Texarkana gets new emergency care center
Texarkana Emergency Center has opened its doors and will remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
At 4646 Cowhorn Creek, Texarkana, Texas, TEC aims to provide patient-focused care with convenience.
“We’ve got everything that a hospital-based emergency department has, but how we’re going to set ourselves apart is decreasing the wait time and increasing patient satisfaction,” said Dr. Matt Young, medical director/owner.
Texarkana Emergency Center has a total of 14 treatment rooms including two triage rooms. The decor of the lobby and treatment rooms has a homey feel typically not seen in emergency rooms.
Local artists’ work hangs on the walls, and an eclectic, decorative light fixture designed by a local artist hangs in the foyer.
One of the treatment rooms is designed and decorated especially for pediatric patients, with Peanuts characters painted on the wall. Each room has a private television with Netflix and Hulu.
“We’re trying to put the patient in a soothing, home-like environment to decrease their stress during what for many of them is one of the most critical times in their lives,” Young said. “If the patient … and the family members feel relaxed, it’s going to equate to better care, because they’re going to be more comfortable with the caregivers around them. … The idea again is to decrease their anxiety and help relieve their pain or illness with the … friendly, courteous, professional caregivers.”
A few of the conveniences provided at Texarkana Emergency Center include an in-house pharmacy, snacks and drinks and 24-hour security for the safety of patients and employees.
“If one of your family members is hurting or suffering, you may be here a little while as they’re getting worked up, and not everybody plans for an emergency,” Young said about the provided conveniences. “We provide the same medications and care, but it’s more convenient and more patient-focused care … and definitely more expeditious.”
Young said the goal is for patients to be seen within minutes of their arrival.
“Most patients will be seen by the physician within 10 minutes. Then they’re going to be in a room within minutes of that,” he said.
The center will work with local hospitals for patients who need to be transferred.
“We will see any type of injury or illness,” Young said. “If it’s above our capabilities, we’ll transfer patients in the most rapid means possible to definitive care. Our slogan is ‘Real ER without the wait.’”
There is a time limit on how long a patient can be at the center.
“We can observe patients for 23 hours. Once you get over 24 hours, it becomes an inpatient, and that’s a hospital-based patient. We do have agreements with both the local hospitals; if the patient requires admission beyond our capabilities or beyond the 23 hours, we will transfer the patient to a bed at the hospital of their choice once a provider deems it necessary,” Young said. “Ninety percent of
what we see, we’re going to be able to treat and send home and get them back to work, play or school, but there’s 5 to 10 percent that may need to be admitted, so we have the ability to transfer them by ambulance.”
The center will have about 40 employees.
A variety of insurance will be accepted by Texarkana Emergency Center, but not Medicaid or Medicare.
“Because of a law called the Prudent Lay Person law, if an individual feels they have an emergency, they’re entitled to a medical evaluation, so for emergencies, insurance companies will usually pay for that evaluation and treatment. With that said, we’re going to work with insurance companies to take what is considered in-network rates.
“We are licensed by the Texas Department of Health, so since that’s not a federal license, it is unfortunate at this time we’re not able to participate in Medicare or Medicaid,” Young said.
Texarkana is the place where many people seek medical care, and it’s also the reason Young saw a need for a free-standing emergency department in this community.
“The local draw for the medical community is large, and many times, hospital-based emergency departments get backlogged, which translates to long wait times for the patients,” he said.
Texarkana Emergency Center has digital X-ray, ultrasound and CT, a full clinical lab and more.