Where tomorrow’s breakthroughs begin: UT Health San Antonio’s first hospital opens, merging comprehensive care and innovation
Mays Cancer Center Annual Report
As the golden sun peeks over the Hill Country skyline, UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital begins to stir with the promise of a new day. A physician-scientist steps purposefully through the sleek glass entrance into an atrium bathed in natural light. Their path leads to an expansive lab equipped with the latest in diagnostic technology, ready for breakthroughs to come.
“UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital brings unparalleled, comprehensive patient care and cutting edge clinical research directly to the heart of South Texas. Our goal is to not only advance the science of medicine but ensure our community has access to the latest breakthrough treatments close to home. We are setting a new standard for health outcomes in our region,” said UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital Chief Executive Officer Jeff Flowers, MBA, FACHE.
From the beginning, the hospital’s planning team knew they wanted a place where a deep commitment to patient care merged seamlessly with cutting-edge research and the use of the latest technology. Every aspect of the facility was thoughtfully designed to foster clinical innovation while prioritizing patient well-being. The hospital was specifically designed to support care teams in all their missions—clinical, educational and research.
Continuity of care during clinical trials
A top priority was providing continuity of care for patients involved in clinical trials, many of whom are highly immunocompromised or have other comorbidities. At the new hospital, patients can have testing completed and processed immediately in one convenient location. The hospital also provides a protective environment (PE) unit, meeting the highest safety requirements for an inpatient setting. Patients staying at the hospital for long periods of time such as those undergoing stem cell transplants, cellular therapy or other oncology services, can be continuously monitored and have immediate access to a higher level of care delivery.
A first for UT Health San Antonio, this hospital will be able to support experimental pharmacy research through fully United States Pharmacopeia (USP)-compliant non-sterile compounding, or food compounding, along with typical sterile compounding. Additionally, the hospital’s 22,000 square-foot laboratory is nearly double the capacity needed for a hospital this size, providing ample room for researchers and hospital personnel.
At the forefront of new technologies, treatments
UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital will be at the forefront of adopting new technologies and providing leading treatments for patients. As an academic-research hospital, this will significantly enhance patient care by delivering innovations and discoveries from UT Health San Antonio investigators directly to the bedside, seamlessly integrating these advancements with clinical care.
In the 2024-2025 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities rankings, UT Health San Antonio ranked No. 51 among the world’s top 1,000 universities with clinical medicine research programs and No. 32 among U.S. health care institutions in the 2024 Nature Index for its research output. The hospital’s affiliation with UT Health San Antonio means it can integrate research and education into its operations, offering specialized services and treatments previously unavailable in this region. The academic connection ensures that leading experts in various medical fields are deeply involved in both patient care and research.
Current and future efforts will be significantly enhanced, particularly in areas that disproportionately affect our South Texas community. This includes expanded research in complex diseases such as cancer, aging, brain health and neurosciences. These focused efforts will drive advancements in understanding and treating these critical health issues, ultimately benefiting our community.
Exceeding expectations in cancer care, research
Oncology patient care and research, in conjunction with the Mays Cancer Center, is expected to account for the majority of the clinical services at the hospital. Cancer research is an interdisciplinary effort, and this innovative multispecialty hospital elevates their research capabilities, said Lei Zheng, MD, PhD, executive director of Mays Cancer Center and vice president for oncology at UT Health San Antonio.
Some of the upcoming clinical trials made possible through their connection to the new hospital include novel CAR-T and TCR-T cell therapies and innovative surgical procedures that can only be conducted in a hospital setting.
“We will make the hospital a national resource where personalized, clinical care and scientific discovery are conducted, focusing on the unique population of San Antonio and South Texas,” Zheng said.
Quoting Sir William Osler, the father of modern medicine, Zheng said the practice of medicine “is an art, not a trade; a calling, not a business.”
“Our academic connection makes UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital a place where the best art of medicine is practiced for the benefit of our patients,” said Zheng.
