If you were to face a life–threatening emergency, you want and need someone calm and capable by your side. Dr. Richard Reyna, President and CEO of the Health Texas Medical Group, is such a person. Dr. Reyna, who has been practicing Internal Medicine for 20 years, founded the group in the 1990s in response to a growing demand for excellent all–encompassing health care.
After Dr. Reyna graduated from Stanford he chose internal medicine over any other specialty. “I looked at surgery as an option, but realized, for me, it was too tedious, and that I didn’t like it.” He was fascinated by internal medicine and believed it would challenge him in ways that other medical disciplines would not. He sees it almost as a puzzle, and each patient is an enigma. “I have to examinea patient and see what is different from the previous patient I might have examined. It’s almost like being a detective,” this quietly–spoken doctor says. “I have to ferret out problems, and ask just the right questionsto get a correct diagnosis. My day is never boring. And even within the larger field of internal medicine we have specialties.”
Although Reyna’s average patient is 70 years old, he gets to know whole generations of families. “The child or the grandchild is bringing in the aged parent, and once they see how their family member is treated, and how well we look after them, they want to come in and see us too. As a result we do have patients of all ages in the office.” Dr. Reyna’s eyes light up when he is asked about the oldest patient he has ever treated. “She was a feisty woman and was 107 years old when she passed away four or five years ago. She was in excellent health almost up until her last days,” says Dr. Reyna. He sees it as a privilege to take care of his patients to the very end.
In order to help the greatest number of patients, Dr. Reyna and his partners have a team of experts who work with patients on weight, nutrition and stress management. “These resources are available for all our patients in San Antonio,” explains Dr. Reyna with quiet pride. “However, we also recognize the need for a spiritual program. I cannot over–estimate the power of medical healing and see it [the spiritual program] as an important part of any patient’s healing process.” The practice also offers classes, training and counseling for diabetic patients.
The doctors at Health Texas are held to high, and extremely rigorous standards. “To my knowledge, we are the only practice in the USA who can claim that over 80% of our doctors have been recognized by 'Best Doctors in America’. Less than 5% of doctors throughout the USA are conferred with that honor, so to have so many in our practice certainly speaks well of how seriously we take ourselves on a professional level,” explains Jeff Hunsaker, the Director of Marketing for Health Texas.
“Another thing that sets us apart,” continues Dr. Reyna, “is that when a doctor joins our practice he or she is here for the long haul. We have a very low turnover rate, and the average tenure of a doctor is 12 years.” Hunsaker attributes this success to the rigorous interview and screening process each staff member undergoes before they are brought into the practice. “We do an intensive CV (curriculum vitae) review, multiple interviews, and even shadowing a physician in clinic, as well as the usual reference and background check.” Not only that, when someone applies for a position, their spouse/partner is included in part of the interview. “We want to know that the spouse or partner is completely on board with any decision made,” says Hunsaker. It is a foregone conclusion that any doctor who is hired by Health Texas is board–certified in their area of specialty. “It is imperative to us that our doctors are simply the best,” Dr. Reyna expounds.
To keep on top of the daily aspects of the business, Dr. Reyna holds meetings every Wednesday morning. “Our doctors are expected to attend these meetings,” he says. “It is a mixture of business and case presentations. It is amazing to see one doctor explain that they are having trouble with a patient, and hear someone else come up with a solution. We emphasize that no single one of us has all the answers, and to be open to other people’s input.”
To keep the doctors on their toes, the medical group also performs quarterly reviews. “We look at the medical records, which is a great incentive to document everything,” laughs Dr.Reyna. “We ask patients to fill out satisfaction surveys and then our peers and Associates also fill out surveys. We’re not trying to nit pick, and be negative, but to constantly improve our standards, because at the end of the day we have to answer to our patients.”
The practice has spent a great deal of time and money streamlining processes, including their Electronic Medical Records (EMR). “Today we can send prescriptions electronically and even ensure patients’ refills are sent electronically.” Not only is this a time–saver, and nifty, it is extremely practical as well. It cuts down on errors and also allows doctors to cross–reference prescriptions. “It has been worth every penny that we have invested so far,” says Dr. Reyna.
Today Dr. Reyna divides his time between running the medical group and seeing patients. But, he is not all business, and when he is home, is able to put medicine behind him and enjoy family time with his wife and two sons. Surprisingly, this mild–looking doctor is a Harley–Davidson fanatic and owns a couple of the famous motorcycles. “It is a hobby that I picked up in college. I tooled around Europe on a motorcycle and fell in love with the feeling of freedom,” he admits. He picked that hobby up again a few years ago. “My wife jokes that I look like a flea on a horse because I am so short, but I honestly don’t care. Riding my bike gives me a sense of release.”
It was through a fellow biker that Dr. Reyna formed a charity. He grows very serious for a moment as the story unfolds. “I was talking to this biker about health issues and he began to cry. I was completely taken aback! Here is this big guy, dressed in black leather, weeping like a baby. He told me of an incident that had happened to him. He had been working on his motorcycle when a neighbor came across his lawn crying and yelling. My friend looked up and asked what was wrong. Apparently a little three–year old girl named Harper had fallen into that family pool and was dragged unresponsive and unconscious. This person was trying to find someone who knew CPR. My friend didn’t, but wanted to do something to help. He ran over to the house, but it was too late. The sad thing, he told me, is that there were several adults there because the family was hosting a birthday party, but no one knew CPR.” Dr. Reyna describes how his own heart grew heavy as he watched this tough biker weep as he recalled the incident.
He decided to make it his mission to make sure he never heard a story like that one again. He founded “Harper’s Embrace Lifesaver Program” which offers free courses taught by CPR-certified volunteers in a hands on, small classroom environment. H.E.L.P. also offers a “Friends & Family” course to anyone 12 years of age or older and a “How Can I Help” emergency medical crisis management course to children from 6 to 11 years of age. So far over 2,000 students have taken the class, and the class has documented that 10 lives have been saved as a result of students who have taken the course. “That is worth it to me,” Dr. Reyna says. “I was just the catalyst to get this started,” he says, all too humbly.
Dr. Reyna has much to be proud of. He is one of four brothers, and all four of them attended Stanford University undergraduate and medical school, the only family in Stanford’s history to achieve that. The four brothers are all medical doctors and in fact one of them is on staff at Health Texas.
Health Texas Medical Group is one of a kind in San Antonio and is truly unique in the nation, because of its professionalism, expertise and passion to help patients. With its 10 clinic locations, the practice is able to help people from all over the city, regardless of where they live. “We see patients from the deep south side, all the way to the North–East,” explains Hunsaker, “And also patients from the west side to the far north side.” Considering their reach throughout the city, it’s no surprise that Health Texas has gained such renown. With professional staff dedicated to their patients and to their profession, it is clear that Health Texas Medical Group will be providing quality care to their patients for years to come.
