Specialized surgery center transforming care for children with disabilities

As it enters its second year, the University Health Surgery Center at Morgan’s MAC is emerging as a national model for expanding healthcare to patients with disabilities.

The outpatient surgery center is the first in the United States designed to provide dental and medical care for patients with special needs, especially children. The National Association of Counties recently recognized its outstanding work for a national healthcare achievement award.

Its patients include children with autism, seizure disorders, Downs syndrome or other conditions that make it difficult to receive otherwise routine treatment in an office. The uniquely designed surgery center and its specially trained pediatric team made care possible for 626 special needs children and 24 adults during its first year of operation. Without the center, the patients would have required treatment at a hospital or would have gone without treatment altogether.

“Kids shouldn’t need their care provided in the hospital if it can be done elsewhere,” said Dr. Ian Mitchell, chief of pediatric surgery at University Health and the medical director of the MAC surgery center. “We’ve provided a very safe, very effective and very welcoming environment to have the care they need without being hospitalized.”

A bonus is that this first University Health ambulatory surgery center on Bexar County’s Northeast side also provided outpatient procedures for 1,310 patients without disabilities. It enabled them to have their procedures outside a hospital operating room or without traveling greater distances from their homes.

A special place and partnership

The addition of the surgical center at Morgan’s Multi-Assistance Center, the MAC, began with its chair, Gordon Hartman. The successful businessman and philanthropist is committed to ensuring people with disabilities have access to the services available to everyone else. University Health joined Hartman in realizing his vision by creating a surgical center with a calming environment and specially trained team. Its sound-absorbing walls, use of white noise and low sensory rooms reduce anxiety for many children, especially those with autism. Child Life specialists use play and therapy to distract children during procedures. Pediatric anesthesiologists provide an especially important service, creating a safe environment for children who require general sedation.

Improving care for special needs dental patients

Dr. Leticia Jeffords, a pediatric dentist in San Antonio, says most dental offices do not offer general anesthesia, which temporarily puts the patient to sleep so they don't feel or remember the surgery. However, that’s what Dr. Jeffords needs for many of her patients with disabilities, including one child she has treated for a decade. The child has physical impairments that can restrict breathing. When she arrives at the office, she gives her dentist a big hug and kisses. But when it’s time for the exam, Dr. Jeffords braces for a fight.

“She becomes super combative,” the dentist explained. “She kicks. She grabs me. She’s scared.”

Before the outpatient surgery center opened in 2025, Dr. Jeffords went through a complicated process to arrange the child’s dental care in a hospital operating room where she could be sedated.

Now, she treats her at the MAC surgery center, accompanied by a team that keeps the patient calm and ensures her breathing is not obstructed.

“It’s such a gift,” Dr. Jeffords said. “Instead of being in my office, I have a facility like the MAC with a team to help take care of my special patients.”

Conditions treated as the patient numbers grow.

About half of the patients treated at the MAC surgery center during its first year were children with ear, nose and throat conditions, including those needing tonsils removed or ear tubes inserted. Pediatric dental patients had cavities filled and teeth extracted. Children with lazy eyes, hernias, gallbladder problems and neurological conditions received the care they needed.

Dr. Mitchell expects the number of patients they treat to increase by as much as 20% this second year. As the special needs children become adults, he hopes to provide care for more of them. An even bigger goal is to encourage other healthcare programs to offer outpatient surgical services for disabled people. While this surgical center is the first in the country to do that, he doesn’t want it to be the last.

“I’m looking forward to not only the maturing of the MAC but sharing what we’ve learned with the rest of the country – and honestly, the world,” Dr. Mitchell said.