State Rep. Cole Hefner gives a speech Monday during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Christus' new emergency clinic in Lindale. 

A new round-the-clock emergency care clinic on Monday opened its doors to the Lindale community.

The Christus Emergency Care Center, adjacent to Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health Park in Lindale, is the largest freestanding emergency facility in the region at nearly 13,000 square feet and serves as a full-scale emergency department, according to Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System.

Just before it officially opened its doors to patients, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the clinic, which drew hospital system and other health care officials, government leaders and religious representatives. During the ceremony, there was a prayer and blessing for the new facility.

Construction of the more-than $7 million project began 18 months ago, according to Jason Proctor, president of Mother Frances Hospital. The clinic has 16 exam rooms with two trauma rooms, four intake rooms, a full-service imaging center with advanced imaging capability and a laboratory for access to test results.

The medical staff at the new facility will consist of “board-certified” physicians and nurses specialized in emergency medicine alongside other health care providers who specialize in cardiac, orthopedic, sleep, podiatry and oncology care, according to a statement from Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System.

The clinic will accept ambulance traffic so patients can request the facility as their preferred destination and care center when taken by emergency vehicle. Work is also being done to get the clinic its registration with the Federal Aviation Administration to become a landing zone for patients who need to be airlifted.

Proctor said access to high quality health care, especially emergency care, is important in northern Smith County and surrounding areas so patients can be treated quickly. He said the clinic will aim to treat patients locally, eliminating the need to drive further or be moved to Tyler for treatment.

“This facility is based on an innovative forward-thinking concept on a national scale,” Proctor said. “Innovation is important, but the bottom line is that we can examine and treat patients efficiently and effectively in a medical emergency when minutes or even seconds matter the most.”

The new clinic extends the work Christus has been doing at other sites, according to Dr. Brian Allgaier, Lindale ECC emergency medicine director. He said the clinic is a “game changer” for the Lindale community as it gives residents the ability to access all the emergency resources Christus Health has to offer.

Allgaier also said he is “very eager” to start seeing patients, as this is a project he has been waiting impatiently for the last two years.

“Our daily work is focused on raising the standard of emergency care in East Texas, and opening this emergency care center in Lindale is another step toward that end,” Allgaier said. “This facility means we can better serve our community.”

The opening of the new emergency care center will also bring new job opportunities. Proctor said the clinic will be looking forward to adding over 30 new employees.

The clinic will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the week at 3202 S. Main Street in Lindale.