’s
January 22, 2016 edition
The Pulse
Your regular check up on SCKMC activities Share your thoughts, story ideas, and comments by e-mail to claytonp@sckrmc.org.
SCKMC Seeks Matching Funds
Veterans Choice Program Expanded
SCKMC hopes to work with Legacy Regional Community Foundation to bring new physicians to the area. The Legacy Foundation oversees charitable gifts for the hospital through their “Arkansas City Community Health Fund.” The Community Health Fund is for cash or endowment gifts to SCKMC. Cash fund gifts may be spent immediately, as opposed to endowment gifts where the main gift is never spent but permanently invested to provide income. Earnings from these investments may be used by the hospital for a variety of health related purposes, including physician recruitment. SCKMC has been in contact with a Kansas physician interested in relocating to the Ark City area. Hospital representatives have chosen not to release the name of the physician at this time, as they do not have a signed contract in place. According to Virgil Watson, SCKMC’s Chief Executive Officer, the upfront recruiting expenses for this physician are estimated to be up to $45,000. This includes recruitment agency fees, moving expenses, and a sign on bonus. This will be the first time SCKMC has needed to use funding outside of its general operations to support physician recruitment. “The biggest difference is our availability of cash for the facility to be able to bring a physician on. We definitely have a huge need to have another physician so we can generate more revenue and have more cash for the facility. But we are at a point financially with the hospital, with the cuts we have seen from Medicare and Medicaid, that we need some assistance to make sure we get that physician in place,” said Holly Harper, SCKMC’s Chief Financial Officer. Watson has asked the hospital’s Board of Trustees to consider requesting $12,500 from Legacy’s Arkansas City Community Health Fund with the possibility that the amount can be matched through additional individual donations to the Legacy fund. The request is on the agenda for the next hospital Board meeting to be held on Thursday, January 28th. Individuals interested in contributing to South Central Kansas Medical Center’s Arkansas City Community Health Fund should contact Legacy Regional Community Foundation at (620) 221-7224 or donate online at www.legacyregionalfoundation.org. Legacy Regional Community Foundation is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit philanthropic organization. This means gifts to any fund held with Legacy are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
SCKMC has partnered with the Veterans Choice Program since July 2015, allowing local veterans to receive healthcare services closer to home. This week the hospital was notified that the providers of their downtown clinic, South Central Kansas Clinic, have been approved to also provide services through the program. Dr. Kamran Shahzada, Dr. Rhonda Green, and APRN Angela Ziegler have all received approval from TriWest Healthcare Alliance, the organization which oversees the program, to accept Veterans Choice patients. “This is a program that we have had interest in, but also that the community had interest in us having an interest in. Our administrative team pushed to get this accomplished, all while working on our many other projects. I’m excited that we are able to partner with the VA, as the Veterans Choice program should be a great benefit to those who served,” said Virgil Watson, SCKMC’s Chief Executive Officer. Veterans wanting to use the choice program for local service must receive prior approval from the VA. Care in the community is only covered by VA for medical needs which have been approved by your VA physician. Emergency care is not covered by the Choice program. Veterans who did not receive, or have lost their Veterans Choice Card may still be eligible to use the program. They can call the Choice Program Call Center at 866-606-8198 or contact the Choice Champion at their local VA medical facility for more information, to verify eligibility, and make an appointment. Veterans can also visit www.va.gov/opa/choiceact for more information about the program. South Central Kansas Clinic is located at 515 N. Summit in Ark City.
The Pharm Forum with Homer Mah, D.Ph. The FDA has recently approved a new medication to treat gout called Zurampic. Gout is a form of arthritis caused by excess uric acid. It can cause an attack of sudden burning pain, stiffness, and swelling in a joint. Over time, gout can harm your joints, tendons, and other tissues. Zurampic treats high uric acid levels in the blood by helping the kidney excrete the acid. Most common adverse reactions include headache, influenza, elevated blood creatinine, and GERD. The FDA is requiring post marketing studies on renal and cardiovascular safety.
Give the Gift of Health Consider a gift to the Medical Center. Your donation will benefit our community for decades to come. Giving to the hospital helps us continue to provide the best in medical care right here, close to home. We offer a number of approaches to support our programs. Gifting opportunities range from providing support to name a portion of the new facility, to providing funding that can assist in providing new equipment or sponsoring programs.
Call or visit us on-line and find out how you can share the gift of health.
We are 6401 Patterson Parkway, Arkansas City 6401 Patterson Parkway, Arkansas City
www.sckmc.org
(620) 442-2500