SAN ANTONIO – The debate over trauma care in San Antonio continued Tuesday as city leaders considered a resolution related to Methodist Hospital’s proposal to upgrade its Level III trauma center to a Level II facility.
Council members discussed whether a Level II trauma center could affect the volume of trauma patients transported to Brooke Army Medical Center, or BAMC. They also discussed the effect on University Healthcare’s system, which also has a Level I trauma facility like BAMC.
The resolution would ask the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council, or STRAC, to prioritize BAMC’s patient volume.
Supporters of the resolution, including District 9 Councilwoman Misty Spears and Bexar County Commissioner Grant Moody, both of whom are on the Joint Military Task Force, said San Antonio is unique because BAMC is the only military hospital with Level I trauma care.
They said protecting its trauma volume is important to the hospital’s military medical readiness.
“We do know is that it’s extremely important to the decision makers up at the federal government and at the Pentagon to know how supportive the community is for military missions,” Spears said. “They have made that very clear.”
Moody said the county is looking at a similar resolution.
“It’s very important that we have that military training, it’s important that the UT Health has educational training there with UHS and trying to navigate that to ensure that both of those aren’t damaged,” Moody said.
District 4 Councilman Edward Mungia, who is on the Intergovernmental Relations Council, said he wanted more information before taking a position at Tuesday’s meeting.
“I just want to make sure I see more numbers and understand this, because I don’t want to be in a position where we say we don’t want medical care,” Mungia said.
District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito said she also wants to consider Methodist’s ability to operate as a business.
“I’m also trying to balance that with a concern of blocking a new hospital from doing what they need to do to serve their patients as well,” she said.
BAMC said in a statement that the volume and complexity of trauma cases are tied to both exceptional patient care and military medical readiness.
University Hospital said it supports the resolution to protect BAMC and said an additional trauma center could put patient care and military readiness at risk.
Methodist has not provided comment, and neither has STRAC.
Methodist currently has a Level III trauma center and wants to upgrade to Level II. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, the hospital has not filed that paperwork.
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