Emergency center will employ 12
ETMC Rusk will re-open doors for emergency services Feb. 1
BY TERRIE GONZALEZ

With lights flashing and sirens blaring, ambulances will soon be able to stop in Rusk when transporting patients to the hospital.

Beginning Feb. 1, ETMC will re-open its emergency center and offer services 24 hours per day. With the announcement of the new services will be the addition of approximately 12 new jobs, from clerks and lab technicians to nurses and physicians.

The emergency center, which will also offer services to ambulatory patients, will be staffed in 12-hour shifts consisting of one physician, one registered nurse and a licensed vocational nurse, along with additional support staff.

The news was embraced by Rusk's first responders, who frequently arrive at accident scenes before ambulances, secure the site and administer initial first aid.

"We're terribly excited about this for a number of reasons," said Jack White, Rusk fire chief. "Any time we can shorten the distance that a patient travels before receiving emergency help, it's a blessing."

Since 2005, ambulances in the Rusk area have transported patients to nearby ER facilities, usually in Jacksonville or Tyler.

"We're also excited for economic development reasons. The town is growing and with the improvements at the railroad, we are glad the city can offer medical coverage," Mr. White said.

ETMC calls Rusk's ER "a significant upgrade to its services," with access to a physician 24 hours a day year-round. In addition to traditional X-rays and CAT scans, ETMC will be able to offer virtual X-rays, which are digital images that can be transmitted to specialists and turned around in under 30 minutes.

Currently ETMC offers extended clinic hours through Express Care, frequently staffed by a physician's assistant. In the past, many patients who received initial treatment in Rusk were referred to ETMC Jacksonville for more intensive ER services.

"I think it is a wonderful thing that the emergency facilities are re-opening, not only for citizens but for future economic development. Medical facilities are a key component in economic development, and we are fortunate to have a partner like ETMC," said Rusk City Manager Mike Murray.

DeLeigh Jones Haley, RN, MSO regional director for ETMC agrees. "ETMC has made several internal operational changes which have made it feasible for us to offer this enhanced service."

When ETMC recently spoke with Rusk's first responders, they decided to utilize the helipad located in the ETMC Rusk parking lot only if a patient is already inside the facility and needs transport.

If a person is being driven by ambulance and needs to be air-lifted to a major medical facility in Tyler, the group agreed to utilize the helipad located in front of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.

"While the helipad at ETMC Rusk is convenient, it is not as easy to secure because of its proximity to U.S. 69 and the fact that it's in a parking lot," said Mr. White. He indicated that Rusk's first responders endorse the new policy on helicopter usage at the sheriff's office.

"Patients who are experiencing an emergent healthcare situation will now be able to receive stabilization- such as defibrillation or resuscitation - by an emergency center physician. If a higher level of care is needed, patients can be transferred to ETMC Jacksonville or ETMC Tyler," said Ms. Haley. "Patients with less emergent needs, such as wound stitching or setting a broken bone will also benefit by seeking care at the emergency center."

Fee structures for emergency center care have not yet been established. Officials plan to meet later this week and set them.

When ETMC Rusk opened its new facility in the spring 2004, the 24,000-square-foot facility included a full emergency center, complemented by a physician's clinic and Olympic Center. Citing cost factors, ETMC closed the emergency center a little more than a year later and instituted Express Care with extended hours daily and on weekends. Mrs. Haley said that in addition to supervising the emergency center, she will also oversee the physician's clinic in Rusk. Other clinics in her territory include ETMC Physician Clinics in Bullard, Jacksonville, Whitehouse and Carthage. ETMC Rusk is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 69 north and FM 2972.