Closed emergency room forces trauma patient to need helicopter transport

Closed hospital emergency rooms across rural Texas

A critically injured patient was rushed to a recently closed rural emergency room in Hunt County, highlighting local fears about limited access to 24/7 care after the hospital system shut down two facilities to cut costs.

QUINLAN, Texas - First responders in Hunt County, just northeast of Dallas, recently had to call for a medical helicopter after a patient with a traumatic injury showed up to an emergency room that had closed its doors at the end of September.

The hospital system says getting rid of two freestanding emergency rooms would save millions. 

Trauma Patient Rushed to Closed Quinlan ER

What we know:

The Quinlan emergency room has been scraped of its sign. It was shut down two weeks ago and an incident last night highlighted the importance of access to emergency healthcare in this rural community.

On Monday evening, a person rushed to Hunt Regional Quinlan Emergency Room for a traumatic injury. The problem was the emergency room was permanently shut down two weeks ago.

According to the South Hunt County Fire Rescue, the patient was able to contact an EMS unit in the ambulance bay, who called it on the radio.

Crews dispatched a medical helicopter to the closed Quinlan ER’s helicopter pad and transported the patient to a trauma center in the metroplex because of the extent of the patient's injuries. 

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Emergency Room Closures Save Millions

What they're saying:

Quinlan ER isn’t the only emergency room to be closed. ER Services in Commerce were also discontinued because last month the board of directors for Hunt Regional Medical Center decided to shut them both down, to save $15 million a year on costs.

Its board cites increasing supply and labor costs, a growing number of uninsured patients, and declining payments from insurance companies and government payers.

But people in these rural communities are now left without an emergency room and concerned, especially after hearing about Monday’s incident.  

Residents Fear Loss of 24/7 Rural Healthcare Access

Local perspective:

People came up to where the Quinlan ER used to be. While they didn’t want to talk on camera, they did tell FOX 4 that they were surprised and worried about what this would mean for their safety.

One man worried that by the time they’re able to drive somewhere else, they could die on the way. 

Another woman said that Quinlan emergency room was the only place near her that was open 24/7. 

Texas Rural Healthcare Crisis

Big picture view:

It’s not just emergency rooms, whole hospitals in rural communities across the state are feeling the pinch.

According to a watchdog group, 76 rural hospitals in Texas are at risk of closing.

That’s for reasons ranging from shrinking populations and declining reimbursement levels to increasing operating costs.