Hill Country Memorial announced today that it has entered into an agreement to become part of the Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio. Methodist Healthcare’s acquisition of Hill Country Memorial is expected to take effect in early 2023. The Hill Country Memorial Board of Trustees unanimously selected Methodist Healthcare as a partner to grow and expand quality care locally after thoroughly assessing the increasingly dynamic rural healthcare environment. Methodist Healthcarerecognizestheprofound impact that Hill Country Memorial has on healthcare services in the region and the high bar that Hill Country Memorial has set in providing award-winning, quality patient care. This combination will begin a new chapter of growing healthcare services in the region and is expected to deepen care offerings andgrowaccessibilitywhile ensuring care remains local for the Hill Country community.
“More than 50 years ago, our founders, Dr. Perry and Dr. Feller, embarked upon a vision to offer high quality healthcare to the Hill Country community,” said Jayne Pope, chief executive officer, Hill Country Memorial. “Today’s announcement enables us to expand on that promise by advancing the quality and access to care in our community. We chose Methodist because of their strong commitment to quality and because of our aligned vision for the future of healthcare in the Hill Country. We look forward to being a part of Methodist Healthcare and continuing to provide remarkable care in the Hill Country.”
“MethodistHealthcareisthrilled to welcome Hill Country Memorial into our family of hospitals. Our organizations share a commitment to improving the lives of our patients and their families. Our common values, similar histories and focus on prioritizing quality and patient safety empower us to provide remarkable and compassionate care,” said Allen Harrison, president and chief executive officer, Methodist Healthcare. “We believe this affiliation enablesHillCountryMemorial to continue providing best-in-class care to the Hill Country region for years to come.”
Hill Country Memorial has served the Texas Hill Country for more than half a century, and has grown to become a nationally recognized leader in health care. The rural healthcare system has 15 locations across eight counties, and a 7,500 square mile service area. Methodist Healthcare is a 50-50 co-ownership between Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc., South Texas’ largest non-public funding source of community health care for uninsured patients; and HCAHealthcare, one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers. The intent to partner announced today is expected to further extend and expand all entities’ ability to serve the Hill Country community.
“Hill Country Memorial has always been committed to caring for those who call the Hill Country home. By partnering with Methodist Healthcare, we can deepen the care offered locally and ensure that quality care continues to be delivered right here, close to home,” continued Pope. “As we looked at the changing healthcare landscape, we recognized there are clear challenges that could potentially impact the level of care our community has come to expect. Hill Country Memorial is in a position of strength with dedicated, high quality physicians, a talented and committed team, stable operations and finances, and a community that embraces us.To leverage our strong position, we joined forces with Methodist Healthcare to further strengthen our ability to provide care to this community, expand services, and fulfill our founders’ vision.”
Philanthropic activities currently led by the Foundation for HCM will continue in service to the Hill Country community. More details regarding ongoing investment in the community will be shared in the coming months.
In the near term, patients can expect their care to continue uninterrupted.
About Hill Country Memorial
Founded in Fredericksburg, Texas, in 1971, Hill Country Memorial is an award-winning healthcare organization in the heart of the Texas Hill Country that has gained a reputation for delivering remarkable care. Today Hill Country Memorial has 15 locations across a 14-county region including a hospital, primary and specialty care medical offices, and an immediate care clinic. HCM also serves the region with Home Care, Hospice, and other post-acute services. Because of its strong quality, outcomes, and experience results, HCM has been named a Fortune/ Merative Top 100 Hospital ninetimes in its history. The recipient of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award, HCM is the largest employer in Gillespie County with more than 600 team members and 225 medical staff members. Hill Country Memorial is a vital part of the Hill Country community providing more than $21 million annually in charity and uncompensated care and offering state-of-the-art services like the Restore Joint Replacement Center and an interventional cardiology program. To learn more about Hill Country Memorial, visit www. hillcountrymemorial.org.
About Methodist Healthcare
Methodist Healthcare is a 50-50 co-ownership between Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc., South Texas’ largest non-public funding source of community health care for uninsured patients; and HCA Healthcare, the nation’s leading provider of healthcare services. This creates a unique partnership that ensures Methodist Healthcare Ministries continues to benefit the community by providing quality care to all and charitable care when needed. Methodist Healthcare invested $786 million in charity and indigent care to the community in 2021 alone. With over 30 facilities, including eight hospitals and nine freestanding emergency departments, over 732,783 ER, inpatients and outpatients are served annually. The Methodist Healthcare team is comprised of 12,500 staff, making the system the second largest private employer in San Antonio. With more than 3,400 credentialed physicians, Methodist Healthcare provides the largest array of medical services in the region, including neurosurgery, cardiovascular services, oncology and women’s services. And, with 25 surgical robots, Methodist Healthcare is a national leader in robotic surgery, as well as home to the nation’s largest Live Donor Kidney Transplant program. Methodist Hospital is the only hospital in South Texas to be named a Fortune/Merative Top 100 Hospital in the nation for its outstanding quality outcomes. Visit <SAHealth.com> to learn more.