UT Health East Texas EMS expands coverage to Panola County
Carthage (June 23, 2023) — UT Health East Texas EMS will expand services to cover Panola County starting June 28.
The Panola County Commissioners Court unanimously approved the contract Tuesday, meaning UT Health EMS will now provide ground ambulance and helicopter service to six East Texas counties covering more than 4,600 square miles.
“With more than 50 ambulances, three active helicopters and one helicopter in reserve that are strategically located across the region, our emergency teams are equipped to provide rapid access to care across East Texas,” said UT Health East Texas EMS CEO John Smith. “We are thrilled to extend our reach to Panola County and honored to start serving the residents of Panola County with the high quality care we are known for throughout East Texas.”
Three state-of-the art ground ambulances will be dedicated to Panola County, and the EMS office located at 1724 Ballpark Road will receive an upgrade.
UT EMS will honor the previous EMS provider’s memberships until they expire, at which time those residents will be able to sign up with a UT Health EMS membership at the discounted renewal price. Current city of Carthage residents who have been paying their EMS membership as part of their city water bill will need to go to the UT Health EMS membership website and sign up to continue coverage. That website address is https://uthealtheasttexas.com/ems.
UT Health EMS is the only ground transport service in the region accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS). In addition, UT Health East Texas AIR 1 is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS). These accreditations mean UT Health EMS and AIR 1 has met or exceeded industry standards for quality, patient care and safety. Also, the UT Health East Texas EMS Dispatch Center is one of only nine centers in Texas to be recognized as an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.
About UT Health East Texas
UT Health East Texas provides care to thousands of patients each year through an extensive regional network that includes 10 hospitals, more than 50 clinics, the Olympic Plaza Tower, 13 regional rehabilitation facilities, two freestanding emergency centers, regional home health services covering 41 counties, an EMS fleet of more than 50 ambulances and four helicopters, and a comprehensive seven-trauma center care network, including the region’s only Level 1 trauma facility.
As a partner with The University of Texas System, UT Health East Texas is uniquely positioned to provide patients with access to leading-edge research and clinical therapies while training and educating the next generation of physicians and other health professionals. The nationally recognized UT System also includes The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, as well as three other major university medical centers located throughout the state.