Now Open: Cedar Park Emergency Hospital

The management, technical staff and nurses will all be Emerus employees, Bovio said, while the physicians are all staffed by Scott & White. The freestanding ER serves as another point for patients to access Scott & White, he said.

"As we're preparing for some of the changes in our industry, ... we're trying to keep patients out of the hospital and provide a different setting," Bovio said. "We're looking for different ways to do that, and hopefully we'll see the need for less hospital beds."

Spokeswoman Katherine Voss said the ER will be open all day, every day and do everything that a "typical, traditional, hospital-based ER" does.

"Fast stabilization of the patient is of paramount importance. Our experienced clinical staff can quickly diagnose and stabilize patients from western Williamson County who have experienced traumas or heart attacks and get them to the center of excellence that is most appropriate for their need, such as our Round Rock hospital," Voss said. "We consider this facility to be a front door or a gateway to care."

Updated Feb. 27, 11:01 a.m. CST