Emergency room at Methodist Hospital Specialty and Transplant

The ER at Methodist Hospital Specialty and Transplant provides expert care for medical emergencies, from broken bones to heart attacks. Our registered nurses and board-certified physicians are specially trained to offer emergency medical services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When you need advanced care for life's emergencies, you can count on our nationally ranked ER to be there for you and your loved ones.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a medical emergency, always call 911 first. If you’re not sure you need to head to the ER, talk to a nurse first. Call (210) 575-0355.

Your safety is our priority

At Methodist Hospital Specialty and Transplant, we are focused on providing our community the care they need in a safe environment. That’s why our team has continuously enhanced safety measures and protocols for patients, visitors, physicians and staff.

Learn more about our safety measures

We provide adult emergency care for many conditions:

  • Accidents
  • Broken bones
  • Burns
  • Cerebrovascular accidents (strokes)
  • Chest pain
  • Cold or flu
  • Concussion
  • Fever
  • Head injuries
  • Heart attacks
  • Poisonings
  • Sexual assault
  • Sprains
  • Stomach pain
  • Trauma

Some illnesses and injuries that are urgent but not life-threatening might be better suited for a visit to an urgent care center instead.

Forensic Nursing Service / SANE Program

The Forensic Nursing Service department is staffed by specially trained nurses called Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners or SANEs. SANEs at Methodist Hospital Specialty and Transplant provide specialized forensic care to patients 13 years old and older. For patients reporting or concerned about sexual assault or abuse in younger patients, care is coordinated with additional community providers.

To speak to our team about Forensic Nursing Services, call (210) 575-1590.

SANE nurses work with emergency department staff and other providers as part of a treatment team to provide comprehensive care for patients reporting sexual assault and abuse, including medical screening examinations during which a patient may be offered treatment related to any concerns. Some of the common concerns for patients reporting a sexual assault or abuse are related to sexually transmitted infections, HIV, pregnancy, injuries, pain and mental health, all of which can be addressed during the medical screening examination.

The medical forensic examination (sometimes call the SANE Exam or Rape Kit) is normally only conducted within 120 hours (5 days) of the reported incident for adult patients, but occasionally a law enforcement agency may request an examination beyond this timeframe. When appropriate, a patient will be offered a medical forensic examination including evidence collection, which may take a few hours and usually includes:

  • When requested or required, assistance with reporting the crime to police
  • Informed Consent for every step of the examination which can be withdrawn at any time
  • Emotional support using a multi-disciplinary team approach
  • Physical examination
  • Photographic documentation
  • Collection of medical-forensic evidence
  • Assistance with safety planning
  • Recommendations for ongoing and follow up care

SANEs are also available to speak to groups and organizations within the community.

Reporting

To ensure the safety of vulnerable populations, the law requires a person to report suspected sexual assault or abuse to law enforcement and/or the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services for the following individuals:

  • A child,
  • An adolescent younger than 18 years old,
  • An elderly person
  • An individual with a disability.

If you are 18 years old or older, you may choose to report the sexual assault to law enforcement. You may ask for a medical forensic exam for a sexual assault even if you choose not to report the assault to law enforcement. However, there are restrictions to examinations in both cases, for questions contact the Forensic Nursing Services Team or your advocate.

Advocacy

Rape crisis centers provide FREE and confidential information, counseling, and support. In Bexar County the local Rape Crisis Center can be contacted at their 24/7 hotline (210) 349-7273 or at their website.

For additional centers:

Costs and payment

There are two bills for a medical forensic exam for sexual assault: one for medical costs and one for forensic costs. Medical costs, such as medications, x-rays, stitches, facility or provider fees, may be your responsibility. Your medical insurance may cover all or part of your medical costs. The Crime Victims’ Compensation (CVC) Program (see below) may make a reimbursement payment to you or on your behalf for the reasonable costs of medical care provided.

CVC may reimburse you for a variety of costs, including medical costs. There are two types of compensation: (1) Crime Victims’ Compensation and (2) Emergency Medical Care Compensation - Sexual Assault Exam. You can apply for either compensation with the same application.

To receive reimbursement for only the emergency medical care costs, you do not need to meet all CVC eligibility requirements.

You must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  1. The crime must occur in Texas to a U.S. resident; or the victim is a Texas resident and the crime occurred in a country that does not offer crime victims’ compensation.
  2. You must apply within three (3) years from the date of the crime unless good cause is shown e.g., age of the victim, mental or physical capacity of the victim, etc.
  3. You are:
    • A victim who received emergency medical care during a sexual assault exam at a hospital after August 31, 2015
    • A person who legally takes on the responsibilities or pays the cost of the eligible emergency medical care
    • Someone authorized to act on behalf of the victim listed above, such as a parent or guardian
  4. You did not give false information to the program.
  5. You were not incarcerated at the time of the crime.

Your advocate can help guide you through this process. Learn more about CVC on the Texas Attorney General's CVC Program Overview webpage.

You are not responsible for paying the forensic costs, such as swabbing for DNA, photographing injuries, or collecting debris. Public agencies are responsible for paying for the forensic part of an exam and for the evidence collection kit with authorization. The health care facility or provider will seek reimbursement for those costs directly from appropriate agencies.

If you receive a bill, contact the Forensic Nursing Services Team at Methodist Hospital Specialty and Transplant for help!

Sexual Assault Evidence Tracking Program (Track-Kit)

You can track the status and location of your sexual assault evidence collection kit from the time of collection through destruction via Track-Kit. By registering for notifications, you may receive updates regarding the processing of your evidence collection.

Your medical provider will give you a card with:

  • The Track-Kit URL (https://tx.track-kit.us),
  • Your Track-Kit barcode, and
  • A temporary password you will use to log in for the first time.

Questions About Track-Kit:

If you do not receive or if you misplace the card, please contact your medical provider or the law enforcement agency for help.

For general Track-Kit questions, contact STACS DNA by:

For more information about Track-Kit:

In Texas, Sexual Assault Evidence Kits (SAEKs) are only tested for DNA when submitted to a crime lab by a law enforcement agency. If you did not report the sexual assault to law enforcement your kit will be stored, but not tested, by the Texas Department of Public Safety (or similar agency for military). You can learn more about evidence storage and DPS’ procedures for notifying survivors before the destruction of evidence at: dps.texas.gov/section/crime-laboratory

Results of evidence collection testing are shared with the law enforcement agency only, so if you have questions regarding results of your kit, please reach out to the law enforcement agency handling your case.

Contact Forensic Nursing Services:
Phone: (210) 575-1590­­
Fax: (210) 575-1591
Email:
SANE@MHShealth.com

Award winning emergency care

We are proud to provide San Antonio with the highest level of emergency care. Because of our commitment to excellence, our ER received the prestigious Excellence in Patient Care Award from the Studer Group. The Studer Group works with over 800 healthcare organizations worldwide, coaching them on how to achieve and sustain the highest quality clinical outcomes.

Visiting our emergency room

Our ER is located in the main hospital by the front entrance located directly off of Floyd Curl Drive. We offer a parking garage and a parking lot for patients and visitors. Once you walk through the main ER entrance, please come to our triage window to speak to one of our team members. We will bring you back to a room as soon as one is available.

Emergency care at Methodist Healthcare

Emergency care is the treatment of emergent medical conditions. It is generally performed in an emergency room, but can also refer to treatment in an ambulance. Emergency medicine physicians may treat patients with injuries or infections, in addition to life-threatening conditions.

Learn about Emergency care