Top priority is assuring immediate life-saving care for critically injured patients
When it comes to caring for people critically injured in automobile crashes and other traumatic incidents, it's not just about getting the injured to any hospital. Complex injuries require the type of specialized care available only at Level I trauma centers. There are just 13 Level I centers in all of Texas, and the Level I Trauma Center at San Antonio's University Hospital - last expanded about 25 years ago - is too small to keep up with today's demand for service. It's also not at all prepared to handle the future needs of South Texas' growing population, or a large-scale disaster.
In an effort to "right size" University Hospital and provide the appropriate mix of diagnostic and treatment services at the hospital, as well as at its large downtown clinic, the University Health Center - Downtown, the University Health System Board of Managers is considering proposed options to construct a Trauma Tower at University Hospital and a new Urgent Care building downtown.
Board members have identified Phase I priorities for both campuses. The four urgent projects for University Hospital include:
-
Emergency Center expansion
- Additional inpatient rooms & replacement of many existing adult rooms in the oldest part of the hospital, which opened in 1968
- Appropriately sizing diagnostic and treatment areas
- Constructing more parking for patients and staff
Priorities for the University Health Center - Downtown (formerly the Robert B. Green Hospital, constructed in 1915) include expanding:
- Acute and crisis care services
- Diagnostic imaging
- Pharmacy services
- Parking
The purpose of this website is to provide further detail on the planning process and recommendations. We thank you for taking the time to learn more and hope you find this information useful. Your input is very important to us, so please send us your feedback if you have any questions or comments.
