Barton progress health 2017

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FACING THE FUTURE

HEALTH & WELLNESS

PROGRESS Special to the Great Bend Tribune • Sunday, February 5, 2017

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017

It’s all about painting a picture

COURTESY PHOTO

Pictured from the left are Kansas Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, Kansas Farm Bureau CEO Terry Holdren, Gov. Sam Brownback and Overland Park Regional Medical Center CEO Kevin Hicks.

Bringing new docs to Great Bend takes building relationships BY DALE HOGG dhogg@gbtribune.com

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hen it comes to attracting new doctors to Great Bend,it’s all about painting a positive picture. No, Great Bend isn’t a big city with all those big city amenities. No, it doesn’t have all that glitz and glamor. But, Great Bend does have something those big cities can’t offer, said Rachel Mawhirter who heads up recruiting for Great Bend Regional Hospital. “A lot of people don’t know what Great Bend has to offer.� And that is her job. “I am a community ambassador. I have to show them what life is like here.� Selling points like why this

is a great place to raise family, the chance for work-life balance and the opportunity for involvement in the community. Once recruits see this, they are impressed. “One of the best things for me is to see the light come on,� she said. They see the parks, the housing, the willingness of banks to work with them and the close-knit community of physicians. “It’s relationship building,� she said. “It’s about painting a good picture of Great Bend.� Recruiting doesn’t stop when they sign the contract. There is an on-going effort to make them feel welcome. I don’t think there are enough residents,� Mawhirter said. “Everybody thinks health care is so expensive, and it is.�

The key in this is that hospitals have to be so competitive to recruit doctors. This means offering higher salaries and the hospitals have to cover their overhead. The biggest thing is to be in tune with the market and start recruiting while physicians are still in school. “We have to be aware of openings and ready to present the advantages that make us stand apart from the rest.� For example, there are 20 rural health care clinics in Kansas. Two of them are in Great Bend. BEYOND GREAT BEND There are also efforts on the state level to lure doctors to rural Kansas. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback

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unveiled a two-part plan Jan. 6 to bring more doctors to the state and quell health care shortages that he said threaten to kill rural communities. Brownback, flanked by Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, a hospital executive and the head of the Kansas Farm Bureau, harkened back to his days growing up in Parker — population 250 — to personalize the push for more rural doctors. “Essential to every healthy and thriving community is professional medical care,� Brownback said. “The long term sustainability of communities, particularly in our rural areas, depends on citizens access to local health care.� Brownback proposed that the state put forth $5 million in “seed money� to increase med-

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ical residency slots throughout the state. The hope is to use the state funds to draw down more dollars from the federal government and non-profits and potentially bring in as many as 100 additional medical residents every year starting in 2018. Colyer said that would be critically important in a state in which 92 of 105 counties are medically underserved. “The key to this is people who are trained in Kansas stay in Kansas,� Colyer said. Brownback promised more details on where the cashstrapped state would get the seed money next week when he releases his budget proposal.

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RURAL, from page 3 Brownback also announced Friday that he’s establishing a task force to lure a private osteopathy school to the state and named Kansas Farm Bureau CEO Terry Holdren to chair it. Doctors of osteopathic medicine have to meet the same standards of training and care as medical doctors, but generally are more focused on primary care. Leaders of the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, an osteopathic medical school in Kansas City, Mo., released a statement Friday saying they would lend their expertise to the task force. “We look forward to the opportunity to work with Gov. Brownback, the state of Kansas and colleagues on the task force to explore the feasibility of developing an osteopathic medical school within the state of Kansas,� Marc Hahn, the president and CEO of KCU, said in the statement. David Jordan leads a coalition of groups advocating for Medicaid expansion under the federal Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, which Brownback opposes. Jordan applauded the moves, but said Brownback’s continued resistance to Medicaid expansion hurts the cause of recruiting rural health providers. He said a hospital administrator in Garden City told him that doctors in that part of the state tend to choose Colorado over Kansas because they can spend more time practicing there, and less time chasing payments or trying to get expenses written off for uninsured patients. “Medicaid expansion certainly is critical to benefiting these rural communities — the (health care) practices and recruitment of health professionals to rural communities,� Jordan said. Colyer, a plastic surgeon from Overland Park who also opposes Medicaid expansion, headed a rural health task force last year. He said he plans to unveil recommendations based on that group’s work as the legislative session progresses.

TRIBUNE FILE PHOTOS

There are challenges, but there are also successes in recruiting new doctors at rural hospitals such as Great Bend Regional Hospital.

A LOCAL TAKE Mawhirter is cautiously optimistic about the Brownback plan. “Throwing money at it is the first step,� Mawhirter said. “But it is not all of it.� While the idea is valid, “we can’t control health care costs until we get more physicians in the cue.� It takes years for a student to make it through medical school. And, the state already does have incentives that encourage docs to practice rurally. The Kansas Recruitment and Retention Center at the University of Kansas is a state-funded entity that helps in this effort. Through this program, a doctor commits to work in a rural community for period of time, and state will help pay for a portion of their schooling.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017

Making a real difference Health Department makes strides in boosting vaccinations BY DALE HOGG dhogg@gbtribune.com

“Vaccine-preventable diseases are one of the major accomplishments of public health and modern medicine,â€? said Barton County Health Director Shelly Schneider. Think about it: As the 2014 Ebola outbreak raged in West Africa, no vaccine was available, so thousands of people became very sick and more than 9,000 have died. In the case of measles, in the decade before 1963 when a vaccine became available, nearly all children got measles by the time they were 15. Up to 4 million people in the United States were infected each year, 400-500 people died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and 4,000 suffered encephalitis, or swelling of the brain. Now, two doses of measles vaccine are about 97 percent effective at preventing measles if someone is exposed to the virus. “It makes a real difference,â€? Schneider said. So, her department has embarked on a process to make even more of a difference, from childhood immunizations to flu shots. Although she was referring to global crises, the importance of getting vaccinated translates to the local level. And, this is something with which her department has seen great success. “We implemented the DirectEntry process into WebIZ in the fall of 2015 to the spring of 2016,â€? she said of their efforts at better tracking immunization records. “We had so many discrepancies in the beginning, but by working together and fine-tuning our processes, we were able to avoid any discrepancies at all now.â€? This work didn’t go unnoticed. “KDHE was very impressed with our process and gave us an award for our efforts.â€? Now, the goal is reduce the paperwork and streamline other steps so that the clients can receive vaccinations in a very minimum amount of time, Schneider said. “We are always trying to improve our processes.â€? Schneider offered the following list of other accomplishments: • The department gave over 9,450 immunizations in 2016. • The department offered many more outreaches and staff are hoping to increase these for this coming year. • The department offered “house callsâ€? to those that find it too difficult to come to the office. • The department increased its presence with media to educate about the positive outcomes of vaccines.

DALE HOGG Great Bend Tribune

Racks of vaccinations chill in a special cooler at the Barton County Health Department. The department is making strides at improving immunization rates locally.

Snapshot • Nationally, 71.6 percent of children aged 19-35 months are up to date with recommended childhood immunizations. This varies from 84.7 percent in Maine to 63.4 percent in West Virginia. • HPV coverage for females aged 13-17 years is 39.7 percent nationally; it varies from 54.0 percent in North Carolina to 20.1 percent in Tennessee. HPV vaccination coverage for males aged 13-17 years varies from 42.9 percent in Rhode Island to 9.0 percent in Alabama. • MCV4 coverage for adolescents aged 13-17 years is 79.3 percent nationally; it varies from 95.2 percent in Pennsylvania to 46.0 percent in Mississippi. • Tdap coverage is 87.6 percent; it varies from 94.8 percent in Connecticut to 70.8 percent in Mississippi. • National influenza vaccination coverage for adults is 40.4 percent and ranges from 50.2 percent in South Dakota to 31.7 percent in Florida. • National pneumococcal vaccination coverage for adults aged 65 years and older is 69.5 percent. This ranges from 75.6 percent in Oregon to 61.9 percent in New Jersey.

Vaccines explained In the battle to prevent disease, there are few things as important and effective as vaccines. Vaccines have greatly reduced and, in some cases, eliminated infectious disease threats that once caused major suffering and illness. But maintaining the progress made so far is up to us: Educating yourself about vaccines and getting vaccinated will not only protect the health of you and your loved ones, but the health of your community. WHAT’S A VACCINE? A vaccine contains a weakened or killed microorganism that causes your body to boost its immunity to a certain disease. In other words, a vaccine tricks your body into thinking it’s being invaded by a disease-causing agent so that your body will build up its defenses. As a result, your immune system will remember the disease-causing agent and promptly attack and neutralize it if it reappears. There are many types of vaccines. Some vaccines contain a live, weakened version of the disease-causing agent, while others contain a killed or “detoxified� version of the agent. Vaccines can be administered via injection, orally or with nasal spray. Many vaccines are given in multiple doses over time. In some cases, a booster shot is needed many years after the first vaccination to maintain your body’s immunity to a disease. WHY IS VACCINATION IMPORTANT? Thanks to vaccines, many disease threats have been eliminated or greatly reduced in the United States. But while the threat of infection has diminished, the diseases remain. This is especially important considering the ease of modern travel and the fact that many other countries have low vaccination rates. If we are not careful, vaccinepreventable diseases can make a comeback. For example, in 2000, health officials declared that

measles had been eliminated in the United States. However, people traveling from other areas of the world can still bring measles into the country and spread the disease among people who have not been vaccinated. ARE VACCINES SAFE? The simple answer is yes. Vaccines are created using the highest safety standards, and years of testing are required before a vaccine is put into use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the “United States currently has the safest, most effective vaccine supply in history.� Once a vaccine is in use, it’s continually monitored for any negative health effects. Like most medical procedures and treatments, vaccines can have side effects. In most cases, there are either no side effects or a mild reaction, such as a fever or soreness at the injection site. Serious reactions to vaccines are rare. If you believe you are having a reaction to a vaccine, call your health care provider immediately. WHO SHOULD GET VACCINATED? Vaccines are important for everyone, regardless of age. While vaccines are often associated with children and required by many school districts, they are also important for the health of adolescents, adults and seniors. Your doctor or health provider can give you a list and tell you which are right for you. If you’re traveling abroad, it’s a good idea to see your doctor about four weeks to six weeks before you leave to discuss vaccines and booster shots. If you don’t have a health care provider, contact your local health department about programs that provide vaccines for children at no cost. Many health departments and pharmaceutical companies offer vaccine assistance for adults as well.

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Just the right companionship Four paws and a wagging tail bring comfort BY RUSSELL EDEM redem@gbtribune.com

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ervice and companion animals help many of the people of Barton County. This would not be possible without the help of some individuals dedicated to pairing these animals with their owners, providing them with the caring support they need. Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility’s Best Chance Dog Rescue program, in partnership with the Golden Belt Humane Society, trains and provides dogs to people with disabilities. “This is a wonderful program,” said Bobbie King, president of the Golden Belt Humane Society. “These animals not only help those that are in need, but they also help their trainers at Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility. It provides the inmate population a positive, valuable means by which they can contribute to society.” The LCMHF Best Chance Dog Rescue Program pairs inmate with dogs. These handlers provide socialization and obedience training to dogs that have been surrendered to the society. In cooperation with facility staff, the Golden Belt Humane Society staff members select dogs from their kennel that need additional socialization and obedience training prior

TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO

The Best Chance Dog Rescue program has provided people from all over the country with service and companion animals including people right here in Great Bend. Pictured with his dog, Maverick, is Danny Hammeke along with Bobbie King, the president of the Golden Belt Humane Society. Maverick is a therapy dog in training and provides support for Hammeke.

to adoption. Dogs are matched with inmate handlers selected by facility staff. These handlers are responsible for the dog’s care, handling, education and grooming. Each inmate handler will work with “his” dog until the staff and the inmate believes the dog has successfully completed the program. The dogs reside in pet taxis in their assigned handler’s room within the minimum securityhousing unit. At the end of the training period, the dog will be adopted out to its forever homes

and will receive additional training to provide support to people that have disabilities. THE PROGRAM The LCMHF Best Chance Dog Rescue Program was founded in August 1999. The program is coordinated by Bobbie King current President of the Golden Belt Humane Society. “The program has proven to be very successful, with an adoption success rate of 99 percent,” King said. According to GBHS, dogs who

have completed the program have been adopted locally, as well as from as far away as New York City, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Nevada. Dogs are thoroughly vaccinated, are surgically sterilized, checked for internal parasites and heart-worm disease. They are on prevention medications. The graduates of this program will have completed a course in basic obedience. Upon completion of the program the dogs are available for adoption. A fee of $200 helps defray some of the

expense of food, medications, and equipment. Dogs in the prison program may be viewed by appointment through King. Anyone interested in adopting from the Best Chance Dog Rescue Program may contact her at 620-7922715, The obedience instructor meets with handlers and their assigned dogs on a weekly basis. Dogs graduate when they pass their final testing by the program coordinator, the director, and the inmate handler.

“It really boils down to one word, and that word is ‘required,’” he said. The numbers were even lower in Kansas when it came to vaccination rates for human papillomavirus (HPV), with 25 percent of teen girls and 20 percent of teen boys vaccinated. Nationwide, about 40 percent of teen girls and 22 percent of teen boys had received the HPV vaccine, which was first approved for use in 2006. Most people contract HPV through sexual contact at some point in their lives, and in most

cases the infection clears without causing symptoms. In some cases, however, it can lead to cancer, depending on the location of infection. The vaccine is recommended for girls and boys, preferably before they become sexually active. Parents have become less wary of the vaccine as research has shown teens who receive it don’t behave more promiscuously, Eplee said, but overall awareness of why teens should receive it remains low. “The real focus has shifted from sexuality to cancer prevention,” he said. “We’re working very hard, vigorously, on the HPV (vaccination) rate in Kansas.” Eplee said providers should discuss immunizations when teens come in for sports physicals, injuries or minor illnesses. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends an annual doctor visit from age 3 to 21, with more frequent visits for younger children, but families are more likely to skip visits for their older children, he said. “Let’s be honest, you go to the doctor more when your baby’s brand-new,” he said. “It’s incumbent on the providers to bring (vaccination) up at each encounter.”

VACCINES, from page 4 • There was a great deal of collaboration with schools, getting their population vaccinated. • The department’s percentage of coverage has increased to over 84 percent. • All of the community immunization providers continue to work diligently on the immunization efforts. • The department offers all vaccines that are approved from ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices). • The department has the ability to check the State Registry for Immunization status as well as inputting into the system for future reference. Furthermore, she said vaccinations are imperative for foreign travel. STATEWIDE VIEW Kansas parents do a betterthan-average job at getting vaccinations for their young children but don’t fare as well once those children reach their teen years. That’s according to a report from the United Health Foundation showing about 77 percent of Kansas children had received their recommended sequence of shots by age 3, placing the state in the top 10 for on-time vaccinations. Nationwide, about 72 percent of kids had finished their early vac-

Vaccination rates in Kansas, according to the 2016 America’s Health Rankings: • Children completed recommended immunizations by age 3: 76.5 percent. • Females vaccinated against HPV: 24.8 percent. • Males vaccinated against HPV: 19.5 percent. • Adolescents vaccinated against meningitis: 65.1 percent. • Adolescents vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis: 79.8 percent

cines on time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination schedule is based on research submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration showing a vaccine’s safety for particular age groups, as well as disease prevalence data that shows which age groups are most at risk. Waiting longer increases the time when a child could be exposed to a potentially life-threatening illness or expose others. Vaccination rates among Kansas teens weren’t as high, though. Nearly 80 percent were vacci-

nated against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. But only about 65 percent had the vaccine against meningococcal disease, which initially causes flu-like symptoms such as fever and headache but can lead to death or loss of limbs. John Eplee, a physician and chairman of the Immunize Kansas Coalition, said schools require early childhood vaccines but don’t have a similar requirement for meningitis and other adolescent shots. Also, not all insurance companies cover those immunizations, he said, and the shot for meningitis is relatively expensive.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017

Everyone at GBHS learning hands-only CPR BY JENNIFER SCHARTZ Great Bend USD 428

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tayin’ alive, stayin’ alive. That’s what Great Bend USD 428 is hoping the hands-only CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) education being taught to all Great Bend High School students will help people in cardiac arrest do. Stay alive. Beginning this month and continuing throughout the semester, it is the mission of Ryan Zink, sports medicine teacher, to train as many students and teachers to perform hands-only CPR as possible. “There’s a scare factor for people to do the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation part of conventional CPR,� Zink said. “Handsonly is just that, chest compressions only.� A video helping to instruct the students uses the disco-era song “Stayin’ Alive� to drive home the message. The song has a strong, fast beat that helps students learn how fast to do the compressions. It’s actually about 100 beats per minute. “There’s a definite benefit to hands-only CPR,� Zink said. “You can keep someone going with just chest compressions. “You can’t really do it wrong,� he added. “Anything will help.� Zink uses the advisory period at the high school as instruction time. Within only 30 minutes, students have the basics of helping save a life until an ambulance arrives. He teaches the traditional method of CPR in his sports medicine classes. In the past three years,

COURTESY PHOTO

Ryan Zink, Great Bend High School sports medicine teacher, points to the place on the chest of a mini Annie resuscitation mannequin where students should apply chest compressions as they administer hands-only CPR. Sierra Vsetecka, left, and Paola Martinez are part of Travis Straub’s advisory class learning hands-on CPR. Zink is hopeful that everyone at the high school will know the life-saving technique by the end of the semester.

at least 200 students have been fully CPR trained. Zink has already added another 75 hands-only trained students to the community. “The more trained people the better,� he said. “It makes our school

and community safer.� Zink also tells students to call 911 first and talks about the use of AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators). There are two at the high school – one in the commons area and the other in the

Panther Activity Center. AEDs are also in all of the other public schools. Kim Sell from the American Heart Association and Mark Mingenback, United Way of Central Kansas board member, shared the idea

with USD 428 administrators, and equipment was secured through grant funding from the United Way and Golden Belt Community Foundation. The two kits cost approximately $1,200. “I’m proud of the

partnership we have with local agencies,� said Khris Thexton, interim superintendent. “It helps to create a better, safer community.� “Students are talking about it. They are excited to learn,� Zink said.

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Mother by day, student by night BCC Pharmacy program provides some flexibility BY MICAH OELZE Barton Community College

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ight-thirty strikes and Carrie Hogg puts her daughter, Peyton, to sleep after another long day as a stay at home mother. She leaves the nursery and makes her way to the computer to study for the next four hours on her night off of work. Hogg studied at Barton Community College for her first certification, which she received in Phlebotomy. She said the medical field had interested her since she was a child. “I have always been fascinated with the science of the medical field,� Hogg said. “My mom used to always joke when I used to talk about it at the table, ‘Okay. You can’t talk about this here, I’m eating.’� The job availability in her location and field was lacking. Hogg decided it was in her and her family’s best interest for her to return to school. With her previous positive experience at Barton, Hogg chose to return to further her education. Hogg needed a fully online solution to accommodate her demanding schedule. “As I was going through the online programs, Pharmacy Tech popped up and honestly, it just sounded interesting,� she said. “There was no interest for me prior, I just took the first class to see how I liked it and it just grew on me.� Hogg enjoys the constant evolution and pace of the Pharmacy Tech field. “It is always changing, there are different situations all the time,� Hogg said. “I have always liked a fast pace and I don’t like routine; routine to me gets boring.� For the single parents who may be in a similar situation and are interested in going back to school, she says give it a shot. “I would tell them to

FOR RESULTS THAT

COURTESY PHOTO

BCC Pharmacy Tech student Carrie Hogg is shown with her daughter Peyton in downtown Russell.

CTE Month and Barton Career Fair Barton Community College celebrates Career Technical Education month, recognizing the innovation and excellence that exists within local CTE programs and the crucial role that CTE plays in readying our students for

building. Registration opens at 12:30 p.m. and optional campus tours start at 10:30 a.m. The fair is available for 8th grade students, high school students, current Barton students, and community members and will

careers and our nation for economic success. CTE month will culminate with a Career Technical Education Fair from 1-3 p.m. March 1 in the Case New Holland Shop in the Northeast side of the Technical

go for it,� she said. “If you want it bad enough there is always time, no matter how crazy your schedule is.� Hogg plans to complete her Pharmacy Tech certification by end of the spring 2017 semester.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017

Veterans’ health & mobility VA ‘office on wheels’ coming to Barton County BY SUSAN THACKER sthacker@gbtribune.com

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he Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office is making applying for VA benefits more accessible by bringing an “office on wheels” to Barton County, said Rick Austin with the KCVA. A mobile operations van will be located at the Hoisington Recreation Center parking lot on Wednesday, Feb. 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The van will be located at the Great Bend Walmart parking lot on Friday, Feb. 17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., to provide information and free assistance to veterans and family members. The fully equipped and handicapped accessible mobile office can set up shop just about anywhere, and travels to communities and special events such as fairs, parades and festivals throughout the state. “The mobile vans have been around for awhile, but the one we will be using is new as of October 2016,” Austin said. “This will be its first visit to Great Bend.”

COURTESY PHOTO

The Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs mobile operations van will visit Barton County this month.

Veteran services representatives will help navigate the many resources and benefits

available. Such benefits might include service connected disability compensation, im-

proved pension with aid and attendance, death pensions, VA health care options, educa-

tion benefits, vocational rehabilitation and much more. For more information

contact Jeremy Miller by telephone, 785-2208900, or by email at Jeremy.miller@ks.gov.

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017 •

9

Keeping children healthy School nurses go the extra mile BY RUSSELL EDEM redem@gbtribune.com

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hen people think of nurses, they think of emergency rooms and hospitals, but there is another type of nurse out there fighting to keep the children of Barton County healthy and aware of health issues. These are the USD 428 school nurses. These nurses are all about the preventive, teaching students things to do to stay healthy, but also knowing what to look for if students are not feeling well. “What we do is the preventive side of nursing,� said school nurse Dana Wilson. “We focus on keeping children healthy by means of teaching them the right ways of doing things to prevent disease and other forms of sickness.� These nurses also go the extra mile to do what they can for the schools they work for and strive to make the best of every situation. “We all can agree that we love this job because of what we do,� school nurse Linda Johnson said. “We all like working with kids and having fun with them and teaching something they can use in their lives. Another part of this job is seeing the kids in public and they run up to you to get a hug or they say, ‘hey I know you.’ It is just a great feeling. It is more than just being a nurse. It is being a friend and just being there for them when they need it. “We do what we can to help our students and staff,� she continued. “We not only take care of the kids when they come into our office, but we take care of the staff too.� Johnson said that when schools are short-handed, nurses may help in the office, work in the lunchroom or take on recess duty. Some of them help with sporting events — taking tickets, keeping score or managing the clock. “We also help students when they have accidents and we cannot get a

hold of parents,� Johnson said. “There is a lot that we do that differs from nurses that you might find in a hospital or in a clinic,� school nurse Libbie Merritt said. “I usually go into the classrooms twice a year or even just drop in to remind the children about hygiene, like taking a shower, brushing your teeth, brushing your hair and even just to remind them that they should use deodorant. We even go into the classroom to teach students about washing your hands and eating the right foods to stay healthy and fight off sickness.� According to the students nurses, their health-care services provide emergency and first aid care, vision screening hearing screenings, dental education, human sexuality and AIDS education, communicable disease control and pre-school and kindergarten screening. According to USD 428, the goals of the school nurses include maintaining, promoting and improving emotional and social health of the school-age children. They provide school health services, promote a healthy and safe school environment, and act as a consultants and resource persons in health education. The objectives of the school nurse and the school health program are to guide each school in it responsibility for recognizing health problems and provide leadership in developing health programs. They plan for emergency care for children; serve as consultants to the administration, teachers, parents and students; identify possible health problems of students by organizing screening programs for early identification of issues; cooperate in training teachers and volunteers in health-care techniques; guide teachers in selecting students to be referred for examination; audit the immunization record of every student in school and keep health records up-to-date; know the laws relating to school health; promote a close relationship between the homes and school in all health matters; assess schools for health and safety hazards; inform teachers about community health problems; serve as role models of good health practices and function as advocates for children and families.

RUSSELL EDEM Great Bend Tribune

School nurses provide health services, promote a healthy safe school environment and act as consultants and resource persons in health education. Pictured from the left are the USD 428 school nurses Libbie Merritt, Linda Johnson, Dana Wilson and Cindy Prescott.

School nurses employed by USD 428 are licensed and registered by the State of Kansas. Each school nurse serves students in more than one learning center in the district. They are employed by the board of education, and they work under the supervision of the administration of the district. These nurses work closely with the Barton County Health Department to recognize and evaluate possible health

problems within the community. The emphasis of the school health program is to serve “well children� rather than “ill children.� School nurses are responsible for the nursing care they give and they must be aware of the legal controls which govern the nursing profession. USD 428 nurses must be thoroughly familiar with the Kansas Nurse Practise Act in order to assure sound professional practice within the law.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017

Hutchinson Clinic offers specialty care in local area SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE news@gbtribune.com

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he Hutchinson Clinic has been providing exceptional patient care for over 50 years in Hutchinson, central Kansas, and the surrounding areas. Hutchinson Clinic physicians see patients from almost every county in Kansas. With over 90 physicians and advanced practice providers in over 30 different medical specialties, the team of doctors and staff can care for most patient health needs within the Hutchinson Clinic organization. That level of coordinated care is wonderful for patient convenience and great for overall health outcomes. When patients choose a doctor within the Hutchinson Clinic system; they are in the care of a highly-trained and compassionate physician that has access to an entire team of dedicated, board certified physicians should the patient’s care require a multi-specialty approach. The Hutchinson Clinic also offers the most advanced technology available, fully accredited departments, evidence-based medicine, the highest quality care, and physicians who have trained and practiced all over the world. Many Hutchinson Clinic physicians offer outreach clinic locations to better serve patients in rural areas. In the Great Bend area, the Hutchinson Clinic offers specialty care in Cardiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oncology, Otolaryngology, Podiatry, and Pulmonology. The specialists who have outreach clinics in Great Bend include: Dr. Jamil Ahmed (Cardiologist); Dr. Carlos Garcia (ENT); Dr. Shannon Haenel (Oncology/Hematology); and several Advanced Practice Providers (Pulmonology). For many patients, the convenience of being able to see a doctor close to home is not only a financial benefit; but also saves time for the patient and often family members as well. All of the Great Bend outreach physicians see patients at the Hutchinson Clinic Great Bend Medical Office next to Great Bend Regional Hospital. In Hoisington, Dr. Christine Sanders and Dr. Stefanie Kempke offer OBGYN services and Dr. Geoffrey Kraemer is there twice a month for Podiatry. All of the doctors see patients at the Clara Barton Hospital and Clinic. In Ellinwood, Dr. Lindsay Nordwald provides OBGYN care at the Ellinwood Hospital and Clinic. To schedule an appointment with any doctor at any location, call 620-669-2500. For more information about the Hutchinson Clinic, doctors, specialty care, walk-in care services, clinical trials, and outreach locations, visit hutchclinic.com.

Obstetrics | Gynecology | >ĂďŽƌĂƚŽƌLJ Θ dĞƐƟŶŐ|| ĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ ĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ || Sonogram | Prenatal & Postpartum YogaYoga Obstetrics | Gynecology | >ĂďŽƌĂƚŽƌLJ Θ dĞƐƟŶŐ Sonogram&&Ultrasound Ultrasound | Prenatal & Postpartum

620-669-2578 makean anappointment. appointment. Because is important to us. CallCall 620-669-2578 totomake Becausetaking takingcare careofofyou you is important to us. Hutchinson Clinic Women’s Care physicians:

Hutchinson Clinic Women’s Care physicians:

George Cullan, MD

Marci Eck, MD

Stefanie Kempke, MD

ĐĐĞƉƟŶŐ ŶĞǁ ƉĂƟĞŶƚƐ ŝŶ Ăůů ĨŽƵƌ ůŽĐĂƟŽŶƐ͘ George Cullan, MD Marci Eck, MD Stefanie Kempke, MD Ellinwood – Dr. Nordwald Hoisington – Dr. Kempke & Dr. Sanders Hutchinson – All Women’s Care physicians ĐĐĞƉƟŶŐ ŶĞǁ ƉĂƟĞŶƚƐ ŝŶ Ăůů ĨŽƵƌ ůŽĐĂƟŽŶƐ͘ McPherson – – Dr. & Dr. Nordwald Ellinwood Dr.Kempke Nordwald

Lindsay Nordwald, MD

Lindsay Nordwald, MD

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Hoisington – Dr. Kempke & Dr. Sanders www.hutchclinic.com Hutchinson – All Women’s Care physicians McPherson – Dr. Kempke & Dr. Nordwald

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Shannon Haenel, DO Medical Oncology/Hematology

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017 •

11

Clara Barton Hospital named Center of Excellence Healthy Kansas Hospital working to reduce chronic illness BY VERONICA COONS vcoons@gbtribune.com

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OISINGTON — Last June, Clara Barton Hospital shared the good news that after signing the Healthy Kansas Hospital pledge with the Kansas Hospital Association in 2015, its efforts to reduce chronic illness among employees and customers had been recognized. It joined 27 other hospitals that had followed through with policy changes and new practices to win the Healthy Kansas Hospitals Centers of Excellence Award and a $1,000 grant which it used to purchase a refrigerated healthy vending machine. Clara Barton was also one of two hospitals which received a coordination grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield for $100,000 with the opportunity for the coalition and community partners to apply for another $400,000 in funding to implement health initiatives within the community. Changes included eliminating or reducing carbonated beverages in the hospital cafeteria, providing non-sugary and unsweetened beverages like fruitinfused water for free in the cafeteria, eliminating deep-fat fried foods, and adopting heart-healthy breads. Clara Barton CEO Jim Blackwell said the timing couldn’t have been better. Recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control indicated that obesity and diabetes were still on the rise and

even more alarming was the death rate showing an uptick as well, he said. These were good first steps to help the community make lifestyle changes to affect a healthier outcome. Employees embraced the new changes, Blackwell said. That led to more enhancements. The dietary department received a facelift. Brian Banks, the man behind the new food concept at Clara’s Corner Cafe, had a vision to create delicious and visually appealing items that fit the criteria of the program. Visitors, too, were offered healthy entree options daily, as well as fresh sandwich wraps and fruit and yogurt parfaits. Fresh fruits and vegetables are always available. A wellness committee, Clara Barton Hospital’s Health for Life Coalition, was formed headed by Jane Schepmann, chief nursing officer. Members have worked to promote healthier lifestyles within the hospital and in the community. They strengthened relationships with the Barton County Health Department, local school districts, Be Well Barton County and Town and Country Supermarket.

In September, the Coalition distributed a Community Perception Survey, asking for help from community members of Hoisington and all of northern Barton County to obtain a better understanding on how residents view the health of their community. The survey asked a variety of questions including questions about physical activity, access to healthy foods and the availability of healthy options in local restaurants. Coalition members met in November to tally results and this month they will present their findings and a targeted list of ways to engage

with community partners to advance health. Hoisington City Manager Jonathan Mitchell is on the Coalition’s Public Policy committee. At the Jan. 23 meeting, he shared with the council some of those ideas which could be implemented, such as healthy cooking classes, physical activity programs, and greater access to fruits and vegetables. If the Coalition is successful in securing more grant money, it may pave the way for some “Complete Streets� improvements identified in the Barton County Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan the city gave a stamp of approval to in 2016. Improvements to street connectivity like sharrows, sidewalks and way-finding signage could go a long way toward encouraging a more active lifestyle, and brings everything fullcircle to Clara Barton Hospital’s goal to reduce chronic illness.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017

Familiar face is back in 2017 Durrett to begin endoscopy services at Ellinwood

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LLINWOOD — Robin Durrett, D.O. is joining the practice at Ellinwood Hospital and Clinic to perform colonoscopy and endoscopy services. Dr. Durrett will begin seeing patients in the Ellinwood Clinic for pre-surgery appointments in early February, with procedures starting soon after. “Dr. Durrett is an amazing addition to our medical team,” reports Kile Magner, CEO of Ellinwood Hospital and Clinic. “And this service is a great addition to our line-up of family care, outreach, inpatient and emergency services. To be able to provide these services means that we can care for more patients, here at home, with local doctors that they know and trust.” The hospital sponsored an Ellinwood Chamber of Commerce coffee on Friday, Feb. 3 to provide the public with an opportunity to meet and visit with Dr. Durrett and find out what services he would provide

at the hospital. The Hospital is currently getting ready for the practice by moving two offices and bringing in the equipment needed to do the procedures. The procedures will take place in one of the emergency rooms, and pre- and post-op patients will be cared for on the acute wing of the Hospital. The Hospital will provide more information as equipment is installed and clinic and surgery dates are announced.

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017 •

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Ellinwood Hospital WHERE EVERYONE & Clinic bringing new services to community

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New pharmacy, specialty outreach planned BY VERONICA COONS vcoons@gbtribune.com

ELLINWOOD - The past year has been one of renewal for Ellinwood Hospital & Clinic. Starting with the announcement that the hospital would soon be offering telemedicine services, the momentum continued with the announcement in October that the hospital would expand its range of specialty services when Dr. Lindsay Norwald of the Hutchinson Clinic would begin seeing patients on a monthly basis. Dr. Norwald, an OB/ GYN, sees patients for well-woman exams, pap smears, IUD insertions, Nexplanon insertions, as well as some prenatal appointments. In January, the hospital also announced that Dr. Robin Durrett would open his practice there. (See related story.) FOUNDATION INTRODUCES NEW FUNDRAISERS Along the way, the Ellinwood Hospital & Clinic Foundation kept pace with a slew of exciting fundraisers, including the After Harvest Festival Fun Run in August, and its First Annual Golf Tournament and $1,000 Golf Ball Drop in September. During Christkindlmarket in December, the Foundation also hosted its first Christmas Gala. It’s fundraisers like these that over the two-year period of 2014-2015 provided the means to replace flooring throughout the hospital. The employees cared deeply about the project, donating over $9,200, nearly a third of the cost. That project was finally undertaken in October. “The Foundation has supported many projects at the Hospital, but this one is a little special,� explains Kile Magner, hospital CEO. “While equipment is only used by patients who need the service it provides, this flooring makes a difference for every

single person who comes into the hospital. It makes a huge difference for staff, and it makes the hospital a much nicer place to be for patients.� After the project was complete, the Hospital District Board of Directors also approved the re-flooring of the Therapy Services area and the Ellinwood Clinic. The Clinic floors were expected to be installed in early 2017. TAX CREDITS AWARDED In addition to raising record amounts for the Foundation’s ongoing efforts to provide for hospital improvements, in July the Foundation was also awarded up to $200,000 worth of Kansas State tax credits through the Community Service Tax Credit program. The program provides nonprofits a way to fund capital improvements. For the Ellinwood Community Hospital and Clinic the proceeds from the credits will fund nearly half of a proposed renovation of the building that now houses the St. John Child Development Center, providing space for a new pharmacy and outreach clinic, two things that surveys of the community have indicated are much needed. Currently, the child development center occupies about half the building. They will continue to have a space there, and the hospital will build a separate entrance to ensure children have no interaction with patients visiting the clinic and pharmacy. The outreach clinic will provide updated, modern facilities for patients to visit specialists who will visit the hospital on a regular basis. “We will be submitting our building plans to KDHE in March, then after approval, getting bids,� said Foundation Director Lindsey Bogner. The coming year is shaping up to be a good one for Ellinwood Hospital & Clinic also.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017

CNA class opens career options BY SUSAN THACKER sthacker@gbtribune.com

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ome Great Bend High School students are spending their afternoons at Barton Community College, where they can earn a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) certificate in just one semester. GBHS seniors Caitlin Schmitt and Mollie Hestand were among the students taking each other’s vital signs during a recent class. Each student checked a partner’s blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate and temperature. “I am going into the nursing field once I finish high school,” Hestand said. “I really enjoy the class because it is so hands-on and interactive.” Schmitt learned about the CNA class from her school counselor. “I decided to take it because even though I’m not sure what career in the medical field I’d like to pursue, getting a CNA license is a solid start,” she said. “I’m liking the CNA class a lot because our instructor, Rose Smith, makes it as enjoyable as possible,” Schmitt said. “It’s clear that she’s passionate about the nursing field and she loves to hear us out with any stories or questions we might have.” Smith entered the health-care profession as a CNA herself at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation when she was 17 years old. Now she is a registered nurse completing her master’s degree in nursing education. While some BCC classes are taught at the high school, the CNA class meets on the Barton campus so students can use the Adult Healthcare Simulation Lab located in the Technical Building. The lab features a patient room complete with mannequins so students can practice working in a small space, such as a nursing home, and maneuvering equipment such as the lifting machine. The female mannequin has

COURTESY PHOTO Barton Community College

Mollie Hestand and Paloma Sandoval check each other’s vital signs at the start of a CNA class at Barton Community College. Also checking signs in the background are Paulina Martinez-Baray and Caitlyn Schmitt.

everything a live patient might have in her room: Clothing, eyeglasses, dentures and a cat that sits on her lap. She also has a catheter and a colonoscopy bag. The Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services requires this sort of training for a CNA certificate or for a Certified Medication Aide (CMA) certificate. Barton students practice on real hospital equipment similar to the equipment they will encounter in the field. In 2015, St. Rose Health Center donated items from the former Central Kansas Medical Center to Barton’s nursing, pharmacy tech and adult health-care programs. “There’s a whole check-off students have to be able to per-

form before moving on to actual patient care,” Smith said. Eventually they will meet patients in a real-life setting such as Woodhaven Care Center in Ellinwood. During these clinical experiences they are always under the watchful eye of a trained professional. At the end of the course, students must pass a state CNA exam in order to earn their certificates. High schools in Hoisington and Ellinwood have also offered the BCC course, as well as schools in other counties. This course is available to adult learners as well as high school students. “We have all kinds of students,” Smith said. “A lot of the students have a goal of becoming anything from nurses to doctors. This

would be a foundation course for any type of health care. It introduces the students to patient care and patient interaction.” The five-hour course typically costs around $600 in tuition and fees, plus the cost of textbooks. Barton County residents can save $35, thanks to a $7 per credit hour discount, said Sara Hoff, the college’s Nursing Remediation and Adult Healthcare programs coordinator. But students at GBHS and other Kansas high schools can take this and other career technical courses tuition-free, thanks to Senate Bill 155, enacted by the Legislature in 2012. Assistant Principal Randy Wetzel said GBHS students are also enrolled in courses such as medical terminology, which they

can take at the school, or phlebotomy, which they take online. Other BCC career and technical classes available to GBHS students include automotive technology and welding. Wetzel estimates more than 50 GBHS students have earned CNA certificates since SB 155 was enacted. “It’s a good program,” he said. Smith noted that the CNA class is also open to adults. This summer the college will offer three sessions of an accelerated course that can be completed in 13 days by attending classes from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on CNA or CMA classes at Barton, contact Sara Hoff at hoffs@ bartonccc.edu or telephone 620792-9298.

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Radiation Oncology & Chemotherapy/Hematology Services in Great Bend Second Opinions p | Financial Counselingg | Support pp Groups & Services | Clinical Trials

620-792-5511 | 204 Cleveland St | Great Bend heartlandcancercenter.org Heartland Cancer Center

Radiation Oncology: Dr. Claudia Perez-Tamayo, FACR, FACRO & Dr. Thomas Hegarty Medical Oncology: Dr. Mark Fesen, Dr. Greg Nanney and Lori Williams, PA-C

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