Academic medical leaders ceremonially broke ground Jan. 13 on UT Medicine Hill Country, the newest location of UT Medicine San Antonio. UT Medicine is the clinical practice of the School of Medicine at the Health Science Center.
UT Medicine Hill Country will expand access to health care services and specialty care provided by South Texas’ largest physician group to the high-growth Fair Oaks Ranch/Leon Springs/Boerne area.
“UT Medicine Hill Country is part of a clinical transformation plan that includes expanding and diversifying the services of our thriving academic medical practice throughout the San Antonio region,” said Francisco González-Scarano, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs at the Health Science Center.
“Our mission includes increasing the number of physicians who are serving the community and providing services in more areas,” Dr. González said.
UT Medicine Hill Country will feature primary care, orthopaedics, radiology, physical therapy, urology and lab services. The UT System Board of Regents approved $19.5 million for construction, equipment and land acquisition. The 19,000-square-foot building will include exam rooms, conference rooms, physician offices, waiting rooms and a full-service imaging center with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT scan technology and general X-ray facilities.
The building is expected to open for patient care in early 2017. UT Medicine currently operates in many practice locations including:
• Medical Arts & Research Center, 8300 Floyd Curl Drive, 78229
• Cancer Therapy & Research Center, 7979 Wurzbach Road, 78229
• UT Medicine Westover Hills, 11212 Highway 151, Suite 100, 78251
• UT Medicine Primary Care Clinic, 3939 Medical Drive, 78229
The UT Medicine Hill Country site is at 25723 Old Fredericksburg Road, Boerne, Texas 78015, a quarter of a mile from Ralph Fair Road. In addition to offering a convenient location of care to residents in outlying communities who might not want to drive to San Antonio, the new multispecialty clinical services center will expand teaching venues for students and trainees and enhance clinical research of the School of Medicine, Dr. González said.
Orthopaedics will have a strong presence in the new center. “We will have the full array of imaging technology and physical therapy at this location to diagnose and treat all orthopaedic conditions including same-day appointments for acute injuries,” said Robert Quinn, M.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics in the School of Medicine.
Carlos Roberto Jaén, M.D., Ph.D., FAAFP, professor and chairman of the Department of Family and Community Medicine, said up to four primary care physicians and other primary care health providers will be located there. “The area has a demonstrated need for both quality primary care and subspecialty medical services,” Dr. Jaén said.