Baptist Health System creates the South Texas Lung Institute – the region’s first dedicated lung disease treatment program

By North SA Chamber Editor
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Baptist HealthcareTo provide the South Texas region with a high-quality, well-coordinated lung cancer treatment program, Baptist Health System has created the South Texas Lung Institute. The institute is the premier center for the diagnosis and treatment of lung disease and lung cancer. Baptist Health System is the first to open this type of center in South Texas which provides a multi-disciplinary collaboration of area physicians and health care resources and a navigated program for lung disease and lung cancer patients.

At its core, the South Texas Lung Institute brings together pulmonologists, oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, and primary care physicians to work collaboratively with St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital to provide highly coordinated lung cancer treatment for patients.

“The navigation aspect of this program is key in which the South Texas Lung Institute is the first to offer this type of service. With one phone call into the program, high-risk patients are referred to a host of treatment resources,” stated John Knox, St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital President.

With guidelines established by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the institute’s patient navigator guides patients, who are determined to be high-risk, through the screening process and their entire treatment working with the patient’s specialists and primary care physician to recommend next steps of care as needed.

High-risk individuals are those that meet the following criteria: are between the ages of 55-74 and have a history of smoking equal to or greater than 30 years (a pack a day) or if an ex-smoker, have quit within the last 15 years.

For more information on the patient services available at the South Texas Lung Institute, call 210-297-LUNG or visit SouthTexasLungInstitute.com.

About Baptist Health System
Baptist Health System is a trusted provider of health care in San Antonio and South Texas. The System includes five acute-care hospitals (Baptist Medical Center, Mission Trail Baptist Hospital, North Central Baptist Hospital, Northeast Baptist Hospital, and St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital) which offer 1,674 licensed beds.  All five hospitals have earned Accredited Chest Pain Center designation, as well as Primary Stroke Center Certification.  Medicare has designated each as Texas’ only Medicare Value Based Care Centers.

The system also includes Baptist Regional Children’s Center, Baptist Breast Center, Baptist Cancer Center, HealthLink wellness and fitness center and physical rehabilitation centers.  Other entities include Baptist M&S Imaging Centers, community health and wellness programs, ambulatory services, medical office buildings and School of Health Professions.  Baptist Health System supports the work of Faith Family Clinics, Baptist Emergency Hospitals, San Antonio AirLIFE air medical transport and other health-related services and affiliations.  The system is part of Tenet Healthcare Corporation, based out of Dallas, Texas.