New ER/Hospitalist Physician Joins W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital

The Board and Administration of the Lockney General Hospital District are pleased to announce the addition of Dr. David Kerr as a new physician serving the Emergency Department and inpatient care at W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Kerr was raised in Snyder, Texas and received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Texas Tech University. He then received his Doctor of Medicine Degree from the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Dr. Kerr completed his Residency in Family Medicine in Tacoma Washington. Following residency Dr. Kerr returned to Snyder and practiced Family Medicine with Obstetrics from 2007 to 2023. In 2023 Dr. Kerr decided to focus his career on emergency medicine and he became part of the Emergency Department schedule at W. J. Mangold on June 11th joining Dr. Jade Ireland and Dr. Emily Capt as full-time physicians serving the emergency department and admitting patients at the hospital.

The hospital CEO Vince DiFranco said, “Dr. Kerr is a great addition to our team of providers. His experience in rural settings, familiarity with West Texas, his strong medical training and his caring communication style make him an excellent fit to serve our community.”

WJ Mangold Memorial Hospital Lowers P.T. Prices

At it's meeting on April 28th , the Lockney General Hospital District Board received a report from CEO Vince DiFranco showing price comparisons of Physical Therapy services with various other hospitals. Based on that data, the Board decided to lower Physical Therapy (PT) charges on key and frequently used services by 20% to 30%.

"I had heard complaints about our PT charges from patients that wanted to use our services", stated DiFranco. "With many hospitals publishing their chargemaster on their website, I was able to research and compare charges for Physical Therapy". "We have excellent staff in our Physical Therapy Department and have great outcomes with patients, so it was disappointing to hear that some patients were seeking care elsewhere only because of cost", he said.

The WJ Mangold Physical Therapy Department offers many services to improve function and mobility for patients including recovery from sports injuries and surgery. They are also the only facility in the region with a certified pelvic physical therapist to assist patients in pelvic issues such as pelvic pain, incontinence, pre/post partum issues, and prostate issues.

The research DiFranco performed confirmed that the patient feedback was accurate. He then prepared a report with a recommendation that prices be adjusted to more closely match the charges at other facilities. "I appreciate that patients called to share their experience with me", DiFranco said, "now we have removed that reason and more people can use our excellent PT Department".

Troy Medical and W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital Announce Outpatient Specialty Care Partnership

Troy Medical, a pioneering healthcare provider of outpatient specialized medical care, and W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital are pleased to announce a collaborative partnership to provide physician specialists and care management services to W.J. Mangold’s hospital and clinic patients.

W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital will access Troy Medical’s network of board-certified physicians to deliver personalized outpatient care for its patients across various specialties, including neurology, rheumatology, and endocrinology. Troy Medical will also provide outpatient clinical care coordination to support each patient through their medical journey to ensure that each care plan is implemented. Patients at the Lockney Clinic will connect with specialty physicians via a video link in the exam room. After registering at the front desk and having their vital signs taken, a certified nursing assistant will assist patients during the visit.

“Our partnership with Troy Medical combines local support with their specialized physicians and comprehensive care coordination, ensuring that every patient receives the exceptional outpatient medical care they need,” said Vince DiFranco, CEO of W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital. “This collaboration will provide our patients with more timely access to specialized care, eliminating the lengthy wait times and long-distance travel previously required for a specialist appointment in our area. We have identified the three specialties of rheumatology, neurology and endocrinology for Troy Medical to provide initially, but are excited about the potential of bringing more specialty services to Lockney."

"We're excited to partner with W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital to provide personalized neurology, rheumatology, and endocrinology care," said Kara Hartl, CEO of Troy Medical. "As an ophthalmologist, I've seen firsthand the challenges rural patients face in accessing specialized care. We're eager to support their efforts in expanding access to specialized outpatient services."

The service is expected to be available starting the week of October 21st and usually requires a referral from the patient’s primary care physician.

About W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital & Cogdell Clinics

Lockney General Hospital District (https://www.mangoldmemorial.org) is an independent hospital system governed by a five-member board elected by the residents of the district. It operates W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital, a 25-bed critical access hospital, and two rural health clinics located in Lockney and Silverton, Texas.

About Troy Medical

Troy Medical (https://www.troymed.com/) is a pioneering healthcare provider with the mission of delivering world-class medical care to rural and underserved communities across America. Our innovative hybrid "micro-clinic" model combines cutting-edge telemedicine technology with on-the- ground clinics to bridge the gap in access to specialized care.

MANGOLD MEMORIAL INFUSION CENTER SCHEDULED TO OPEN

W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital, in its effort to provide the most comprehensive medical services for our community, is proud to announce the opening of our Outpatient IV Infusion Center on October 18th, 2022. We provide infusion therapy services for IV antibiotics and chronic diseases in a friendly, welcoming environment that is close to home without the need to travel outside of the local community. Our registered nurses and trained Pharmacy staff have specialized training in IV infusion therapy and are focused on patient safety and comfort. The infusion room is supplied with comfortable leather recliners and many comforts of home. We are dedicated to making your experience a pleasant one. We offer a variety of Monday through Friday appointments including options for daily IV therapy if needed.

Outpatient infusion therapy can save patients hundreds, if not, thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses compared to inpatient hospitalization, emergency room services, and home health services, saving patients time and travel expenses.

Most major insurance carriers are accepted including most state and federally funded plans. Medicare, Medicaid, HMO, and commercially insured patients qualify for outpatient infusion therapy. A wide variety of payment options are provided. Our mission is to provide our local community IV infusion services close to home, when they need it.

Our nurses and case managers are specially trained to provide a wide range of therapies and treat disorders such as infectious disease, rheumatoid arthritis, CIDP, allergic asthma, allergic urticaria, multiple sclerosis, chronic migraine, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease.

Medications offered include: IV antibiotics, specialty injectables, blood products, Remicade, IVIG, Tysabri, Xolair, Orencia, Actemra, Benlysta, IV fluids, Neupogen, Procrit, Neulasta, and much more.

We are located at W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital at 320 N Main St, Lockney, TX 79241

There is no need to continue to travel outside of the community simply because this is what you have always done. If you or a loved one is currently traveling to areas like Lubbock or Amarillo for IV infusion therapy, please call and speak with our dedicated case manager and find out more about our remarkable service. We will work with your specialist doctor to make sure you receive the medication and service you need in your local community.

Please call our dedicated case manager today to find out if outpatient infusion therapy is right for you at 806-652-0031.

Revised Business Office Policies

W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital and the Cogdell Clinics have revised some of the business office policies to strengthen the ability to collect past account balances and continue to provide services to residents of our community. At any time that the patient has an outstanding patient account balance from previous services and regular minimum payments are not being made, patient will be asked to make one minimum monthly payment along with their current co-pay/deductible/coinsurance prior to service being rendered. If the patient is unable or unwilling to do so, they will be asked to re-schedule their appointment for a later time when they are able to make such required payments. The patient can sign a promissory note and enter into a payment plan for the past account balance or apply for assistance through our Charity Care policy. Copies of these policies can be viewed under the "About Us" section of this website under Business Office Policies.

W.J Mangold Memorial Hospital and Cogdell Clinics Adopt New Patient-Friendly Cardiac Digital Health Solution for Early AFib Detection and Diagnosis

W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital has integrated innovative wearable ECG technology from Cardiac Insight, Inc., expanding its offerings to patients to better diagnose atrial fibrillation (AFib or AF), the most common type of treated heart arrhythmia, both in-office and through telehealth. An estimated 2.7 to 6.1 million people in the U.S. live with this arrhythmia. While AFib itself is typically not life-threatening, complications from AFib include increased risk for heart problems and heart failure, and increased risk for stroke.

The Cardea SOLO™ disposable wearable ECG sensor is applied to the patient at our Clinic. After a seven-day wear period, the patient returns the sensor to our office by mail or in person. Cardea SOLO's algorithm-based software automatically analyzes ECG data to detect abnormal rhythms including AFib. Within five minutes of connecting the patient's sensor to the Cardea SOLO, a comprehensive report is produced to direct clinical decision-making and begin treatment, if required, as soon as possible.

For more information, please contact Elvia Holguin, Clinic Manager or make an appointment to see your primary care provider in Lockney at 806-652-3373 or Silverton at 806-475-5800.

New Family Medicine Physician Joins W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital

The Board and Administration of the Lockney General Hospital District are pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Ben Benacci as a new physician serving the Cogdell Clinic at W.J. Mangold Memorial Hospital in Lockney.

Dr. Benacci was raised in the small town of Brackettville, Texas and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He then taught high school science and physics for 18 years in Lubbock before he decided to attend medical school. Dr. Benacci then received his Doctor of Medicine Degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine in Galveston, Texas. Dr. Benacci recently completed his Residency in Family Medicine at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Odessa. Dr. Benacci will begin in the Lockney Clinic on July 22nd and will be available for appointments 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 8:00 am to 12:00 noon on Tuesdays.

W.J. Mangold CEO Vince DiFranco said, “We expect Dr. Benacci to be a great addition to our team of providers. His interesting background, familiarity with small towns and focus and love for rural medicine in Texas makes him an excellent fit to serve our community. By adding Dr. Benacci as a full-time provider in our Clinic, we can expand capacity and serve those additional new patients trying to establish with our clinic.”