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Health providers offer services to community
Helping Hands
by Shannon Crabtree
El Campo's health care professionals pride themselves on their ability to care for patient needs - after all, those being treated aren't numbers, they're neighbors.
And it's that hometown approach to health care which has kept citizen support of local medical facilities strong.
"The doctors here care about giving good medical help to patients," said Carolyn Goelzer, wife of retired El Campo Memorial Hospital Chief of Staff Dr. Ronald Goelzer. "One of the benefits of being in El Campo is having a caring medical staff. And I hear nothing but good reports on the nursing staff and how they care for you if you are in the hospital."
Dr. Goelzer practiced medicine in the city from 1974 to 2003 and still serves as the medical director for the El Campo EMS Department. His wife Carolyn worked in his office and volunteered extensively with the hospital for decades.
El Campo Memorial opened its doors in 1979 after the city's first hospital was forced by federal regulations to close. It was only outpouring of public support which allowed the facility to be built.
"We have worked real hard to get this hospital up and running from the very beginning," Mrs. Goelzer said. "We're very proud of what the hospital has grown into and hope they will continue to build on the foundation given to them and offer good care in this town."
The hospital is licensed for 49 beds. Patient care is in the hands of 11 doctors on active medical staff and dozens of consulting physicians.
More than 50 nurses rotate through clinics and make rounds around the clock.
In addition to the standard X-ray and blood work labs, the hospital also offers a sleep lab where disorders ranging from sleep apnea to excessively loud snoring can be diagnosed and treated.
A new kidney dialysis unit is scheduled to open in August of 2008, ECMH Administrator Steve Gularte said.
With a population of 11,000 inside the city limits, El Campo has, in addition to the hospital, two major medical clinics and a host of others who help ensure the health of the city and surrounding area.
The two major medical clinics in town - Mid Coast Medical Clinic located beside ECMH and South Texas Medical Clinic located on North Mechanic Street - handle hundreds of patients each week caring for everything from a minor cold to recovery efforts from major illnesses or injury. A smaller clinic is operated by Dr. Laurie Hulsman.
The city boasts five practicing dentists and two orthodontists. El Campo Eye Center, with its connection to the Berkeley Eye Center in Houston, is able to take care of most optometric procedures.
El Campo also has two dermatologists with offices in town, along with other health care practitioners.
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