Pregnant woman sitting down holding belly

We’re thinking beyond our world so you can thrive in yours

Thinking Beyond
Groundbreaking Diabetes Treatment and Research

Man smiling holding trumpetUniversity Health Texas Diabetes Institute is revolutionizing the way diabetes is being treated in San Antonio and globally. As one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive centers dedicated to the prevention and treatment of diabetes, we’re not only researching new ways to treat the symptoms, but also the underlying conditions with the ultimate goal to reverse Type 2 diabetes.

Our expert care team includes endocrinology specialists using their advanced medical knowledge to help you manage your lifestyle effectively and treat your diabetes.

You’ll also have access to some of the best treatment options because of our involvement in research. Prominent researchers at the institute are at the forefront of drug development to treat diabetes and find a cure. We are dedicated to improving the health of patients with diabetes, their families and our community. In fact, patients from our Texas Diabetes Institute participated in a pivotal clinical trial that led to the long-awaited approval of the bionic pancreas for people with Type 1 diabetes.

At University Health, we’re thinking beyond our world so you can thrive in yours.

 

Nationally Recognized High-Risk and Complex Pregnancy Care

Woman smilingUniversity Health’s maternal-fetal medicine program means moms-to-be with complex pregnancies receive nationally recognized care close to home. Women with high-risk pregnancies have access to our specialized care designed for those with high risk factors that could result in complications during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or postpartum.

These factors can include maternal age, a pre-existing medical condition (such as diabetes or hypertension), a multiples pregnancy (such as twins or triplets), history of pregnancy complications (such as preterm birth or miscarriage), genetic factors, lifestyle factors (such as smoking or substance abuse), and more.

Our maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialists, which are obstetricians/gynecologists with additional training in managing high-risk pregnancies, provide specialized prenatal care, diagnostic testing, and management of complications.

As a Level IV Maternal Center, the highest level of maternity care, high-risk pregnancy patients are flown from all over South Texas to receive this advanced care at our University Health Women’s & Children’s Hospital in San Antonio, Texas.

Knowing you are being cared for at a nationally renowned hospital can bring some peace of mind. For example, we are the only hospital in San Antonio named High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report, and we’re listed among America’s Best Maternity Hospitals by Newsweek and Best Hospitals for Maternity Care by The Leapfrog Group. Recognition from reputable organizations that focus on superior patient outcomes give our patients confidence in their choice of hospital and in the care they receive.

With a team solely dedicated to complex pregnancies, we’re thinking beyond our world so you and your baby can thrive in yours.

Best Maternity Care Awards

 

Why Pediatric Trauma Centers Provide Better Care

Boy holding soccer ball with cast on right arm.Should the unthinkable happen and your child is critically injured or burned, University Health is home to the only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I pediatric trauma center in South Texas. What happens in the first hour after injury impacts a child’s survival, which makes rapid access to trauma care for kids so important.

As the region’s only Level I pediatric trauma center, we’re prepared to treat children with the most serious injuries. Our team of pediatric specialists includes surgeons who use advanced diagnostics and perform complex surgical procedures when needed.

Research indicates that children treated at pediatric trauma centers experience better outcomes compared to those treated at non-specialized facilities. This is because Level I pediatric trauma centers are equipped with the necessary resuscitation tools, pediatric imaging, and diagnostic procedures tailored to the unique needs of children. In fact, children are transferred via ground and air transport from across South Texas to receive lifesaving care provided at University Health.

Recognizing that children are not simply small adults, our pediatric trauma team provides specialized care suited to their size that significantly enhances the treatment and recovery process, including emotional and social work support for the whole family.

Injury prevention is the only cure for traumatic illness and injury. Our experts lead safety efforts across the region for children and adults with educational programs and safety workshops designed to prevent unintentional and intentional injury.

We hope you never need us, but we are equipped and experienced to treat every type of traumatic adult and pediatric injury if you do.

At University Health, we’re thinking beyond adult care to provide the only Level I pediatric trauma center in South Texas.

 

Transforming Lives through Organ Transplantation

Baby being fed milk from a bottleWhen you think about it, being a living liver donor is profound. Our livers have the unique ability to regenerate; both the donor's and recipient's liver can grow back to near-normal size and function within a few months after donation. The surgery involves removing a small portion of the donor’s liver. This regenerative capability makes living liver donation feasible and distinguishes it from most other organ transplants.

For recipients, receiving a living donation can be lifesaving, particularly for those with end-stage liver disease or acute liver failure who might not survive the wait for a deceased donor liver. The increase in living liver and kidney donations has helped alleviate the shortage of available organs from deceased donors, reducing wait times, and potentially saving many lives that would otherwise be lost.

If you or someone you know needs an organ transplant, our nationally renowned adult and pediatric transplant program is available right here in San Antonio. We are proud to be recognized as the No. 1 liver transplant program in Texas and the No. 2 program in the U.S. Additionally, we lead the nation in living donor kidney transplants for children, and our lung transplant program outcomes exceed the national average for three-year survival rates.

With a comprehensive living donor program for kidney and liver transplants, and the only living donor liver transplant program in South Texas, lives are being saved. The process of living organ donation often brings people together, strengthening bonds between family members, friends, and even strangers, fostering a greater sense of unity and support.

Since the inception of University Health’s transplant program, 6,000 lifesaving transplants have been performed for adults and children. Doctors and specialists routinely refer patients to our program because of our attentive care, short wait times, and successful outcomes.

Only a select number of hospitals nationwide are equipped to provide living donor transplant programs, which is one more way we’re thinking beyond our world, so you can thrive in yours.

 

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About University Health

University Health is the only locally owned health system in San Antonio. For more than 100 years, we have been thinking beyond what’s possible in medicine to ensure the people of San Antonio, Bexar County and South Texas have access to primary and advanced care.

What does it mean to think beyond what’s possible in medicine today?

At University Health, it means the region’s only Level I trauma center for both adults and children stands ready to save lives – all day, every day.

It means offering the highest level of neonatal care with private NICU suites, that enable parents to comfortably stay to bond with their babies throughout their NICU stay.

Thinking beyond also led us to open the region’s only hospital dedicated exclusively to the health of women, babies and children, including San Antonio’s only 24/7 center for OB/GYN emergencies.

It means always striving to bring our best for our patients, which is reflected in being recognized by Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report and The Leapfrog Group for our exceptional maternity care, year after year.

For adults and children facing serious kidney or liver illnesses, thinking beyond means access to one of the nation’s most respected and experienced transplant programs, including one of the few teams in Texas able to save more lives and reduce wait times through living donor transplantation.

Thinking beyond is a team of pulmonary experts helping our patients breathe easier with advanced therapies and procedures, including lung transplantation.

And, this relentless focus to think beyond what’s possible in medicine today is how the University Health Texas Diabetes Institute is tackling one of the most pervasive health concerns of our time, with a world-renowned team pioneering new treatment options and leading the way in the search for a cure.

As the region’s only academic health system, University Health is a hub of innovation and discovery, committed to delivering patient-centered, culturally competent, high-quality and compassionate care, based on a strong foundation of outcomes‐based research and teaching.

We’re thinking beyond our world, so you can thrive in yours.