San Antonio hospital to close its doors after 40 years on Southside
A longtime hospital on San Antonio’s Southside said a strain on resources is forcing its operating company to close the facility’s doors after serving the area for 40 years. Steward Health Care said on Wednesday, March 1 that it will shut down operations at the Texas Vista Medical Center (TVMC) at 7400 Barlite Blvd., according to a news release.
Steward said that Bexar County and University Health System were asked to take over TVMC, but neither entity has responded to the health care company’s request. TVMC serves a population of “limited-income, high-needs” patients and that one quarter of the hospital’s patients do not pay for the services while over half are supplemented through government pay, the news release says.
Steward took over operations of TVMC in 2017 when the hospital was already struggling financially and the COVID-19 pandemic put further strain on the facility, the company says. The exact date of the closure was not disclosed.
“TVMC does not want to close, and the consequences of our closure will cause an immediate public health crisis for the city’s most vulnerable patients,” Jon Turton, president of TVMC, said in the news release.
Peter Sakai is the Bexar County judge.
Billy Calzada / Staff photographer
TVMC provides care for trauma patients, behavioral health, and women’s health care needs to the Southside. The company did not say how many employees will be affected by the closure. Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai said in a statement that the hospital currently has 175 patients and 842 employees.
Sakai said that the county and UHS will assist in the redirection and transition of those employees and patients. He says that Bexar County, which owns and operates UHS, will participate in future meetings to discuss the transition.
“Bexar County and University Health System are in the process of building a new hospital to better serve the needs of Southside residents and we are committed to investing in hospital facilities in underserved areas of our community,” Sakai said in the statement.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg confirmed that the county will be meeting with TVMC officials to discuss the impact of this closure while lamenting the loss of health care access to the Southside.
“Any loss of access to health care – particularly in underserved portions of our community – is concerning,” Nirenberg said in a statement. “The announced hospital closure is a loss for the Southside and our city as a whole.”
MySA reached out to UHS for comment.
