Headshot of Gary Francis, MD

Gary Francis, MD

UT Health San Antonio
Schedule an appointment: 210-358-7551
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Specialty

  • Pediatric Endocrinology

Board Affiliation/Certification

  • American Board of Pediatric Endocrinology
  • American Board of Pediatrics

Education

  • University of Florida College of Medicine (1974)

Residency

  • Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine (1977)

Fellowships

  • Pediatric Endocrinology-Genetics and Metabolism, University of Oklahoma (1979)
  • Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine (1979)
  • Pediatric Endocrine Clinical Associate, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (1980)

Languages

  • English

Gender

  • Male

University Hospital

4502 Medical Drive
San Antonio,TX 78229

Insurance Accepted

  • 6 Degrees - Transplant
  • 90 Degree Benefits - Third Party Administrator
  • Aetna Better Health - CHIP/CHIP Perinate Newborn
  • Aetna Better Health - Medicaid STAR
  • Aetna Health - Commercial (Choice POS II, Elect Choice EPO, Exchange (Silver/Gold HMO))
  • Aetna Health - Commercial (HMO, Managed Choice POS, Meritain, Open Choice PPO)
  • Aetna Health - Commercial (QPOS, SAISD, Select)
  • Aetna Health - Medicaid Dual Preferred (HMO D-SNP)
  • Aetna Health - Medicare Advantage (Eagle PPO, Freedom PPO, Premier HMO, Prime HMO, Value Plus PPO)
  • Aetna Health - Transplant ONLY
  • Allegiance - Universal Benefits Consortium
  • Allwell (Superior HealthPlan) - Medicare Advantage
  • Ancira Enterprises - Direct Employer
  • Benefit Administrative Systems - Third Party Administrator
  • BlueCross BlueShield (Federal Programs) - Commercial (Federal - All Products)
  • BlueCross BlueShield (Out-of-State) - Commercial (Out of State - Blue Card Program Only)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Commercial (Blue Premier HMO, Blue Choice PPO)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Commercial (CHIP, Blue Advantage HMO, Blue Essentials HMO)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Commercial (ERS, TRS, State of TX Employees)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - HPN/EPO (Narrow Network)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Medicare Advantage (HMO, PPO)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Traditional/Par Network
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Transplant Network
  • CHAMPVA - Governmental
  • Cigna - Employer Specific Network (United Benefits Consortium)
  • Cigna - Employer Specific Network (USAA Employees & Dependents Only)
  • Cigna Health Spring - Medicare Advantage (WellMed)
  • Community First Health Plans - CHIP/CHIP Perinate Newborn
  • Community First Health Plans - Commercial (HMO, Exchange)
  • Community First Health Plans - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • Community First Health Plans - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
  • Community First Health Plans - University Family Care Plan
  • Curative - Commercial (All Products)
  • Driscoll Health Plan - Medicaid (All products)
  • EBSO Benefits - Third Party Administrator
  • El Paso Health - CHIP
  • El Paso Health - Medicaid STAR
  • Employers Health Network - Commercial (PPO)
  • Entrust - Third Party Administrator
  • First Health - Commercial (All Products)
  • Gilsbar - Third Party Administrator
  • HealthSmart (Accel) - Commercial (All products)
  • Humana - Medicare Advantage (HMO, PPO, WellMed)
  • Humana - Transplant Network
  • Imagine 360 - Third Party Administrator
  • Imperial Health - Commercial (Exchange)
  • Imperial Health Plan - Medicare Advantage
  • Independent Medical Systems - Commercial (PPO)
  • Independent Medical Systems - Workers Compensation
  • Injury Management Organization - Workers Compensation
  • Interlink - Transplant Network
  • LifeTrac - Transplant Network
  • Medicaid (Traditional) - Medicaid/Medicare
  • Molina Healthcare - CHIP/CHIP Perinate
  • Molina Healthcare - Commercial (Exchange)
  • Molina Healthcare - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • Molina Healthcare - Medicare Advantage
  • Molina Healthcare - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
  • MultiPlan - Commercial (All products)
  • OptumHealth - Transplant Network
  • Point Comfort Underwriters - Refugee Medical Assistance (Adults, Children)
  • Private Healthcare Systems - Commercial (All Products)
  • ProCare Advantage - Medicare Advantage (Special Needs Plan)
  • Provider Partners Health Plan - Medicare Advantage (Special Needs Plan)
  • SCAN Health - Medicare Advantage (All Products)
  • Superior HealthPlan - CHIP/CHIP Perinate
  • Superior HealthPlan - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Health Foster Care, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • Superior HealthPlan - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
  • Surest (United Healthcare) - Commercial (All Products)
  • Tokio Marine - Transplant Network
  • TriWest - TRICARE West Region
  • TriWest - VA Community Care Network
  • Trustmark Benefits (f/k/a CoreSource) - Third Party Administrator
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Charter EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Choice Plus POS/PPO/Choice Plus-HAS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Compass EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Core and Core Choice Plus EPO/HMO)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Doctors Plan EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Heritage EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Indemnity)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Navigate EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Nexus ACO/EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (PPO)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Select EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Select Plus EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Medicare Advantage (AARP Plans, Complete Care Plans, Erickson Advantage Plans)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Medicare Advantage (UnitedHealthcare Group Plans, WellMed)
  • UnitedHealthcare Community Plan - CHIP/CHIP Perinate
  • UnitedHealthcare Community Plan - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • UnitedHealthcare Community Plan - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
  • Universal Benefits Consortium (Allegiance) - Direct Contract with TPA/Broker for select ISDs
  • University of Incarnate Word - Direct Contact with Employer
  • Velocity National Provider Network - Commercial (Multiple Payers)
  • Velocity National Provider Network - Commercial (PPO)
  • Veterans Administration - Governmental
  • WellCare - Medicare Advantage
  • WellCare by Allwell (Medicare Advantage - All Products)
  • WellCare by Superior HealthPlan - Dual Align (HMO D-SNP)
  • WellMed (Gonzaba Medical Group IPA) - Medicare Advantage (Transplant Only)
  • WellMed - Medicare Advantage (Cigna HealthSpring, Humana, United Healthcare, WellPoint)
  • WellPoint (Gonzaba) - Medicare Advantage (TRANSPLANTS ONLY)
  • WellPoint - CHIP/CHIP Perinate
  • WellPoint - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • WellPoint - Medicare Advantage (All Products)
  • WellPoint - Medicare Advantage (Transplant Only)
  • WellPoint - Medicare Advantage (WellMed)
  • WellPoint - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
Please contact your health insurance company to confirm provider participation. For billing and insurance questions, please call our Billing Department at 210-358-3260.
Professor of Pediatrics
My research activities focus on thyroid neoplasia and thyroid cancer in children. I previously served on the American Thyroid Association Treatment Guidelines Committee for Medullary Thyroid Cancer. I recently led a task force commissioned by the American Thyroid Association (ATA) to develop a set of guidelines for evaluating and treating children with thyroid nodules and cancer. The recently issued guidelines are the first and only set of recommendations that provide best practice standards for diagnosing and treating thyroid cancer in children ages 18 and younger. I also serve as Chair of the Data Safety Monitoring Board for closed-loop insulin trials at the University of Virginia Center for Diabetes Technology.
Research Interests:
  • Thyroid cancer in children, thyroid neoplasia and any thyroid diseases in children

Abstracts

  1. Allen N; Desai N; Song C; Yu J; Prasad U; Francis GL. Clinical features may help to identify children and adolescents with greatest risk for thyroid nodules. J Endocrinol Invest 2020 Jul; 43(7):925-934. Doi: 10.1007 s40618-019-01176.6 Epub 2020 Jan 11. PMID: 31927747.
  2. Catherine Kerr MD, Gary Francis MD Ph.D. Thyroid Nodules in Children and Adolescents. Journal of Radiology and Imaging Science. J Radiol & Imaging Sci. 2020;1(1):1-5.
  3. Niran R. Wjiesooriya1, M.D., Caroline Carrico2, Ph.D., Gary Francis1, M.D. Ph.D., Chris Gennings3, Ph.D., Edmond P. Wickham III1 2, M.D. MPH. Association between Urinary Phthalate Levels and Body Mass Index Z-scores in US Children. Submitted to Obesity, May 2016.
  4. Andrew J Bauer and Gary L Francis. Management of Thyroid Nodules in Children. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2016 Aug;28(4):536-44 Apr 30. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 27139001.

Book Chapters

  1. Bauer AJ, Waguespack S, Grover A and Francis G. Thyroid Neoplasia. In Radovick and Misra Pediatric Endocrinology: A Practical Guide 3rd Ed. Springer Science. Chapter 19. Submitted 2016.
  2. Bauer AJ and Francis GL. Chapter 4: Molecular Aspects of Thyroid Cancer in Children. Thyroid Cancer: A Clinical Guide, 3rd Edition. Ed. Leonard Wartofsky, M.D., and Douglas VanNostrand, M.D., 2015.
  3. Waguespack S and Francis GL. Chapter 44: Radioactive Iodine Therapy of Thyroid Cancer in Children. Thyroid Cancer: A Clinical Guide, 3rd Edition, Ed. Leonard Wartofsky, M.D., and Douglas VanNostrand, M.D. 2015.

Other Publications

  1. Francis GL. Inadvertent Parathyroid Gland Removal During Thyroid Surgery in Children. A review of: Ziai H, Dixon P, Berman G, Campisi P, Wasserman JD. 2002 Incidental Parathyroidectomy Among Pediatric Patients Undergoing Thyroid Surgery. Laryngoscope. 2022 Nov;132(11):2262-2269. doi: 10.1002/lary.30056. Epub 2022 Feb 22. PMID: 35191038 Clinical Thyroidology February 2023. Francis GL. Macro–Thyrotropin and Other Disorders in the Differential Diagnosis of Congenital Hypothyroidism. Clinical Thyroidology 2023 Feb; 132(11) 142–146. Published Online:11 April 2023.
  2. Francis, G. L. (2023). Macro–Thyrotropin and Other Disorders in the Differential Diagnosis of Congenital Hypothyroidism. Clinical Thyroidology, 35(4), 142-146.
  3. Francis, G. L. (2023). Thyroid Function Abnormalities in Childhood Cancer Survivors. Clinical Thyroidology, 35(6), 224-228.
  4. Catherine E. Kerr, MD1; Jorge Velez, MD2; Jay Ferrell, MD3; Mio Kitano, MD4; Dr. Wouter Koek, PhD5; Patricia Dahia, MD, PhD6; and Gary Francis, MD, PhD1. Thyroid Nodules of Indeterminate Cytology in Hispanic/Latinx Patients. Head and Neck, 2022 Aug;44(8):1842-1848. PMID: 35583054.
  5. Luisa Rodriguez, MD, MS1, Catherine Dinauer, MD2, Gary Francis, MD, PhD3. Treatment of Hypothyroidism in Infants, Children and Adolescents. Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, VOLUME 33, ISSUE 7, P522-532, JULY 01, 2022.
  6. Francis, GL. Review of: Bardugo A, Derazne E, Zucker I, Bendor C, Puris G, Lutski M, Pinhas-Hamiel O, Cukierman-Yaffe T, MosenzonO\ O, Schechter M, Tzur D, Afek A, Tirosh A, Gerstein H, Raz I, and Twig G 2021. Adolescent Thyroid Disorders and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes in Young Adult. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 106:e3426-e3435 Adolescent Thyroid Disease and Risk for Adult Type 2 Diabetes. Clinical Thyroidology 34 (1) 6-9, 2022.
  7. Francis GL. Screening for Neonatal Hyperthyroidism. A review of: Banigé M, Kariyawasam D, Gauthereau V, Luton D, Polak M 2022 Neonatal Screening for Hyperthyroidism Proof of Concept. J Clin Endocrinol Metab Mar 24;107(4):e1374-e1381. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgab890. Clinical Thyroidology 34:282-285, 2022.
  8. Francis GL. Maternal Thyroid Autoimmunity Affects the Emotional and Behavioral Development of the Offspring. A Review of: Teng Y, Li P, Yang M, Han Y, Yan S, Xu Y, Tao F, Huang K 2022 Sex-specific effect of thyroid peroxidase antibody and thyroglobulin antibody exposure during pregnancy on preschoolers’ emotional and behavioral development: A birth cohort study. Thyroid 32:1229–1242. PMID: 35920111. Clinical Thyroidology 34(12):521-525, 2022.
  9. Francis GL. Trends in Lobectomy for Pediatric Thyroid Cancer. A review of: Eli Stein BS, Mehul V. Raval MD, MS, Inbal Hazkani MD, Audra Reiter MD, MPH, Jami L. Josefson MD, Jill H. Samis MD, and Jeffrey C. Rastatter MD, MS. The 2015 American Thyroid Association guidelines and trends in hemithyroidectomy utilization for pediatric thyroid cancer. Head & Neck. 2022;44:1833–1841. Clinical Thyroidology 34(8) 347-350, 2022.
  10. Francis, GL. The Future of Molecular Profiling for the Treatment of Pediatric Thyroid Cancer. Review of: NTRK and RET fusion–directed therapy in pediatric thyroid cancer yields a tumor response and radioiodine uptake. J Clin Invest. 131(18):e144847  https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI144847. Clinical Thyroidology, 34(4)2022:157-160.
  11. Francis GL. Trends in Pediatric and Adult Iodine Status in the United States. Review of: Zhang K, Cheng J, Yu J, Chen Y, Shi X, Zhu C, Lu Y, Wang N, Han B 2022. Trends in iodine status among U.S. children and adults: A cross-sectional analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2001–2004 to 2017–2020. Thyroid 32:962–971. PMID: 35822552. Clinical Thyroidology 34(11) 2022  .
  12. Francis, GL. What's the Likelihood of Post-Lobectomy Hypothyroidism in Children? Clinical Thyroidology 34(3) 100-102, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1089/ct.2022;34.100-102.
Call 210-358-7551 to request an appointment with this doctor.

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