Doctor and senior couple wearing facemasks

Services

Culberson Hospital is classified as a special acute care hospital, licensed by the State of Texas and certified by Medicare as a “Critical Access” hospital. 

The hospital is licensed for 14 inpatient acute beds, all of which may be used as “swing beds” or skilled nursing beds under Critical Access regulations. The hospital provides critical emergency and ambulance services for Culberson County residents and visitors. In addition, area residents can obtain a wide range of inpatient and outpatient health care services at the hospital, minimizing the need to travel long distances for health care. This is particularly important for older patients and their families who find travel to other communities very difficult.

Hospital Services

Emergency Department provides Level IV trauma services to the residents of not only Culberson County, but to individuals from other parts of Texas and the United States who travel through the area on I-10. Based on patient origin data, emergency department patients live in over 300 different zip codes. The emergency department facilities were constructed in 2010 and include two major treatment rooms and three minor treatment rooms, including a room for sexual abuse exams, and a dedicated waiting room.

In 2014, Culberson Hospital was given the Outstanding Hospital Award by the Boarder RAC highlighting the quality response in trauma and emergency healthcare that was demonstrated to residents and visitors of Culberson County during a severe snow and ice storm in November 2013. In a 48-hour period, EMS received dozens of calls and the Emergency Department treated over 50 patients. Eleven of those patients were in critical enough condition to require transfer, but due to limited visibility and poor road conditions, ambulance and air travel were restricted so all patient care was provided by the physicians and staff of the hospital.

Emergency Medical Services are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the coverage area for the EMS staff of Culberson Hospital encompasses all 3,812 square miles of Culberson County, including the town of Van Horn, as well as the more remote areas of the county such as the Guadalupe Mountains National Park and various wind turbine sites located in the surrounding mountains. In addition, the Culberson Hospital EMS covers about 120 miles of Interstate 10. The Average Daily Traffic count for Interstate 10 indicates that approximately 13,500 motor vehicles travel through Van Horn daily, resulting in an estimated annual traffic count of 4.9 million motor vehicles. This number does not include the north and south traffic on U.S. Highway 90 and State Highway 54.

The rural hospitals nearest to Culberson are located in Pecos, about 90 miles away, and Fort Stockton, about 120 miles away, while the nearest tertiary hospitals are located in El Paso and Midland/Odessa. Ambulace coverage in this part of West Texas is also very limited, with the nearest services located in Fort Hancock and Fort Stockton, both of which are staffed by volunteers.

Our newly-updated laboratory offers a wide-array of state-of-the-art diagnostic testing. With its new location, equipment and highly-qualified staff, the lab can complete 95 percent of necessary testing onsite, minimizing the wait time for our patients.

Culberson Hospital’s radiology department offers a wide-range of x-ray and radiology services, including bone density testing, CAT scans, Doppler testing echocardiograms, general ultrasounds, as well as chest, head, spine and extremity x-rays, making it possible for our staff to detect even the tiniest abnormality. In addition to our other services, we offer advanced three-dimensional scanning and can have the results interpreted electronically by an off-site radiologist in a timely manner.

CAT Scan (CT)

Our 16-slice scanner uses the latest in technology to compile vital information for our patients’ medical providers. CAT scans use radiation going in a circle around a person. After the information is gathered from the x-rays a computer then puts the image together for viewing. The physics of this technology allows the physician to see the body in slices. This kind of exam takes more radiation but the images allow a better look at things that cannot be seen on regular diagnostic x-rays. The computer allows the operator to manipulate the data in multiple ways so that different body parts can be looked at better by the physician.

Diagnostic (X-rays)

Routine diagnostic exams use radiation aimed at a person with a film, or digital plate, behind them. The image is made by any x-rays making it all the way through the body without hitting anything. The resulting image is stored on film or computer so it can be reviewed by the physician.

Ultrasound (Sonogram)

Ultrasound uses sonic waves on a person like a submarine uses sonar in the ocean. The sonic waves go through the body and bounce back to the hand probe which can then create an image with that information. This technology is the safest to use since there is no radiation. Soft tissues are primarily looked at since the sonic signal travels well in tissues with the most water molecules. Contrast agents and exam preparation are techniques that help enhance the images so that a more sure diagnosis can be obtained.

Helping patients improve their mobility, functional ability and quality of life through examination, evaluation, diagnosis and physical intervention. Physical Therapy services are provided under the direction of a licensed physical therapist who specializes in sports injuries, weekend athlete injuries, workers compensation cases, cardiac rehabilitation, rehabilitation following orthopedic surgery, and rehabilitation following general surgery.

At Culberson Hospital, our nursing staff comprises the heart of our patient care programs. Our compassionate nurses are highly-trained and certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Neonatal Resuscitation and the Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC). Our nurses provide a wide range of care, education and emotional support to our patients and family members. Our nursing staff is comprised of Certified Nurse Assistants (CNA), Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) and Registered Nurses (RN).

Culberson Hospital’s plant maintenance department maintains the hospital’s physical environment and provides related services to support the hospital in reaching its goal of healthcare and public service excellence.

Crane Pharmacy is located inside Culberson Van Horn Rural Health Clinic and brings to Culberson County and its surrounding communities a convenient medical service close to home that had been lacking in the area. The pharmacy is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and is operated by licensed pharmacist. Operation of the telepharmacy is done in real time over the internet and under the direct supervision of the licensed pharmacist who communicates with a trained pharmacy technician located in the pharmacy at the hospital via a computer with internet access. The pharmacy accepts insurance from a number of companies including Medicare, Medicaid and Humana. To contact the pharmacy, call (432) 283-1512.

At Culberson Hospital, we are committed to protecting the confidentiality of our patients’ medical information and comply with all HIPAA regulations.

The Medical Records department is responsible for the retention and maintenance of all medical records. The department also maintains the records regarding advanced directives that patients have placed on file with the facility. The department assists medical practitioners and other facilities should the need arise for a copy of medical records which are vital to continued patient care. In addition, medical records may be requested by patients for legal or personal purposes, as well as the department processing requests from legal entities via subpoenas. The department is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Our housekeeping and dietary department strives to ensure each patient benefits from a clean, safe and inviting clinic or hospital visit. For those who stay at our hospital, our dietary staff ensures each meal is selected according to the patient’s dietary needs while maintaining a high-quality taste.

Culberson Hospital is committed to providing quality healthcare and services to all patients; however, in order for us to do this, we must keep our hospital financially sound. We accept a wide variety of payment methods, including private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid and self-payment. As a courtesy to patients and their families, our business office will submit hospital claims to their insurance company, Medicare or Medicaid on behalf of the patient. To speed up the claims process, it is important that complete and accurate information be given when the patient is admitted to or registered at our hospital.

Continue Your Recovery,
Close to Home

The Swing Bed Program at Culberson Hospital is for Medicare patients discharged from Culberson or any other hospital following an acute illness, injury or surgery, who still need time and physical therapy to heal and strengthen before going home.

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