We are delighted to share with you some highlights from 2018 as we recognize the people who bring their best to work each day to fulfill our unique mission for this community and region, and to advance our vision to be one of the nation’s most trusted health institutions. It has been a busy and productive year and, without a doubt, none of the accomplishments and initiatives you can read about in this report would have been possible if not for the staff and physicians of University Health System – the most skilled and dedicated healthcare workforce in South Texas and beyond.
The theme of this year’s Report to the Community is partnerships – we are stronger together. That is especially true when it comes to improving the good health of our community. Our partnerships and collaborations with a number of local organizations are helping us innovate, educate and discover new and better ways to treat illness, and improve access to high-quality care and preventive health services.
In December of 2018, we proudly celebrated the 50th anniversary of our partnership with UT Health San Antonio. In 1968, both the University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio and University Hospital — then known as Bexar County Hospital — opened their doors to serve the community and educate the next generation of physicians, spurring the development of the South Texas Medical Center and what is today the largest sector of the Bexar County economy.
We hope you’ll take the time to learn a little about that historic partnership as well as a few others highlighted in the pages that follow. One that made a lot of headlines in the past year was the Joint Opioid Task Force. Last Fall, this team delivered its findings on how to reduce the number of overdose deaths and babies born addicted to opioids.
We also took this opportunity to highlight the value of our longtime trauma care partnership with Brooke Army Medical Center. Together, we are saving lives on the streets of South Texas and battlefields across the world. Even the San Antonio Zoo joined our list of collaborators during the year, as we worked together to create a fitness trail for families within one of the city’s most popular attractions.
Of course, we count the people we serve as our most important partners. We are honored by their trust in us and are committed to putting their needs at the center of every decision we make.
Thanks for your support of University Health System and special thanks to all of our partners. We are making a positive difference – and we are stronger – together.
George B. Hernández Jr.
President and Chief Executive Officer
James Adams
Chair, Bexar County Hospital District Board of Managers