Academic Children's Hospital Set For San Antonio; CHRISTUS Santa Rosa, Health Science Center Creating Comprehensive Care Setting.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers/Education Writers

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 29, 2004

Don A. Beeler, President/CEO, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care, and Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., President of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, announced the signing of a formal affiliation agreement to begin the first-ever comprehensive academic children's hospital in San Antonio.

"Today marks a great day for the health care of the children in this region," Beeler said. "Our shared goal is to ensure that every child has access to comprehensive health services, the finest physicians and the latest, most advanced therapies developed through medical research. This has been a vision of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital for some time now, and this action makes it a reality."

"The children are the winners," said Cigarroa. "As a pediatric and transplant surgeon, I have clearly seen the need to offer a full range of premier pediatric services at one site. Physicians from our department of pediatrics, in conjunction with the private sector pediatricians and pediatric sub-specialists, are committed to providing the care and the medical research that will make this academic children's hospital recognized locally, nationally and internationally."

Since the inception of the medical school, physicians from the department of pediatrics and pediatric medical and surgical sub-specialists at the Health Science Center have provided care and resident teaching at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital. A full array of pediatric services will be established at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital to expand the care currently available, which includes the 34 pediatric specialty clinics at the David Christopher Goldsbury Center for Children and Families.

"To complement our existing high level of pediatric care, we will now have even greater access to medical research affecting children, clinical trials, and education. Our private sector physicians will also enjoy these same advantages," Beeler added. "We will continue looking for ways to involve private sector and academic physicians, as well as the hospitals in this area, as we build the best possible model for the children of this region."

Cigarroa also mentioned the advantage of being part of an academic children's hospital in recruiting the nation's finest physician-scientists who focus on children's health issues. "This expanded partnership will make San Antonio an even more attractive place for the very finest physicians and healthcare providers," Cigarroa added. "The establishment of this academic children's hospital now sets the stage to provide comprehensive pediatric programs at this distinguished hospital. The Health Science Center will also continue our commitment to provide outstanding care for any child admitted at University Hospital, with whom we have a long-standing, strong and valued relationship."

Physicians and administrators from both organizations have been in discussions about the academic children's hospital for months. Pediatric caregivers have felt it has not been in a child's best interest to be required to move from one hospital to another for certain types of specialized care when it can be provided at one location. Expanding the available services at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital will alleviate that major concern. In addition, with the emphasis on education and research available through an academic children's hospital, medical education will be strengthened and new therapies to treat children's diseases will be identified.

"The benefit to children and their families is enormous," Cigarroa said. "And our strong relationship with private sector physicians will also be enhanced. This enhanced affiliation in no way lessens our commitment to our partners, including University Health System and the South Texas Veterans Health Care System. The Health Science Center is committed to continuing our long-standing relationships with these vital partners. Pediatric and neonatal services will continue to be provided at University Hospital and our commitment to meeting the needs of the citizens of Bexar County in the context of our education and research missions remains. An important element of our enhanced affiliation agreement with CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care is our joint commitment to continuing to work with University Health System in the development of a broader based and sustainable pediatric health care delivery model."

Stephen Maxwell, M.D., a private sector physician and President of the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital Medical Staff, agreed. "This is perhaps the most important advancement in pediatric care I have seen in my many years of private practice." With the availability of all children's health services in a single site, children will now have access to a comprehensive continuum of preeminent health care services in a community-based, child-friendly, family-centered environment which places a strong emphasis on excellence in clinical care, education, research and advocacy for child health issues.

"We are excited about bringing the academic medical research component to CHRISTUS Santa Rosa," Beeler said. "As we have just concluded a celebration of Fiesta, this is truly an additional reason for celebration for our city. And the biggest winners are the children."