cooled as some plans exit markets and medical costs rise. Axios also cited analysis showing 2026 enrollment fell in seven states and that about 1 in 10 beneficiaries had to switch plans because their previous plan was no longer offered.

Outbreak update: norovirus closure in the Metroplex

Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD closed Creekview Middle School in Fort Worth on Feb. 27 for additional cleaning after a norovirus outbreak, The Dallas Morning News reported. District leaders said they consulted with Tarrant County Public Health and planned to reopen the campus on Monday, March 2.

Sources

https://www.medicalcityhealthcare.com/about-us/newsroom/lifesaving-care-expanded-at-medical-city-childrens-hospital-with-cardiac-icu
https://hoodline.com/2026/02/dallas-kids-hospital-drops-48-million-on-new-icu-for-tiny-hearts/
https://www.parklandhealth.org/pdf-files/2025-parkland-annual-report-128
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2026/02/25/dallas-approves-short-term-police-fire-labor-deal-while-broader-negotiations-continue/
https://www.axios.com/2026/02/26/medicare-advantage-declines-states
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2026/02/27/workers-close-eagle-mountain-saginaw-isd-campus-to-disinfect-after-norovirus-outbreak/

If you have urgent symptoms, seek medical care. For general questions, talk with a licensed clinician.