The Texas Association of Freestanding Emergency Centers (TAFEC) has launched a familiarization tour campaign to educate communities across the state. A familiarization tour is a visit inside an operational freestanding emergency center (FEC) to highlight the services provided at these facilities. The FEC industry is expanding rapidly across the state and our goal is to raise awareness about what freestanding emergency centers are, and how they can benefit the communities in which they operate.

Because the industry is so new, there exists confusion and misconceptions about freestanding emergency centers with the general public – most notably the way they differ from other emergency care options. We are focusing our efforts to educate communities across the state of Texas so citizens have a better understanding of the quality of care provided at FEC facilities and feel empowered to make the best decision regarding their emergency care.

TAFEC welcomes the opportunity to show local citizens, elected officials, and business and community leaders around one of our FECs to provide a firsthand look at how our facilities operate and the ways they serve their communities. Our very first tour was held in Amarillo at ER Now. Dr. Troutman gave a presentation about the FEC industry, and then guided a tour of the facility for attendees. We were thankful to have Mayor Paul Harpole, city council members, representatives from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and more come out for the event, which was a huge success!

TAFEC is thrilled to begin this campaign and engage with new areas in Texas. Stay tuned for more updates and information on the familiarization tours, as we will likely be coming to a city near you soon!