The 44,000-sf hospital, specializing in spine procedures, has six operating rooms two procedure rooms and 30 patient beds. Its target market stretches into the south Texas region and northeastern Mexico. The medical office building will house physicians and services that spin off from the hospital.

National Surgical Hospitals, based in Chicago, owns and operates the hospital. Its partners in the San Antonio project are about 20 local physicians. National also has hospitals in Logan, UT, El Paso, TX and Durham, NC. Hospitals are under construction located in Mesa, AZ and Coeur d'Alene, ID.

The Spine Hospital continues a trend toward specialization at San Antonio hospitals. MedCath Corp., based in Charlotte, NC, is building the Heart Hospital of San Antonio in the Balcones Heights area. The health-care business, including treatment and research, is San Antonio's biggest industry with economic impact of $7.5 billion.