The Emergency Room entrance at W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital in Lockney (FCR Photo)
LOCKNEY, TX — W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital will implement a new Emergency Department (E.D.) process beginning April 14, 2025.
Once the nurse evaluates the patient, the physician will perform a medical screening exam (MSE) to ensure the emergency department’s resources are readily available for true emergencies. If the physician determines that the patient’s condition is not an Emergency Medical Condition, options will be provided for further care outside of the Emergency Department, or the patient will have the option to pay a $250 deposit or the required insurance co-pay to continue treatment.
This process will comply with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), established in 1986.
A press release states, “Every patient will receive a medical screening exam regardless of ability to pay. We will attempt to assist the patient with scheduling appointments at our walk-in clinic or with their primary care provider, which would be a more appropriate place of care for their current medical issue.”
W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital operates a 25-bed critical access hospital and is the only Emergency Department within Floyd County. In addition, WJM provides rural health services through clinics in Lockney and Silverton.
