Baylor College of Medicine has now taken over clinical responsibility at Children's Hospital of San Antonio, which is owned by Christus Santa Rosa.
Believing the need for pediatric care is on the rise, Christus Santa Rosa Health System President Patrick Carrier said children's services are an important part of the health system's care ministry. It started providing pediatric services in 1874. In 1917, the first hospital wing dedicated to pediatrics opened.
Carrier said in 1959 the first hospital for children in San Antonio opened.
"Now, we are moving to the next step and we are creating San Antonio's first free-standing children's hospital, meaning that our entire downtown campus is now only dedicated to pediatric services," he said.
The recent partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospitals will look to provide more research opportunities and attract medical leaders to San Antonio from across the nation. Carrier said there has been a lot of talk over the past two decades about the need for this type of service dedicated to kids.
He also said the need is great everywhere.
"The general feeling was, though, that there is a real shortage of pediatric specialists in the United States and a lot of competition to bring those specialists to the community," said Carrier.
The Children's Hospital of San Antonio brings more than 24 pediatric faculty positions and specialists. By December, 100 positions should be filled and that number is expected to double in January 2015.
Its first residents in training will arrive in the summer of 2015.
