By Larry Tucker
It started with a small clinic/hospital established by Dr. Ben Merritt more than five decades ago in Quitman, Texas. Today, at the same location, one of East Texas’ finest rural health care facilities, UT Health Quitman, stands as a beacon of hope for local and area residents.
The Quitman campus is one of 10 hospitals in the UT Health East Texas system. The UT Health East Texas system also has 50 physicians, 13 rehabilitation centers, and six olympic centers. Furthermore, the system also has an EMS fleet of 45 ambulances and four helicopters!
As a partner with the University of Texas, UT Health East Texas is positioned to provide patients with access to leading-edge research and clinical therapies, while offering training to educate the next generation of physicians and other health professionals.
The Quitman facility was recently named Modern Healthcare’s “2025 Best Places to Work”. This award program identifies and recognizes outstanding employers in the healthcare field industry nationwide.
Quitman Campus Offerings
Chief Nursing Officer Rob Terry is proud of the hospital. “Not only are we blessed with a beautiful facility and state-of-the art equipment, but also with a team that prides itself in always providing the best and most compassionate care to all who enter our doors,” Terry noted. “For safety and continuity of care, our staff is guided by current evidence-based practices. And our staff is dedicated to hourly rounding to help facilitate patient needs are met every hour.”
The Quitman campus offers a 24-hour emergency department designated as a Level IV Trauma Center with Level III Stroke Support Certification. The hospital has inpatient care with 25 private rooms and electronic telemetry monitoring to maximize patient safety.
The hospital offers advanced radiology and diagnostic imaging along with general inpatient and outpatient surgical services which include gynecological and ear, nose, and throat procedures. You can also get cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and gastrointestinal lab services. Also available at UT Health Quitman are on-site laboratory services, pain management, and orthopedic care. There also is a strong cardiac rehabilitation program with a nurse there to guide patients during the recovery procedures.
The “Swing Bed” program is a transition from an acute hospitalization back to the community at the same level of independence and function they had prior to entering the hospital. The focus is short-term rehabilitation and/or less intensive medical care.
Guy Cayo is the CEO of the Quitman campus. “When you think about what we do here, the one job that we are all responsible for is service. I thank God for the opportunity to be of service, and that allows me to be available for our team and provide the resources they need to help in caring for the community,” Cayo commented. “If the team is taken care of, then they will be ready to serve consumers and the community. Most of our staff lives here in the community, which makes them very much vested in making sure we have a long-term view or vision for the community.”
More on the Swing Bed Program
To qualify for the Swing Bed opportunity, a person must have completed at least a three-day stay as an acute care patient; patients in need of ongoing monitoring and rehabilitative care; patients with Medicare as their primary insurance; and those who are referred by their physician.
Those who can benefit from the swing bed program include recovery from major surgery, joint replacement, and vascular or abdominal procedures; recovery from a major accident or stroke; pain management; wounds not healing or need special care; and palliative care, which is focused on the symptoms, along with pain and stress of a serious illness.
Since patient needs vary, treatment plans are designed to meet individual needs. The average stay is one to two weeks with stays rarely exceeding three weeks.
Former swing bed patient at UT Healthcare Quitman, Terry Cummons appreciated the care he has received in the program. “I have used the swing bed program on two occasions in the past year. The quality of care in this program is excellent. The nurses and medical techs are all very professional,” Cummons remarked. “The staff always made sure I was comfortable and able to do some rehab work.”
The case manager assists the patient in making plans for post-hospital living. If needed, the patient will be directed to services such as home healthcare and outpatient therapy.
For more information about the swing bed program, call 903-763-6219.
Employees Making a Difference
Enrique Quiambao is a certified family nurse practitioner at the clinic on the Quitman campus. “I like to spend time talking with patients, so they have the information necessary to make better healthcare decisions. We have to work together as a team,” Quiambao said. “I wanted the opportunity to form long-lasting relationships with patients and be more involved in clinical decisions.”
Doctors Amanda and Christian Ferrer are married, and both doctors are serving in the clinic at UT Health Quitman. They are family medicine physicians. “My goal is to bring primary care to everyone in need and to offer a shared decision-making system between the physician and patient. I want my patients to take an active role in their healthcare,” Amanda Ferrer advised. “Together, we are able to get them to their healthiest selves.”
Christian Ferrer offers a wide range of services which include women’s care, joint injections, and chronic care for geriatric patients. “I volunteered for a health clinic while in college. I realized then the drastic disparities of care in our medical system,” Ferrer stated. “So I pursued a career in healthcare to try and close the gap of care disparity.”
Joanie Lynch is a medical tech at the hospital. She is the second of 14 children in her family. She quit school at an early age to marry and have four children. Lynch got her high school education and began working toward getting a job in the medical field. She is now pursuing a nursing degree. “I grew up in a large household, and I helped to take care of the family. I love working here because I get to help others every day,” Lynch said. “We have a great staff here in Quitman, and we work together with our patients.”
A Final Note
If you have not experienced the hospital’s fine dining, you need to visit there for a great lunch. The cafeteria is known for the quality of meals they serve to the public and is becoming quite a gathering place at the noon hour.
The cafeteria features a new special each day at very reasonable price. The cafeteria has become a big draw at lunchtime in Quitman. You don’t have to drive to Tyler for a Starbucks coffee, because they also offer Starbucks products at the cafeteria.
They also serve a variety of salads, sandwiches, and entrees from gumbo to chicken-fried steak and a variety of chicken dishes. They also served burgers and other assorted sandwiches.
It is not unusual to find hospital workers enjoying their lunch alongside local citizens and Wood County courthouse employees. The hospital continues to grow, and expansion opportunities are at the forefront. For more information, visit the hospital’s website.