San Antonio’s top pediatric leaders join forces to enhance health care services for children in the region
San Antonio, TX – September 6, 2013 – The Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio (MHS) and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore and identify opportunities to affiliate to provide pre-eminent pediatric care, academic training and research in San Antonio and the South Texas region.
The MOU calls for a 90-day negotiation period that may ultimately lead to the signing of a definitive agreement to form a comprehensive children’s health care delivery system for San Antonio and South Texas.
Both parties have considerable experience and resources. The Health Science Center is the South Texas leader in providing pediatric education for current and future pediatric health care providers through the Department of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine. MHS owns and operates the Methodist Children’s Hospital, a campus of Methodist Hospital, which is the region’s largest provider of pediatric health care in an environment exclusively designed for children in San Antonio, South Texas and beyond.
The MOU signed today by both operating entities, and supported by the leadership of The University of Texas System and the MHS Board of Governors, covers nine key areas of collaboration: relationship of the involved parties, medical education and training, clinical care, research, facilities, network development, leadership/governance, access to information and interconnected technology. All of the key areas are priorities, particularly when addressing access to information and interconnected medical information systems; both MHS and the Health Science Center understand that a comprehensive electronic medical record reduces duplication of services and potential for errors, and provides young patients with a medical home.
“The goals and priorities that Methodist Healthcare and the Health Science Center have laid out reflect our shared priorities in joining forces to deliver the best pediatric care, medical education and academic research for the children of South Texas,” said William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP, president of the Health Science Center. “We are reaching literally across the street to collaborate and build the best possible network for the region, with its anchor right here in the South Texas Medical Center.”
“There is no question in our minds this new opportunity between MHS and the Health Science Center is the strongest and most viable solution to enhancing care for all children in our region. The combination of both organizations that have been the pediatric leaders in their fields for many years will create a new delivery model comparable to the most well-known children’s hospitals in the U.S.,” stated Jaime Wesolowski, president and CEO of Methodist Healthcare.
Over the next 90 days, MHS and the Health Science Center will develop a definitive agreement. In doing so, MHS and the Health Science Center will seek input from all stakeholders. Additionally, the Health Science Center will lead in exploring ways to further collaborate with the University Health System to better meet the pediatric needs of San Antonio and South Texas.
Because these negotiations continue to be confidential, no further statements will be issued from representatives of either organization until the agreement is ready for official signatures.