By HFT Staff

Steward Health Care recently announced it will close Texas Vista Medical Center (TVMC), effective May 1, 2023. Nearly one quarter of the hospital’s patients cannot and do not pay for the services the hospital provides, meanwhile, over half of patients are government pay patients, which means the hospital is paid less than the cost of patient care. 

Steward has a proposal out for the University Health System and Bexar County to take over TVMC, but neither entity have accepted the offer. 

“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,” says Jon Turton, President of Texas Vista Medical Center. “We offer critical emergency care and OB/GYN care for the San Antonio area. Given that TVMC is a significant provider of behavioral healthcare in the region, other hospitals will immediately see an increase in behavioral health patients at a time when that system is already strained. We regret that the local community’s lack of adequate support for vulnerable patients has forced TVMC to close its doors. We are still hoping that the county or other entity will assume control of the hospital.” 

With the closure, 827 employees will be laid off. Steward Health Care has offered all employees to look for alternative positions within its affiliated facilities.