Frequently Asked Questions Regarding The University of Texas at Austin Medical Center

• What is The University of Texas at Austin Medical Center?

  On Aug. 14, 2023, the UT System announced the launch of The University of Texas at Austin Medical Center, which includes two new, state-of-the art hospitals — a UT hospital, plus a hospital to be built by MD Anderson Cancer Center, the No. 1 cancer center in the nation. The UT Austin Medical Center will combine the best of clinical care, research, education and training to provide the highest quality care for patients and families in Central Texas and beyond.

  The UT Austin Medical Center marks a major, multibillion-dollar investment by the UT System, UT, MD Anderson, philanthropic donors and others to advance UT Austin’s bold plan to lead in health and health care transformation — an important step in realizing its vision to be the world’s highest-impact public research university.

  The unique health care environment that will be found at the UT Austin Medical Center is known as an academic medical center. Access to an academic medical center allows patients to benefit from team-based, multidisciplinary, patient-centered care; cutting-edge discoveries and technology; teams of specialists that can take on the most complex medical cases; and the rich expertise of The University of Texas at Austin.

• What hospitals will be part of The University of Texas at Austin Medical Center?

  Two new, state-of-the-art hospitals will be constructed adjacent to Dell Medical School on the site of the Frank Erwin Center: one will be a UT hospital and the other will be an MD Anderson Cancer Center, the No. 1 cancer center in the nation.

  MD Anderson is a significant addition to a growing network of partners connected to the vibrant University ecosystem and will lead to dynamic interactions and powerful collaborations among clinicians, researchers, educators, innovators, investors and entrepreneurs.

• When will the new UT hospital and the MD Anderson Cancer Center hospital open, and where will they be located?

  The two new hospitals will be built on the site of the Frank Erwin Center, the demolition of which is expected to be completed by October 2024 (as reported May 2023). The opening dates are not yet available.

• How much will this cost, and who is paying for it?

  The launch of The University of Texas at Austin Medical Center marks an ambitious, multi-billion-dollar investment in health and health care for our Central Texas communities and for the State of Texas. Taking shape over the next decade and beyond, this effort will be supported with funds from UT System, UT Austin, MD Anderson, and generous philanthropic donors and future partners, among others.

• What are the benefits of an academic medical center for Central Texas communities?

  By connecting a hospital and outpatient clinics to a university and a medical school, an academic medical center creates a uniquely dynamic environment in which the skills and creativity of the entire range of medical professionals work together to treat, train and discover. That means patients at academic medical centers benefit from the convergence of research breakthroughs, the best and brightest physicians, and the advancements in care they deliver, including for rare and complex conditions. For Central Texas patients who currently choose to travel elsewhere — to Houston, Dallas or beyond — to get specialty care, the UT Austin Medical Center will make it increasingly possible for them to get the care they need right here at home.

  From cutting-edge cancer care to transplant surgeries to the most advanced imaging capabilities, the innovative and collaborative environments inside our nation’s academic medical centers make powerful, life-saving contributions to health and health care that impact us all.

• If I’m a UT Health Austin patient, will this affect my care?

  UT Health Austin patients will continue to receive the highest quality care from their care teams without interruption. During the coming years, an increasing range of services and locations will become available. UT’s growing clinical practice is built on foundational values to which everyone who is a part of UT Health Austin is committed. To learn more about our commitment to Austin patients and families, visit uthealthaustin.org/commitment.

• What impact will these new hospitals have on doctors already practicing in Austin?

  The UT Austin Medical Center will continue work already underway by Dell Med and UT Health Austin to create opportunities for collaboration between the specialty clinicians who practice as part of the University and local community physicians. As part of this interaction, every doctor works together to deliver the very best care possible to every patient.

• What does this mean for Dell Med’s relationship with its current partners such as Ascension Seton and Central Health?

  Dell Medical School’s commitment to fulfilling its contractual obligations with current partners remains steadfast. At the UT Austin Medical Center, we will continue to collaborate with our partners to improve health care access, quality, and outcomes to meet the needs of the communities we serve.

• What is the role of Dell Medical School in The University of Texas at Austin Medical Center?

  As part of the UT Austin Medical Center, Dell Medical School plays a unique and important role. From attracting more than 440 new physicians to Austin to join its faculty; bringing together cutting-edge clinical care, research and education; building community partnerships; integrating and collaborating with other University colleges and schools; building a stellar leadership team to help advance UT’s ambitious vision for health and health care transformation; and much more, Dell Med is integral to the ongoing success of the UT Austin Medical Center.

  Additionally, as Austin emerges as the next major national hub of life sciences innovation, Dell Medical School and its partners will catalyze collaboration, discovery and entrepreneurship by co-locating campus innovators, industry partners, startups and the investment community in the University’s newly constructed Innovation Tower, adjacent to the new medical center and Austin’s downtown.