A freestanding emergency room opened in north Alabama on Monday, part of an effort to expand access to care in cities without hospitals.

Hartselle, a growing city of just over 15,000 people in Morgan County, does not have a hospital in its limits. The nearest hospital is about 20 minutes north in Decatur.

“With this facility now open, local families and individuals will have quicker, more convenient access to high-quality emergency care right here in our own community,” said Hartselle mayor Randy Garrison. “Whether it’s a sudden injury, illness, or other medical emergency, this facility is here to provide the support and expertise you need, when you need it most.”

Freestanding emergency departments are staffed and equipped like regular emergency rooms but don’t have an attached hospital. According to experts, they are more equipped to handle serious conditions than urgent care facilities, though they generally cost more and bill at the same rates as regular emergency rooms.

The Hartselle Health Park ER, which will be open 24/7, is part of an effort between the city and Cullman Regional Hospital. It has 10 treatment rooms, including a dedicated trauma room, ambulance bay, helipad and full imaging center. The facility is staffed by board certified emergency medicine physicians as well as nurses, paramedics and imagining technicians, according to Cullman Regional.

“Cullman Regional puts priority on providing high quality care which has led to our Cullman ER consistently beating state and national benchmarks for heart attack and stroke care,” said Bill Smith, Cullman Regional’s chief medical officer, in a press release. “We’re bringing that same level of care to Hartselle.”

Cullman Regional and Hartselle first got state approval for the emergency department in 2023. It’s the second freestanding ER to open in north Alabama. Crestwood Medical Center’s freestanding ER in Harvest opened in July.

There are currently 10 freestanding ERs in the state, with others located in Baldwin, Mobile, Jefferson, Shelby and Lee counties.

In 2023, the Alabama Hospital Association told AL.com that the emergency departments have been helpful in communities where they’ve opened but are unlikely to spread to all areas of the state.

“In places we don’t have a hospital, a freestanding emergency department would be very helpful,” said Don Williamson, president of the Alabama Hospital Association. “But the same reason a hospital is failing is the same reason an FED might not be sustainable.”