Southwest General Hospital To Become Texas Vista Medical Center

SAN ANTONIO, March 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After 40 years of service, Southwest General Hospital is recommitting itself to the health of generations to come with a new vision, a new name, and a new program that seeks to take a leadership role in reducing health care disparities for the communities the hospital serves.

"This is much more than a new name for a hospital," said Jon Turton, President of Texas Vista Medical Center. "With support from Steward Health Care, the largest private, physician-owned hospital system in the United States, we intend to expand our scope and scale to bring the highest quality health care close to home for the people we serve."

Turton announced the launch of the hospital's new Healthy Horizons program, created to actively address the disproportionate health disparities in south Bexar County. The program will promote new models of health equity through health screenings, partnerships with key community partners like the San Antonio Food Bank, and activities designed to promote healthy lifestyles. As part of its commitment, Turton said over the past year the hospital has recruited a range of new physicians; expanded partnerships with Children's Hospital of San Antonio; is serving as clinical teaching partner for the University of the Incarnate Word's School of Medicine and nursing, pharmacy and psychiatry program; and is actively working with The Center for Health Care Services and the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council, among others.

"As a physician-owned, professionally managed hospital, a key part of our commitment is to advance the community conversation on health equity," Turton said. "We need to work collaboratively with community partners on closing the gaps in health disparities."

Since 2017, Texas Vista Medical Center has been part of Steward Health Care, the nation's largest private, physician-owned health care network, serving more than 12 million patients a year through its extensive network of hospitals, urgent care centers, skilled nursing facilities and substantial behavioral health services.

"Steward Health Care and our entire physician-led business model exists to unlock access to the highest-quality care at an affordable price, believing that everyone – regardless of economic or other circumstances – deserves the physical, emotional and mental benefits that come from ongoing and personal medical services," said Dr. Sanjay Shetty, president of Steward North America. "With its launch of the Healthy Horizons program, Texas Vista Medical Center is the epitome of what are building at Steward and the mission lived daily by our more than 40,000 health care professionals across the country."

San Antonio City Councilwoman Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia, who serves the district where Texas Vista Medical Center is located, said the hospital's new mission and vision is welcomed news for the community.

"Strengthening health equity is not just a noble thing to do, it is truly a calling for those in health care," Dr. Garcia said. "I applaud the commitment from Steward Health Care, Texas Vista Medical Center, and the health care heroes and caregivers who step up every day to make sure all of us have the opportunity to live our best lives."

For more information on Texas Vista Medical Center and the new Healthy Horizons program, visit: www.TexasVistaMedicalCenter.org.

About Steward Health Care

Steward Health Care is the largest private, for-profit health care network in the United States. The company is owned and led by a management team of Steward physicians.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Steward employs more than 40,000 health care professionals and operates 35 hospitals across the United States and in the countries of Malta and Colombia which regularly receive top awards for quality and safety. The Steward network includes multiple urgent care centers and skilled nursing facilities, substantial behavioral health services, more than 7,000 beds under management, and approximately 2.2 million full risk covered lives through the company's managed care and health insurance services.

The Steward Health Care Network includes more than 5,000 physicians across 800 communities who help to provide more than 12 million patient encounters annually. Steward Medical Group, the company's employed physician group, provides more than six million patient encounters per year. The Steward Hospital Group operates hospitals in Malta, Colombia and nine states across the U.S., including Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah. For more information, visit www.steward.org.

SOURCE Steward Health Care