University Health, a leading San Antonio-based healthcare system, has earned national recognition for its groundbreaking hospital-at-home program that has revolutionized patient care while generating substantial cost savings. The innovative initiative has saved the organization more than $17 million since its inception, demonstrating the powerful potential of remote healthcare delivery.
National Recognition for Healthcare Innovation
America’s Essential Hospitals presented University Health with the prestigious 2025 Gage Award for operational excellence on June 12 in Atlanta. This national honor recognizes healthcare organizations that demonstrate exceptional leadership in improving patient outcomes, operational efficiency, and community health impact.
The Gage Award represents one of the most significant recognitions in the healthcare industry, specifically acknowledging institutions that serve vulnerable populations while maintaining high standards of care. University Health’s selection highlights their commitment to innovative healthcare solutions that benefit both patients and the broader healthcare system.
Impressive Program Statistics and Patient Impact
Since launching its hospital-at-home program in 2021, University Health has achieved remarkable milestones that underscore the program’s effectiveness. The initiative has successfully cared for more than 3,400 patients, demonstrating the scalability and reliability of home-based acute care services.
Perhaps most significantly, the program has freed over 17,500 hospital beds, creating substantial capacity for other patients requiring inpatient care. This bed liberation has had a cascading positive effect throughout the healthcare system, reducing wait times and improving access to care for emergency department patients.
The financial impact cannot be overstated, with cost savings exceeding $17 million. These savings result from reduced overhead costs, shorter length of stays, and improved care coordination that prevents costly readmissions and complications.
Enhanced Patient Satisfaction and Clinical Outcomes
Hospital-at-home care has proven particularly effective in improving patient satisfaction scores while maintaining high-quality clinical outcomes. Patients receive personalized attention in the comfort of their own homes, surrounded by family support systems that contribute to faster recovery times.
The program has also demonstrated significant success in reducing hospital readmissions, a critical quality metric that impacts both patient wellbeing and healthcare costs. By providing continuous monitoring and support in patients’ home environments, healthcare teams can identify and address potential complications before they require emergency intervention.
Comprehensive Care Approach and Community Benefits
University Health CEO Ed Banos emphasized the program’s holistic approach to patient care, noting how hospital-at-home services provide unique insights into patients’ social determinants of health. “Hospital at home has really opened our eyes to the complete care of the patient,” Banos explained.
Program nurses gain unprecedented visibility into patients’ living conditions, including housing quality, family support systems, nutritional access, and transportation resources. This comprehensive understanding enables healthcare teams to address underlying factors that impact health outcomes and recovery success.
Operational Excellence and System-Wide Impact
The hospital-at-home program has created what Banos describes as a “profound halo effect” throughout the entire University Health system. With the organization admitting more than 40,000 patients annually, bed capacity remains at a premium, making the program’s impact particularly valuable.
When 20 to 30 patients receive care at home rather than occupying hospital beds, emergency department patients can access rooms significantly faster. This improved flow reduces overcrowding, decreases wait times, and enhances the overall patient experience across all service lines.
Future of Healthcare Delivery
University Health’s success with hospital-at-home care represents a significant advancement in healthcare delivery models. The program demonstrates how innovative approaches can simultaneously improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, and enhance system efficiency.
As healthcare systems nationwide face increasing pressure to optimize resources while maintaining quality care, University Health’s award-winning program serves as a model for sustainable healthcare innovation. The organization’s commitment to expanding access to care through creative solutions positions them as a leader in the evolving healthcare landscape.
The recognition from America’s Essential Hospitals validates the transformative potential of hospital-at-home programs and encourages other healthcare organizations to explore similar innovative care delivery models that prioritize patient needs while achieving operational excellence.
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