CHRISTUS Health renames children’s hospital in San Antonio

The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio got a new name in April: CHRISTUS Children’s.

The hospital is part of Irving, Texasbased CHRISTUS Health. The health system said the new name reflects the hospital’s expansion into a network of freestanding emergency centers, specialty, maternal and pediatric clinics as well as outpatient rehabilitation centers located throughout San Antonio and nearby New Braunfels, Texas.

In a press release about the renaming, CHRISTUS said the change is part of a transformation of the hospital’s main campus that will include adding colorful murals and other visual elements to create a sense of cohesion between all of the buildings.

In the fiscal year that began July 1, the CHRISTUS Children’s network has tallied 6,000 children and maternal inpatients; just under 5,000 surgeries and 105,000 emergency department visits; and more than 180,000 children and expectant mothers as patients at the network’s more than 50 outpatient specialty clinics in 15 locations.

CHRISTUS Health President and Chief Executive Ernie Sadau said: “CHRISTUS Children’s has a bright future ahead with plans for growth into new communities, new providers, and new services.”

Amid the stress and grief the pandemic created, LaMonica says the crisis has brought some beneficial changes. It has reduced the stigma around mental health care and focused national attention on the need for social connection. That attention, she suspects, is what prompted the surgeon general’s advisory.

“I think honestly the biggest thing that struck me is why didn’t this happen before?” she says “You know, why are we in 2023 just talking about loneliness? But I guess it took the pandemic to really bring it to the forefront.” leisenhauer@chausa.org