UT Health San Antonio was recently named as one of the “Top 50 ACOs to Know” by Becker’s Hospital Review, a national recognition of its commitment to improving outcomes for traditional Medicare patients in the community.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see our work recognized at a national level, and it is a testament to the dedication of our teams,” said Edward Sankary, MD, FACP, FAMIA, vice president and chief health information and value officer of UT Health San Antonio. “Among hundreds of Medicare ACOs across the country, earning a place in the top 50 reinforces that our efforts are truly making an impact.”
The designation is based on performance in 2023 and 2024 and reflects the strength of UT Health San Antonio’s locally led, physician-driven model, which serves between 10,000 and 15,000 traditional Medicare patients.
An Accountable Care Organization (ACO) is a group of providers and health systems that collaborate to improve patient outcomes while lowering the total cost of care. UT Health San Antonio’s ACO includes approximately 30 partner practices in San Antonio working together under a shared mission.
“ACO is a term that can be used differently by different organizations,” explained Adam Kirking, director of value-based finance for the Regional Physicians Network of UT Health San Antonio. “But for us, it’s this focused Medicare shared savings program, which is built around improving quality and accountability, that defines our accountable care organization.”
For patients, that model translates into more coordinated, individualized care. Providers across the network work together to close care gaps, reduce unnecessary or duplicative procedures and prevent avoidable emergency room visits and hospital stays — all without limiting access to services or denying care.
Central to that success is the organization’s local focus.
“This achievement reflects the strength of a physician-led model grounded in our community,” Sankary noted. “We’re not a multi-state network, we’re a Texas organization committed to advancing care for the patients we serve every day.”
Behind the model is a robust support system that turns coordination into measurable results and helps providers deliver more effective care.
“By aligning our care managers, physicians, quality teams, analytics teams and infrastructure, we’ve created a model that drives measurable results,” Sankary said. “It’s reshaping how providers approach patient care and empowering them to deliver more informed, high-quality outcomes.”
Learn more about the care and services provided at UT Health San Antonio.
Learn more about UT Health San Antonio Regional Physicians Network.