SAN ANTONIO – A recent robbery at an urgent care center, which serves the community in more ways than just medical care, is bringing the South Side together.
Ray Altamirano, the owner of Til Midnight Urgent Care, told KSAT his facility has been broken into twice in just five months.
“People broke glass, and they stole some of the artwork in this lobby,” Altamirano said.
The artwork in the lobby of Til Midnight Urgent Care is something many of the patients at his other urgent care location unknowingly rely on.
“I run another practice for people who don’t have insurance called 'Casa Salud,‘” Altamirano said.
So, Altamirano has QR codes placed on the walls of the Til Midnight location. The QR codes allow people to purchase any of the artwork they’re interested in.
“People who cannot pay my visit, some of the art that I sell, I help fund that for them,” Altamirano said. “So, anytime any of the prints sell on my walls, that’s where the money goes. Treat people as people before you treat them as patients.”
Altamirano said his two practices are just a few options for South Side San Antonians when they’re sick.
“Last May, Southwest Hospital, Texas Vista, is what it was called, closed down,” Altamirano said. “It was here for over 40 years. The neighboring hospital is Mission Trails which is a great hospital, and it serves a lot of people, however, it’s always full. Patients tell me it’s a six to eight-hour wait at times to get in.”
Altamirano’s Til Midnight facility is also in the minority of urgent care locations that are open until midnight for working families.
Some other paintings are still on the walls of Til Midnight Urgent Care, and the glass has been fixed up as of mid-December. Altamirano said he won’t let setbacks keep him from bringing medical care to his South Side neighbors.
“I feel like we’re going to overcome this by the support of the community,” Altamirano said. “I’m one of their own, and I’m loyal to the South Side, and I know they’ll be loyal back.”
