“People want quality healthcare, whether they live in a larger community or a smaller one,” says Elmer G. Ellis. Ellis is the president and CEO of East Texas Medical Center. “We try to creatively provide this healthcare for people who have chosen to live in the area we serve. We want to provide a high quality of service at a cost that allows people to have access to it.”

That simple philosophy fuels East Texas Medical Center (ETMC), one of the largest and most important organizations in all of Tyler. ETMC employs over 8,000 East Texans in its many hospitals and clinics. These facilities are spread throughout eighteen different counties. Among these are more than a dozen hospitals including:

Of course, the flagship hospital is in Tyler across from the other medical giant, Trinity Mother Frances Hospital. East Texas Medical Center Tyler is a modern, 420 bed facility that offers general and surgical care for adults and children all over East Texas. Among ETMC’s many services are an excellent maternity unit, hospice services, cardiac treatment, cancer services, and psychiatric care. Here are some of the largest, most important departments in the Medical Center:

Emergency Services

The ETMC Tyler hospital is equipped to handle pretty much anything. ETMC Tyler is considered a Level 1 Trauma Care center. What that means is that the emergency room is equipped with excellent modern technologies and a formidable, capable staff.

ETMC has other emergency services around East Texas, but the Tyler hub is the only Level 1 trauma care center. Thankfully, the health system is well equipped to transport patients when needed with a full ambulance system and four different helicopters.

Obstetrics

If you’re having a baby, ETMC Tyler is well known for its Obstetrics services. The Tyler hospital is equipped with a beautiful state of the art birthing center. The ETMC philosophy is to have one room where everything happens. They call this the LDRP concept (Labor, Delivery, Recovery, Postpartum). Rather than moving mother and baby to various rooms, the rooms at the birthing center are large, versitile and lovely. These rooms are each equipped with full bathrooms including bath and shower.

Are you outside of Tyler? No problem! In the ETMC health systems, Athens, Crockett, Carthage and Jacksonville all offer obstetric services. Each location can help you welcome your new family member in a safe and caring environment.

ETMC Cancer Institute

You might have heard recently that ETMC purchased a facility in Athens called the Athens Cancer Center. This news makes perfect sense for those who are familiar with ETMC’s services in the region. The ETMC Cancer Institute is an active wing, offering some of the most comprehensive treatment and modern technologies available. Specifically, the ETMC Cancer Institute boasts the region’s first CyberKinfe Stereoactric Radiosurgery System, an incredibly accurate treatment for tumors that would usually be termed as inoperable.

In addition, the Tyler ETMC Cancer Institute utilizes a wide variety of services from routine mammography to surgical oncology. Other services include Radiation treatments, IMRT, Brachytherapy, etc. The acquisition of the Athens Cancer Center is a significant event, because it marks the first time that some of these specialized treatments have been available in east Texas outside of Tyler. ETMC officials insist that there will be no change in services to cancer patients who came routinely to the Athens Cancer Center.

ETMC Cardiovascular Institute

ETMC Tyler offers many advanced services and treatments for heart care. The Cardiovascular Institute opened in 1993. Their services are comprehensive. Their high tech CT units can serve as a wonderful early detection system for heart related illnesses, and their surgical team can handle many different procedures, should surgery be needed. Also, ambulances in the ETMC system are equipped with new technology that helps them to quickly figure out the type of heart attack a person has just had, thus saving precious minutes when they are needed most.

ETMC Behavioral Health Center

The ETMC Behavioral Health Center in Tyler exists to help people heal. Whether a patient is suffering from a mental illness, or just from emotional baggage, the Behavioral Health Center can help. The doctors here help patients fight through all kinds of issues, from substance abuse and addiction issues, to depression, to bi-polar disorders. The Behavioral Health Center applies a wide assortment of treatment options, from group therapy to activity therapy to 12 step programs. And yes, if you are looking at treatment, it is covered by Medicaid, Medicaid, and many other insurance options.

ETMC Fitness

In accordance with ETMC’s philosophy of overall health, the Medical Center offers its own Fitness Center in Tyler. It is equipped with pools, tracks, and a variety of equipment that you would find in leading gyms and exercise centers around the country. The ETMC Fitness centers offer personalized training in a flexible environment for adults all over the region.

As you can see, East Texas Medical Center has much to offer. If you are looking for a hospital in Tyler Texas, ETMC can probably handle whatever you need and then some.