Emergency Department

The only 24/7 Emergency Room in Freestone County

Located in Fairfield, Texas (a little over an hour or so west of Waco) in the heart of Freestone County.

FMC has a nine-bed Level IV trauma center, which is another way of saying that we provide the same services as an emergency room at most other non-urban hospitals. No matter what your emergency—from major trauma, stroke, a cardiac event, or any other medical emergency, our entire staff has been rigorously trained and certified to take care of you or your loved ones.

We Are Always

Here to Help

ER director

Peggy Hughes, RN

Hands-On Care, Lower Patient-to-Provider Ratios

Because we are a hometown facility, we provide more personal care than those crowded urban emergency rooms at larger hospitals. Our staff gives you that hands-on feel of nursing care that everyone talks about “way back when”. It allows our physicians to have more time to be at the patient’s bedside. The goal of our team is to stabilize patients as quickly and completely as possible. After stabilization, patients can be admitted right here at home or transferred for specialty care.

With our high-touch approach to emergency room care, we’re able to be more attentive to the people we’re attending, making sure both their medical and personal needs are addressed in a comprehensive manner.  

We deliver around-the-clock care right when you need it most. Our board-certified (or board-eligible) physicians are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The ER also maintains full laboratory and radiology services at all times.

Our emergency nurses are  Trauma Nursing Core Curriculum Certified (TNCC) with such qualifications as Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support certifications.

Over 92% of patients treated in FMC’s ER are either released to home or admitted right here in our local hospital. If the need for specialty care arises or you need to be transferred for a higher level of care, area medical transport services are readily available to assist with your transfer.  

Stop the Bleed!

Emergencies have a way of showing up when you least expect it. We bring our hands-on training to your facility and show you what to do in case of a bleeding trauma. Learn tourniquet techniques, how to apply pressure to wounds, and what to do in case of accidents or disasters. Call 903-389-1621 to schedule a course today!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

We have all the major laboratory and radiology testing available 24/7 except MRI and ultrasound. Our MRI testing is available on Mondays only, and we’re able to provide ultrasound imaging on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Until you see a doctor, it’s very difficult to assess whether or not your situation requires immediate medical intervention. However, these are the symptoms that typically signify a medical emergency:

Severe headache, abdominal pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, a persistent high fever, unmanageable diarrhea or vomiting, blood in the stool or urine, a deep cut or a severe burn, head trauma from a fall or accident, numbness/loss of body function, blurred vision.

Also consider if you’ve been exposed to toxic substances (ingesting or inhaling), exposed to smoke inhalation, appear to be having a serious allergic reaction, or have potentially broken a bone.

We follow the most current CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID. Our staff practices safe social distancing when possible, and we are masked at all times. We also change our protective gear as recommended and sterilize patient areas and equipment after each use.

If you are able to read your blood pressure at home and it spikes over 180/120, it is definitely time to consider making a trip to the ER. If you are diabetic and your blood sugar levels drop below 70 mg/dl and you can’t seem to manage it, you may need to contact your doctor. If you’re registering as severely hyperglicemic (high blood sugar) and you’re unable to balance it with your medication, likewise, check with your physician to determine if it’s time to pay us a visit.

Remember that children can’t necessarily advocate for themselves and could have a hard time expressing the full range of their symptoms to you. If your child has had a persistent fever for several days, is lethargic or unresponsive, has severe abdominal or cranial pain, has been vomiting or has had diarrhea for more than 48 hours, those could warrant emergency care. Also, if you’re concerned that your child has suffered a head trauma, injured a bone, or has suffered any type of ingestion of chemicals or poison or been bitten by an animal, it may be time to bring them to the ER.