Dallas Business Journal
By Bill Hethcock
April 27, 2012
First Choice Emergency Room has a new CEO and is launching a more than $100 million growth plan that includes six new facilities across Texas as well as the company’s first out-of-state project by the end of the year.
The Flower Mound-based freestanding emergency room company’s growth push is being backed by private equity firm Sterling Partners, which has taken a majority stake in First Choice. Chicago-based Sterling put about $59 million of equity into the business, said Dan Hosler, a Sterling principal and a North Texas native.
On April 16, First Choice announced the appointment of Thomas S. Hall as CEO. Rick Covert, First Choice’s prior CEO and founder, will continue to be active in day-to-day operations and remain on the company’s board of directors.
Hall joins First Choice from NovaMed Inc., where he had served as chairman, president and CEO since 2005. At NovaMed, Hall transformed the company from a single-specialty surgery center operator into one with multiple specialties.
Covert co-founded First Choice in 2002 in Flower Mound with Dr. Jack Novak, an emergency room physician. Under Covert and Novak’s leadership, the company has grown to 13 locations in Texas: four in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, eight in the Houston area and one in Austin. The company has about 400 employees, including about 80 at the headquarters in Flower Mound.
By the end of the year, First Choice plans to add two locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, two in the Houston area and two in or near Austin, Hall said. He declined to provide specific locations.
First Choice typically leases its ER clinics and looks for hard corners in high-traffic areas, Hall said.
Concept in its infancy
The company’s larger goal is to have 80 to 100 facilities in several states within five years, he said. Each one will employ about 25 people, including board-certified emergency department physicians, nurses, radiology technicians, ultrasound technicians, front-office workers and others, he said.
“The whole concept of freestanding emergency rooms is going to be a very large part of the health care industry going forward,” Hall said. “It’s just in its infancy today. This is an opportunity to be part of actually growing and molding and developing this part of the industry.”
Freestanding emergency rooms are open 24 hours a day and have the same medical personnel and diagnostic equipment available at hospital-based emergency rooms.
Wait times at First Choice facilities are typically less than five minutes, compared with hours in many hospital ERs, Hall said. Patients are typically in and out in less than an hour even if they need X-rays, CT scans or other tests, he said.
The state started licensing freestanding emergency rooms June 1, 2010, said Christine Mann, a spokeswoman for Texas Department of State Health Services. There were 16 freestanding emergency medical care facilities licensed as of Sept. 1, 2010, and there are 41 licensed facilities now, she said.
The state started licensing the facilities so patients needing emergency care would know what type of care is available from the centers, Hosler said. Freestanding emergency rooms offer more services and are open more hours than after-hours clinics and urgent-care clinics, and they can handle more serious cases, he said.
The number of freestanding ERs is on the rise because they provide faster care and a more comfortable experience for patients, said Dr. Toby Hamilton, CEO of Emerus Hospital Partners, which is based in The Woodlands and has freestanding ERs in McKinney and Aubrey.
In addition to the $59 million in equity, Chicago-based Sterling has reserved $50 million to $60 million more to fund First Choice’s growth, Hosler said.
Sterling likes the patient-centric focus at First Choice and the fact that it’s part of the trend of extending acute care outside the hospital to places where people live and work, he said. The private equity firm focuses on founder-owned or founder-operated businesses, he said.
“We were able to lay out a vision for a business that could be much larger, treat more patients and grow outside the state of Texas,” Hosler said. “The consumer demand around being able to access emergency care outside the hospital is strong.”
Additional Executive Leadership Support Coming with Three Seasoned Board Member Appointments
Plano, TX – April 16, 2012 – First Choice Emergency Room (“First Choice”), the largest freestanding emergency room network in Texas and a leading company in its industry, today announced the appointment of Thomas Hall as chief executive officer. First Choice’s founder, Rick Covert, will continue to be active in day-to-day operations and will remain on the Company’s board of directors. Additionally, Stephen Farber, Ron Taylor and Jeff Vender have been appointed as new First Choice board members.
Mr. Covert co-founded First Choice in 2002 in Flower Mound, Texas. Under his leadership the company has grown to 13 locations throughout the state and has emerged as one of the best operators in the marketplace.
Mr. Hall joins First Choice from NovaMed, Inc. where he had served as chairman, president and chief executive officer since 2005. During his tenure at NovaMed, Mr. Hall tripled EBITDA and transformed the company from a single specialty surgery center operator into a multi-specialty surgery center operator.
“After an extensive search to find my successor with valuable guidance from Sterling Partners, we feel confident that Tom is the right step forward for First Choice,” said Mr. Covert. “He has experience in scaling a business in a multi-unit healthcare construct across multiple states while preserving company culture. On behalf of everyone at First Choice, we are thrilled to have Tom on board.”
“First Choice has a legacy of providing patients with an efficient alternative to conventional hospital-based emergency services while delivering the highest standard of care with superior customer service,” said Mr. Hall. “I am excited for the opportunity to work with Rick and other incredibly talented entrepreneurs serving on our board to ensure that our customers will receive the high quality of service they deserve from First Choice.”
Among the new leadership is Stephen Farber, joining First Choice’s Board of Directors as Audit Chair. He is currently the chairman of the board for Connance, Inc., a healthcare solutions provider that he co-founded in 2007. Also appointed to the board are Ron Taylor, co-founder, retired chief executive officer and current senior advisor and board director for DeVry Inc. and Jeff Vender, renowned healthcare industry consultant and chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology and director of Critical Care Services at NorthShore University HealthSystem.
“Sterling has worked very closely with existing management to identify Tom Hall; he is the ideal candidate to lead the company to its next generation of growth,” said Danny Rosenberg, Managing Director at Sterling Partners, the Chicago-based private equity firm that made its initial investment in First Choice in September 2011. “Tom is well-positioned to lead with guidance from Rick, Stephen, Ron and Jeff, each who bring a wealth of talent and operational expertise to First Choice and its board.”
About First Choice Emergency Room
First Choice Emergency Room is revolutionizing the delivery of emergency medical services for adult and pediatric emergencies, both major and minor. First Choice Emergency Room facilities are innovative, freestanding, fully equipped emergency rooms. All physicians are board-certified emergency physicians, and all FCER nurses are emergency trained. With eight locations in the Houston area, four in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and one in the Austin area, patients receive high-quality treatment without delay as commonly experienced in hospital ERs.
Stay up to date on First Choice Emergency Room on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.
For more information, locations and hours, visit http://www.FCER.com or call toll-free 866-99-FIRST (34778).
“We’re excited to extend the hours of the Murphy location,” said Rick Covert, chief executive officer of First Choice Emergency Room. “It reflects our mission to bring state-of-the-art emergency rooms to our communities and deliver world-class customer service and medical care that exceeds expectations 24/7.”
There are thirteen freestanding ERs across Texas in the First Choice Emergency Room network. The first of these opened nearly a decade ago, but the concept of a freestanding ER is still quite new. For patients seeking a fully equipped, freestanding ER, First Choice Emergency Room is a great choice.
First Choice Emergency Room provides Murphy residents with a better emergency room experience. Our freestanding ERs are staffed with a team of experienced ER doctors, nurses and radiologists dedicated to working together and using state-of-the-art equipment–digital x-rays, ultra-sounds and CT scanners—to quickly diagnose medical issues so they can focus their attention on treating patients with the personalized care they deserve.
Thanks to the extended hours of service, patients can now receive the medical care they need and the service they deserve, day or night. The address of the Murphy, Texas, ER: 211 E FM 544, Suite 401, Murphy, TX 75094. Contact the facility at (972) 826-4400.
ABOUT FIRST CHOICE EMERGENCY ROOM:
First Choice Emergency Room is revolutionizing the delivery of emergency medical services for adult and pediatric emergencies, both major and minor. First Choice Emergency Room facilities are innovative, freestanding, fully equipped emergency rooms. All physicians are board-certified emergency physicians, and all FCER nurses are emergency trained. With eight locations in the Houston area, four in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and one in the Austin area, patients receive high-quality treatment without delay as commonly experienced in hospital ERs.
For more information, locations and hours, visit http://www.FCER.com or call toll-free 866-99-FIRST (34778).
League City, TX (PRWEB) February 23, 2012
First Choice Emergency Room, the largest freestanding emergency room network in Texas, is pleased to announce that its South Shore
"We’re thrilled to be extending the hours of this freestanding emergency room. It reflects the need of the community for our state-of-the-art emergency rooms which enable us to deliver world-class customer service and medical care...24/7."
Harbour location in League City is extending its hours of service. The ER, which is known for delivering no-wait patient service, will now be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
“We’re thrilled to be extending the hours of this freestanding emergency room,” said Rick Covert, chief executive officer of First Choice Emergency Room. “It reflects the need of the community for our state-of-the-art emergency rooms which enable us to deliver world-class customer service and medical care that exceeds our customer’s expectations, 24/7.”
There are twelve freestanding emergency rooms across Texas in the First Choice network. The first of these opened nearly a decade ago, but the concept of a freestanding emergency room is still quite new. However, for patients seeking a fully equipped, freestanding ER with more advanced medical diagnostic equipment than neighborhood urgent care centers, First Choice Emergency Room should be their first choice.
Everything one might expect from a hospital emergency room can be found in a First Choice Emergency Room, except for the wait. Digital x-rays, CT scanners, board-certified doctors, and extensively trained nurses are all found at each First Choice freestanding emergency room facility.
Thanks to the extended hours of service, patients can now receive the medical care they need, and the personal attention they deserve day or night. The address of the South Shore Harbour ER is 3033 Marina Bay Drive, Ste 100, League City, TX 77573. Contact the facility at (281) 549-9400 or visit: http://www.fcer.com/locations/houston-map/south-shore-harbour/
ABOUT FIRST CHOICE EMERGENCY ROOM:
First Choice Emergency Room is revolutionizing the delivery of emergency medical services for adult and pediatric emergencies, both major and minor. First Choice Emergency Room facilities are innovative, freestanding, fully equipped emergency rooms. All physicians are board-certified emergency physicians, and all FCER nurses are emergency trained. With seven locations in the Houston area, four in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and one in the Austin area, patients receive high-quality treatment without delay as commonly experienced in hospital ERs.
For more information, locations and hours, visit http://www.FCER.com or call toll-free 866-99-FIRST (34778).
First Choice Emergency Room, the leading operator of freestanding emergency rooms in the state of Texas, today announced the opening of its newest location in the Greater Houston area.
Opening on Friday, February 24, the new 24-hour emergency room is located in Kingwood, just west of Woodland Hills on Northpark Drive.
“We’re really proud to be opening our eighth location in Houston,” said Rick Covert, CEO of First Choice Emergency Room. “Houston continues to grow and we are growing with it.”
The company also operates ERs in Humble, Spring, Cypress, The Woodlands, Pearland, League City and on Louetta Road in Houston, as well as four locations in Dallas and one in Georgetown.
Founded in 2002, First Choice Emergency Room is at the forefront of a fast-growing segment of the healthcare industry: freestanding neighborhood emergency rooms.
First Choice Emergency Room offers a standard of care equal to that found in traditional ERs, but without the crowds and long wait times. All of the company’s ERs feature sophisticated diagnostic equipment and on-site laboratories.
“Our staff is trained in the highest level of emergency care,” Covert said. “All of the company’s physicians are board-certified emergency physicians, and all of the nurses are trained in emergency care. It’s the high level of medical care you should expect, but with one important difference from a traditional ER – at First Choice Emergency Room we provide the personal attention we believe patients deserve.”
First Choice Emergency Room operates the largest network of freestanding ERs in the state of Texas. The company has been named to Inc. Magazine’s list of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States for the past two years and to DFW’s Top 100 Privately Held Business’ for the past six years.
The new Kingwood facility’s address is: 2158 Northpark Drive, Kingwood, TX 77339. For more information, visit the Kingwood page at http://www.fcer.com/locations/houston-map/kingwood/
About First Choice Emergency Room:
First Choice Emergency Room is revolutionizing the delivery of emergency medical services for adult and pediatric emergencies, both major and minor. First Choice Emergency Room facilities are innovative, freestanding, fully equipped emergency rooms. All physicians are board-certified emergency physicians, and all FCER nurses are emergency trained. With seven locations in the Houston area, four in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and one in the Austin area, patients receive high-quality treatment without delay as commonly experienced in hospital ERs.
For more information, locations and hours, visit http://www.FCER.com or call toll-free 866-99-FIRST (34778)
Our Flower Mound location is now open 24 hours – daily! We are very excited to be able to offer 24 hour service to our family in Flower Mound. This was our very first emergency room to open way back in 2002!! Have you or your family members been seen at this location?
New ER from First Choice Emergency Room will operate 24/7, 365 days a year.
Houston, TX (PRWEB) December 06, 2011 – First Choice Emergency Room, the leading operator of freestanding emergency rooms in the state of Texas, today announced the opening of its newest location in the greater Houston area.
Opening on Friday, December 16, the new 24-hour emergency room is located in Cypress, Texas, at the southeast corner of Barker Cypress and Tuckerton Road.
The location serves residents of Cypress and northwest Houston, including the neighborhoods of Copperfield and Barker Cypress.
“We’re thrilled to be opening this facility,” said Rick Covert, Chief Executive Officer of First Choice Emergency Room. “It really does reflect a further evolution in the state of the art in emergency rooms and in focus on world class customer service while providing medical care that exceeds expectations.”
First Choice Emergency Room offers a level of emergency care equal to that seen in hospital ERs, but without the wait times. Patients are seen within minutes of arrival and are examined with advanced diagnostic equipment, such as CT scanners and digital X-rays. First Choice Emergency Room’s staff is also fully trained to provide the highest level of emergency care. All of the company’s physicians are board-certified, emergency medicine physicians, and all of its nurses are trained in emergency care.
“Our goal is to take the ER out of the hospital and put it closer to your home,” Covert said. “That means you get real emergency care, quicker, when it can make the most difference in outcomes.”
The facility’s address is 9740 Barker Cypress Rd., Suite 108, Cypress, TX. For more information, visit the Barker Cypress ER page at http://www.fcer.com/locations/houston-map/barker-cypress/.
For more information, locations and hours, visit http://www.FCER.com or call toll-free 866-99-FIRST (34778).
About First Choice Emergency Room
First Choice Emergency Room is revolutionizing the delivery of emergency medical services for adult and pediatric emergencies, both major and minor. First Choice Emergency Room facilities are innovative, freestanding, fully equipped emergency rooms. All physicians are board certified, emergency physicians, and all FCER nurses are emergency trained. With seven locations in the Houston area, four in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and one in the Austin area, patients receive high-quality treatment without delay as commonly experienced in hospital ER’s.
Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) November 18, 2011
First Choice Emergency Room, the leading provider of freestanding emergency rooms with 12 Texas locations, announced that it is receiving a significant investment from Sterling Partners, a private equity firm with $5 billion in assets under management and a track record for growing innovative healthcare companies.
The partnership with Sterling validates First Choice’s pioneering business model – a unique approach to emergency medicine that takes the ER out of the hospital, cuts down on patient wait times, and puts high-quality treatment closer to neighborhoods. First Choice’s facilities are equipped to serve major and minor emergency needs for both adult and pediatric patients. First Choice has already achieved rapid success competing against traditional hospital emergency rooms, and Sterling’s investment will spur the next stage of First Choice’s growth.
“We are extremely excited about our new partnership with First Choice,” said Danny Rosenberg, a Managing Director at Sterling Partners. “We see boundless potential for the business and have been impressed with the quality of the management team and organization. Our focus is on investing in healthcare businesses that matter to patients, provide the highest quality care and service, and address inherent challenges in our current system. First Choice fits that bill.”
Rick Covert, CEO of First Choice Emergency Rooms, added: “We believe Sterling is the right partner for First Choice, as we share common objectives. They are truly differentiated in the private equity community and will be integral in delivering on our continued commitment to improving access to top-notch emergency medical care in your neighborhood while improving the ER service environment.”
First Choice Emergency Room, founded in North Texas in 2002, was recently named to the 2010 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the United States, marking the second year in a row they have been included in that prestigious list. The company was also recognized as one of the top 100 fastest-growing privately-held companies in the Dallas area by the Southern Methodist University Cox Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship in each of the past six years.
About Sterling Partners
Sterling Partners is a private equity firm with a distinct point of view on how to build great companies. They’ve been around since 1983 and have invested billions of dollars, but that’s not what really defines their business. Sterling’s purpose is INSPIRED GROWTH®, which describes a differentiated approach to buying inspired businesses and growing them in inspired ways. Sterling invests growth capital in small and mid-market businesses in industries with positive, long-term trends – such as healthcare, education and business services. Through offices in Chicago, Baltimore, and Miami, they provide valuable support to portfolio company management teams through a deep and dedicated team of operations and functional experts. Sterling believes in an unrelenting commitment to ideas and ideals, to people and partnerships that drive long-term success. Visit http://www.sterlingpartners.com or reach out to a team member to learn more.
About First Choice Emergency Room
First Choice Emergency Room is revolutionizing the delivery of emergency medical services for adult and pediatric emergencies, both major and minor. First Choice Emergency Room facilities are innovative, freestanding, fully equipped emergency rooms. All physicians are board certified, emergency physicians, and all FCER nurses are emergency trained. With seven locations in the Houston area, four in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and one in the Austin area, patients receive high-quality treatment without the delays commonly experienced in hospital ERs.
For more information, visit http://www.FCER.com or call toll-free 866-99-FIRST (34778).
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Fever, the First Choice ER Dog is leading the pack to stamp out hunger in our community this holiday season. Fever and First Choice Emergency Room want to ensure everyone has a hot meal for the holidays. First Choice Emergency Room will be taking donations of canned and non perishable items at each one of the seven First Choice locations in the Houston area beginning November 21st, 2011 from 10am to 10pm. Donations can be made at the Atascocita and Woodlands site 24/7. All donations will be collected on December 22nd for distribution to the Houston Food Bank.
Fever says that all canned goods are welcome, as well as dried pastas, beans, grains, and boxed items. Please do not donate items that are expired or perishable.
Fever the ER Dog and First Choice ER would like everyone to have a wonderful holiday!
First Choice ER is working with the Plano Christmas Cops this year and are accepting donations through December 9th at our Plano location (Park & Preston) between 10am and 10pm, 7 days/week.
The items being requested are non-perishable food items, toys, and jackets. This will benefit families in need in the Plano area.
Please email Kristyn.Eldridge@FCER.com with any questions.
Christmas Cops is a program operated by Plano Police employees to assist Plano families in need during the Christmas Season. Collection boxes are placed at numerous local businesses, fire stations, libraries, and city facilities to collect toys, food, new coats, and miscellaneous household items. Shortly before Christmas, our Officers and Santa’s Helpers make deliveries to these families.
An estimated 24% of children in Texas have experienced food insecurity at some point in the past year. Thousands of our friends and neighbors need our help. The First Choice Team has set a goal to collect at least 500 cans of food to support the Tarrant Area Food Bank. You can help too! Stop by our Flower Mound or North Ft. Worth locations between now and November 22nd and help us meet our goal of 500 cans of food!
Contact Kristyn.Eldridge@fcer.com if you have any questions.
Click Here to Download Details on the Grub Run 2011»
The Woodlands, TX, November 01, 2011 /PRWEB/ - First Choice Emergency Room, Texas’ largest network of freestanding, no-wait emergency rooms, has announced that its location in The Woodlands will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The new hours take effect on Friday, November 11, 2011.
This is the third First Choice ER location to move to 24 hour service, and the second facility in the Houston area to do so.
“We’re excited to extend our hours,” says Jason Worley, COO for First Choice Emergency Room. “The Woodlands has been a great location for us.”
First Choice ER operates twelve free-standing emergency rooms in cities across Texas. While First Choice ER opened its first location over eight years ago, free-standing emergency rooms are still a relatively new concept in medical care.
These facilities can provide an equivalent level of care to that seen in most hospital emergency rooms, but without the overcrowding and long wait times. At the same time, they offer a higher level of care than neighborhood urgent care centers.
All First Choice Emergency Rooms feature advanced diagnostic equipment such as CT scanners and digital X-rays. All of First Choice Emergency Room’s physicians are board certified in emergency medicine, and all of the company’s nurses are trained in emergency care.
“Each of our locations also performs on-site laboratory tests,” says Worley, “Which means we can do blood work and other lab tests right away.”
With its new extended hours, residents of The Woodlands can get this care anytime, day or night.
The Woodlands emergency room is located at 10333 Kuykendahl, Suite B, The Woodlands, TX 77382. Contact the facility at (832) 381-1999 or view a YouTube facility tour.
About First Choice Emergency Room
First Choice ER facilities are freestanding, fully equipped emergency rooms. All physicians are board certified in emergency medicine, and all FCER nurses are emergency trained. First Choice ER offers an innovative concept in the delivery of emergency medical services for adult and pediatric emergencies, both major and minor. With seven locations in the Houston area, four in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and one in the Austin area, patients receive high-quality treatment with minimal wait times.
For more information, locations and hours, visit http://www.FCER.com or call toll-free 866-99-FIRST (34778).
Contact: Kristyn Eldridge
P: 972-899-6642
F: 972-899-6665
Email: Kristyn.Eldridge@FCER.com
Fever the ER Dog is on tour and will be at the Chick fil A near our Flower Mound ER location on Thursday, October 27th from 5:30-7:30pm. Join First Choice Emergency Room for some free food, t-shirts and face painting for the kids, and a chance to win an iPad or gift card. This is the fifth event on Fever’s tour of Texas! We hope to see you and your family there.
When: Thursday, October 27th from 5:30-7:30pm
Where: Chick fil A-2001 Long Prairie Rd., Flower Mound, TX 75022
Fever the ER Dog is on tour and will at the Chick fil A next to our Murphy ER location this Thursday, October 20th from 5:30-7:30pm. Join First Choice Emergency Room for some free food, t-shirts and face painting for the kids, and a chance to win an iPad or gift card. This is the fourth event on Fever’s tour of Texas! We hope to see you and your family there.
When: Thursday, October 20th from 5:30-7:30pm
Where: Chick fil A-117 E FM 544, Murphy, TX 75094
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Grand Prize
TWO Apple iPads! One for you, and one for your child.
2nd Prize
Runner up videos will receive a FCER First Aid bag and two $100 gift card (one for parent and one for child)
3rd Prize
Third prize is a FCER First Aid bag and two $50 gift card (one for parent and one for child).
Contest Instructions
Who says tasty Halloween treats have to be so bad, they frighten your doctor!?
At First Choice ER, we strive to keep you healthy all year long and not just when you’re having an emergency. That’s why we’re sponsoring our first annual Healthy Halloween Recipe contest. That’s right, this is a chance for you and your kids to get creative, and concoct a favorite spooky treat that not only looks and tastes great, but will make your child’s doctor smile too! So pull out your cauldron, round up Fall’s freshest ingredients, and watch your creation collect ooo’s and aaah’s from all of your Facebook friends and family.
Need more incentive to enter? If your video recipe gets the most votes, you’ll win an iPad for you AND second one for your child! Let’s get cooking!
Entering is Easy….
Submit a short video (under 3 minutes) of you and/or your child preparing a healthy Halloween recipe by Sunday, Oct 23, 2011 at midnight CDT. Please include exact cooking instructions in text, along with your submission form. After your video is reviewed and approved by FCER staff, it will be added to our contest. On Monday, October 24, 2011 voting begins. That’s when you get to show off your recipe to all you Facebook friends and family, and encourage them to vote for their favorite. The recipe submission with most votes wins an iPad for you and your child. We will also have several gift certificates for the runner ups.
Prize Eligibility
Only persons who are at least 18 years of age can enter.
Contest Starts
October 14, 2011 @ 05:00 am (CDT)
Contest Ends
October 23, 2011 @ 11:00 pm (CDT)
Click Here to Enter the Contest!
Need more Details?
About First Choice Emergency Room
First Choice Emergency Room represents an entirely new concept in the delivery of emergency medical services.
First Choice Emergency Room is a free-standing, fully equipped emergency room. Our physicians are board certified in emergency medicine and our nurses are emergency trained.
We are prepared to manage all adult and pediatric major and minor emergencies.
Dallas, TX , October 4, 2011 /PRWeb/ — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) has added First Choice ER to its Texas-wide provider networks. As of October 1, 2011, members covered by BlueChoice®, HMO Blue® Texas and traditional indemnity benefit plans will be able to access Texas’ largest network of free-standing emergency rooms on an in-network basis.
“We think this is great news,” says Rick Covert, CEO of First Choice ER. “Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, so this change will positively affect a lot of people.”
First Choice ER has always accepted Blue Cross and Blue Shield members, however, as a participating provider in the BCBSTX network, the processing of medical claims will be streamlined, and there will be lower out-of-pocket costs for BCBSTX members who use health care delivered through First Choice ER.
“It means simpler billing and less stress for members,” Covert says.
First Choice ER operates twelve free-standing emergency rooms in cities acrossTexas. While First Choice ER opened its first location over eight years ago, free-standing emergency rooms are still a relatively new concept in medical care. These facilities can provide an equivalent level of care to that seen in most hospital emergency rooms, but without the overcrowding and long wait times.
“All of our physicians are board-certified in emergency medicine, and all of our nurses are emergency trained,” says Covert. The company’s facilities feature advanced diagnostic equipment beyond that which is available in a doctor’s office or urgent care center, including digital x-rays, CT scanners, and onsite laboratory services.
About First Choice ER
First Choice ER offers a new concept in the delivery of emergency medical services, operating freestanding, fully equipped emergency rooms in residential neighborhoods across the state of Texas. With seven locations in the Houston area, four in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and one in the Austin area, patients receive high-quality treatment with minimal wait times.
For more information, locations and hours, visit http://www.FCER.com or call toll-free 866-99-FIRST (34778).
Contact: Kristyn Eldridge
P: 972-899-6642
F: 972-899-6665
Email: Kristyn.Eldridge@FCER.com
Fever the ER Dog is on tour and will be down the street from First Choice ER – Louetta at Chick fil A on Thursday, October 6th from 5:30-7:30pm. Join First Choice Emergency Room for some free food, t-shirts and face painting for the kids, and a chance to win an iPad or gift card. This is the third event on Fever’s tour of Texas! We hope to see you and your family there.
When: Thursday, October 6th from 5:30-7:30pm
Where: Chick fil A-21622 State Highway 249, Houston, TX 77070
Fever the ER Dog is on tour and will be in The Woodlands, Texas at Chick fil A on Wednesday, October 5th from 5:30-7:30pm. Join First Choice Emergency Room for some free food, t-shirts and face painting for the kids, and a chance to win an iPad or gift card. This is the second event on Fever’s tour of Texas! We hope to see you and your family there.
When: Wednesday, October 5th from 5:30-7:30pm
Where: Chick fil A-Alden Bridge, 8020 Research Forest Dr., The Woodlands, TX 77382
Fever the ER Dog will be making his debut in Georgetown, Texas at Chick fil A on Monday, September 26th from 5:30-7:30pm. Join First Choice Emergency Room for some free food, t-shirts and face painting for the kids, and a chance to win an iPad or gift card. This event will kick off Fever’s tour of Texas! We hope to see you and your family there.
When: Monday, September 26th from 5:30-7:30pm
Where: Chick fil A-Wolf Ranch Town Center, 1031 W. University Ave., Georgetown, TX 78628
Join First Choice Emergency Room for our ‘Special Needs Night’ at Bouncin Bears in Spring, Texas on September 20th from 5p-8p. We will be introducing Fever, the First Choice ER mascot! Entry will be free and we’ll have free t-shirts for the kiddos. We’ll have some goodies for parents as well. This event is meant to provide a fun and safe environment for families with special needs children.
When: Tuesday, September 20th from 5p-8p
Where: Bouncin Bears, 6526 FM 2920, Spring, TX 77379
First Choice ER will hold a public party at the Vic Coppinger Family YMCA. The event is Wednesday, August 31 from 4:30 – 7:30 pm and features food, games and prizes.
The first 100 children and adults will receive a complimentary Chick-fil-A dinner. Children will also get a free T-shirt, while adults will be entered to win one of four iPads or one of ten $100 gift cards.
For entertainment, First Choice ER is sponsoring Road Gamers, a gaming truck with Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 video games, a kids face painting contest and hula-hoop contest. Chick-fil-A will also debut their new oatmeal product with an interactive Oatmeal Station and the Cow, while H-E-B provides cookies for all.
Adults can “Get Fit With First Choice” at the blood pressure station and receive a YMCA voucher to waive joining fees.
Where: Vic Coppinger Family YMCA-2700 YMCA Drive, Pearland, 77581
When: Wednesday, August 31st from 4:30-7:30pm
Join First Choice ER at Chick fil A of Lake Houston on Tuesday, August 30th from 5:30-7:30 pm for some family fun and a chance to win one of four iPads or one of ten $100 gift cards. The first 100 kids will get a free t-shirt and eat for free. The first 100 adults will also eat for free. There will be a facepainting contest with some great prizes so bring the whole family out for some Tuesday night fun. We look forward to seeing you there!
Where: Chick fil A of Lake Houston-19220 West Lake Houston Pkwy., Humble, TX 77346
When: Tuesday, August 30th, 2011 from 5:30-7:30 pm
Join First Choice ER at Chick fil A at Hwy 6 and West Road on Thursday, August 18th from 5:30-7:30 pm for some family fun and a chance to win one of four iPads or one of ten $100 gift cards. The first 100 kids will get a free t-shirt and eat for free. The first 100 adults will also eat for free. There will be a facepainting contest with some great prizes so bring the whole family out for some Thursday night fun. We look forward to seeing you there!
Where: Chick-fil-A @ 8440 Highway 6 N, Houston, TX 77095
When: Thursday, August 18th, 2011 from 5:30-7:30 pm
HOUSTON, TX – (August 3, 2011) — First Choice Emergency Room recently donated 120 infrared thermometers to local elementary, middle and high schools in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin and Houston areas. The Exergen TemporalScanners were delivered to various school nurses near First Choice’s 12 full-service emergency room locations during National Nurses Week in May.
Through ongoing visits to the school nurses, First Choice ER learned of their need for thermometers to take students’ temperatures in a quick, accurate and efficient manner. “We use Exergen TemporalScanners in our emergency rooms and wanted the local school nurses to have access to these thermometers as well. We knew they were unable to purchase the scanners due to budget constraints, but felt the schools would benefit from having the new thermometers,” said Rick Covert, CEO for First Choice Emergency Room. Representatives of the company worked with Exergen Corporation to provide the nurses with professional models of the patented infrared thermometers.
Many of the school nurses said the thermometer would help with special needs students who may not be able to sit still for long periods of time to have their temperature taken. A local Flower Mound, Texas school nurse noted “I can’t believe it. My old thermometer was taped together and I’ve been in desperate need of a new one. Thank you First Choice!”
Exergen Corporation founder and CEO Francesco Pompei, Ph.D. said, “We are pleased that First Choice Emergency Room donated the TemporalScanners to their local schools. School nurses play an essential role in the health of the nation’s children. It is important to equip them with a gentle, noninvasive and accurate method of thermometry. We hope this donation will help the local school nurses detect illnesses like the flu earlier and keep students healthy and in the classroom.”
About First Choice Emergency Room
First Choice ER facilities are freestanding, fully equipped emergency rooms. All physicians are board certified in emergency medicine, and all nurses are emergency trained. They offer an innovative concept in the delivery of emergency medical services for adult and pediatric emergencies, both major and minor. With seven locations in the Houston area, four in Dallas/Ft Worth and one in Georgetown, patients receive high-quality treatment with minimal wait times.
For more information, locations and hours, visit www.FCER.com or call 866-99-FIRST (34778)
Join First Choice ER at Chick fil A at Alliance Town Center on Thursday, August 18th from 5:30-7:30 pm for some family fun and a chance to win one of four iPads or one of ten $100 gift cards. The first 100 kids will get a free t-shirt and eat for free. The first 100 adults will also eat for free. There will be a facepainting contest with some great prizes so bring the whole family out for some Thursday night fun. We look forward to seeing you there!
Where: Chick fil A-Alliance Town Center-2870 Heritage Trace Pkwy., Ft. Worth, TX 76177
When: Thursday, August 18th, 2011 from 5:30-7:30 pm
Important Health Info and more.
“I would like to thank all of you for the wonderful care I was given when I visited your Woodland’s facility a week or so ago. The atmosphere, care, and knowledge was phenomenal! I have two small children and my ten year old son is always needing stitches or x-rays, so I will definitely return to your facility for my entire family’s needs. Thank you again, you all have a wonderful staff and facility.”
-Leslie
The Woodlands, TX
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