The City of Fort Scott has been anxiously awaiting an announcement regarding the Emergency Room.
We are fortunate to have Ascension Via Christi provide Emergency Room services in our community.
In October of 2018, a task force was quickly pulled together to work on three priorities: 1) Primary Care to maintain our medical staff with no disruption of service; 2) Ambulance Service, and 3) Emergency Room.
The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas will be assuming operations of Mercy Convenient Care Friday, February 1. The most noticeable change will be a new sign reading CHC/SEK Walk-In Care. Hours of operation will remain the same – 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Telephone numbers remain the same; the majority of the original staff have been retained. Patients still should enter through the main hospital door. The pharmacy will continue to operate as usual.
The main clinic located within the hospital building will be closed Friday, February 1, to change out phone and computer systems and will reopen Monday, February 4 at 8 a.m. Hours of operation are expanding with the clinic open Monday through Thursday until 6 p.m. Friday hours will remain the same which are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
CHC/SEK will also be providing Mammography Services beginning in mid-February following completion of all licensure requirements.
Specialty clinics will continue and expand to add specialists from Kansas City, Joplin, Pittsburg and Iola. Previously located in Mercy’s building on Horton Street, these are being moved into the main clinic to make it more convenient for patients. A full listing of all visiting physicians will be published next week. The VA Clinic will remain in the Horton Street Building.
CHC/SEK has also initiated discussions with potential oncology providers to reopen the Cancer Center as soon as possible.
As with any transition, some glitches should be expected and appreciate everyone’s patience during this period.
As a reminder, the current EMS contract with Mercy remains in place through the end of March. The City/County EMS partnership will begin April 1st. The current EMS staff has been preparing for this provider transition for several months. The EMS service remains fully operational during the transition.
City Manager, Dave Martin, has maintained a close relationship with executives from Via Christi and Mercy to ensure the future of healthcare services in our community. Martin heard from Randy Cason, President of Ascension Via Christi and discussed future healthcare opportunities earlier today. Cason said he looks forward to a new partnership and providing services to Fort Scott.
“Fort Scott has a chance to be a role model for the future of rural healthcare,” said Martin. He added, “The task force will begin establishing a relationship with Via Christi and continue to partner with CHC/SEK to provide the best solution for future healthcare in our community.”
As always, the City of Fort Scott remains committed to the needs of the citizens and will continue to monitor healthcare throughout these exciting changes.
The new Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas sign is scheduled to be installed on Friday, Feb. 1, 2109, the day the health care in Fort Scott transitions from Mercy Hospital to CHC/SEK, according to Krista Postai, CHS/SEK President and Chief Executive Officer.
“The hours of operation will remain the same with the exception the main clinic will now be open until 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday – which is an hour longer than before – Friday it will close at 5 p.m. as in the past,” Postai said.
CHC/SEK is only using the (hospital) clinic space, she said.
“For the most part, everyone is in the space they used previously….doctors all kept the same offices,” Postai said.
” At some point, we will do an open house and invite the community in,” she said. “But at this point, our priority is to get everyone transitioned over as smoothly as possible. That includes everyone learning a new medical record (system) and getting almost 10,000 records entered into that new medical record (system) which is a mammoth task.”
Each of 17 CHC/SEK clinics has a practice manager to provide daily support and oversight of operations, Postai said.
Amy Budy is the Fort Scott CHC/SEK Practice Manager.
“There may be support staff that works for administration (e.g. medical records) who will office in Ft. Scott, or work from home, because they live there and it saves travel,” she said.
“Leadership will be there often, as needed, but we’re confident that this clinic will run as smoothly as our others with the support of our practice manager,” Postai said.
“All of CHC/SEK Leadership is composed of only six people…who have spent hundreds of hours in Fort Scott – along with at least 30 of our great staff – putting the pieces together to make this (transition) work,” she said. “We expect to put in hundreds of hours more before everything is completely settled and functional.”
The administration is comprised of Postai, Senior Vice President Jason Wesco, Chief Financial Officer Douglas Stuckey, Chief Clinical Officer Linda Bean, Vice President/Human Resources Megan Fry and General Counsel Daniel Creitz who work out of the CHS/SEK System Office at 3015 N. Michigan, according to a prior fortscott.biz interview.
Other management staff includes a Director of School Health, Director of Operations, Pharmacy Director, Dental Director, Director of Behavioral Health, IT Director, Billing Director, and others who provide support for all of clinics and staff, according to the prior interview.
They are located at various sites throughout the area and travel from clinic to clinic to oversee programs.
To view the original announcement:
Community Health Center of SEK New Owner of Mercy’s Clinic
To learn more:
Mercy Health Foundation Donates $300,000 To Community Health Center
Click below:
Ruth R. Mudd, 98, formerly of Uniontown, passed away Monday morning, January 28, 2019, at the Kingswood Health Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
She was born November 20, 1920, in Uniontown, Kansas, the daughter of Thomas Jefferson and Effie Bertha (Summers) Hart. She married (James) Kelly Mudd June 18, 1943, in Riverside, California. He preceded her in death February 22, 2002.
Ruth worked for the Social Security Administration for seventeen years prior to her retirement in March 1982. She was a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church and the Altar Society, as well as the Social Security Administration Alumni. She was also a member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, NARFE Chapter 20, and a former member of American Federation of Government Employees 1336.
Ruth is survived by several nieces and nephews, including Pat Pearson, of Emporia, Kansas, Pam Pollock, of Leawood, Kansas, Pat Price, and Jean Wiley, both of Fort Scott.
In addition to her husband Kelly, Ruth, as the last of nine children, was also preceded in death by eight brothers and sisters and her parents.
Father Yancey Burgess will celebrate the Funeral Mass 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 31, 2019, at the Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church with Rosary at 10:30 a.m. prior to services.
Burial will follow at the St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Walnut, Kansas. Memorial contributions may be made to the Catholic Community Hospice and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, PO Box 309, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.
PITTSBURG, Kansas – Ascension Via Christi has an agreement to operate Fort Scott’s emergency room, diagnostic imaging and laboratory services, as soon as it can get regulatory approval to do so.
As planned, Mercy Hospital will close the emergency room in Fort Scott at midnight on Jan. 31. Therefore, there will be a gap in service while regulatory inspections to operate under new management are obtained.
During that time, ambulance service will continue to be available to respond to 911 emergency calls. EMS’ well-trained staff is aware of all options for treatment and will have two crews available to respond to calls and transport, as may be necessary to the four hospitals located within an hour drive, including Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg.
Under the agreement, Ascension Via Christi will lease approximately 16,000-square feet of clinical space from Mercy and Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg will manage the emergency and outpatient services in Fort Scott.
Mercy announced the closure of its Fort Scott hospital in October, along with plans to pursue opportunities to transfer certain services to other area providers. Under the agreement, Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg will manage emergency and outpatient services at the Fort Scott hospital location.
“We have worked diligently to retain the staff working at Mercy Fort Scott and are in the process of recruiting and onboarding the clinical and non-clinical associates we’ll need to staff services in Fort Scott,” said Randy Cason, president of Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, adding that having an emergency room is critical for the residents of Fort Scott and surrounding communities.
“Taking on emergency room and outpatient diagnostics responsibilities is a continuation of our mission to care for the residents of Southeast Kansas,” Cason said. “Mercy has agreed to transfer its emergency, laboratory and radiology equipment on-site to allow for a smooth transition of services.”
Post Service Officer Myra Jowers will no longer hold office hours on Tuesdays at Memorial Hall. She will meet with anyone, by appointment, who has questions about filing VA claims, who need a second set of eyes to review their claims or help understand VA documents they have received in the mail. Her service is free and is for anyone, Veteran or family member, who wish to file a claim or appeal a denied claim. She can be reached at [email protected] or 620.215.1286 to schedule an appointment.
Our Post 25 American Legion Oratorical competition was Saturday, January 26, 2019. Madison Toth, 11th grade student at Fort Scott High School, was our Post winner. She will represent Post at the District Oratorical competition at American Legion Post 153 in Olathe on February 16th at 10 am. All Post members are encouraged to attend and support our candidate.
The first shuttle run for the Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center is Tuesday, February 5. Any area Vet needing a ride for a medical appointment should call 785-925-0261 for more information or to reserve a seat. All Vets riding the shuttle must have medical appointments between 9 am and 1 pm. The deadline for scheduling a seat is 5 pm, Monday, February 4.
KOAM News also did a feature on the Shuttle program. It was a short-fused request for interviews, but fortunately I was able to pull together three drivers for the interview. The TV feature game additional exposure for this free Fort Scott – Topeka Veterans Shuttle Service.
The KOAM article can be found at https://www.koamnewsnow.com/news/veterans-shuttle-service-coming-to-fort-scott/988134458?fbclid=IwAR0p_SFiR6ZEJ-24S-zKkGtWoqUZcFBr7oZpiiXkwywWNBnjcktE_eU-3wU.
I am pleased to announce that once again Fort Scott American Legion Thompson-Harkey Post 25 leads the Department of Kansas in membership this week. Our 2019 goal was 51 members. Our current membership is at 131% and 67 members. We are 16 members over our goal. By way of comparison, Grainfield Post 301 in District 6, is in 2nd place for membership at 115%. Thanks to all members who have made Fort Scott Post 25 a highly visible and active Legion Post in the Department of Kansas.
Nominations for Post 25 Officers for the 2019 – 2020 Legion year will begin at our March meeting. Any Post 25 Legionnaire in good standing can be nominated for any office. “In good standing” is a Legion phrase that means that your dues are current.
Legion merchandise can be ordered through Emblem Sales: https://emblem.legion.org/. Contact me if ordering a Legion cap to insure your cap has the correct lettering.
Upcoming Events
January 31. Post 25 Executive Committee meets in Memorial Hall at 6 pm. Post 25 is member driven. Please make Post 25 Executive Committee members aware of any suggestions or thoughts you may have about improving Post 25.
February 1-3. The Mid-Winter Forum is open to all Legionnaires and offers every member, especially Post leaders and chairmen, the opportunity to learn more about The American Legion, its programs and the direction each program is expected to take if there are any changes being considered, including changes directed by National Headquarters. In addition, the Forum provides information about how and why The American Legion functions in the manner we do as an organization. More information about the forum is available at https://ksamlegion.org/view/document/sunflower2019q1.pdf.
February 4. Post 25 meet and greet at 6:30 pm. Come and enjoy the fellowship of other Veterans. Bring an eligible Veteran to visit our Post.
February 4. Post 25 general membership meeting at 7 pm in Memorial Hall. Our membership meetings are open to all. SAL members are strongly encouraged to attend.
February 5. Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle departs Pete’s Convenience Store, 1920 South Main Street, parking lot at 615 am. Vets needing a ride for a medical appointment must call 785-925-0261 to schedule a seat.
February 11. Shuttle drivers meeting at 6 pm to discuss program details and select driving days.
February 14. Post 25 Color Guard meets at 7 pm in Memorial Hall. All Post members including SAL members are invited to join our growing Color Guard.
February 12. Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle departs Pete’s Convenience Store, 1920 South Main Street, parking lot at 615 am. Vets needing a ride for a medical appointment must call 785-925-0261 to schedule a seat.
February 19. Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle departs Pete’s Convenience Store, 1920 South Main Street, parking lot at 615 am. Vets needing a ride for a medical appointment must call 785-925-0261 to schedule a seat.
February 26. Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle departs Pete’s Convenience Store, 1920 South Main Street, parking lot at 615 am. Vets needing a ride for a medical appointment must call 785-925-0261 to schedule a seat.
March 4. Post 25 meet and greet at 6:30 pm in Memorial Hall. Come and enjoy the fellowship of other Veterans. Bring an eligible Veteran to visit our Post.
March 4. Post 25 general membership meeting at 7 pm in Memorial Hall. Our membership meetings are open to all. SAL members are strongly encouraged to attend.
April 1. Post 25 meet and greet at 6:30 pm in Memorial Hall. Come and enjoy the fellowship of other Veterans. Bring an eligible Veteran to visit our Post.
April 1. Post 25 general membership meeting at 7 pm in Memorial Hall. Our membership meetings are open to all. SAL members are strongly encouraged to attend.
Remember to check out Post 25 on Facebook. It contains current information of interest to Veterans and their families.
Carl Jowers. Commander
Fort Scott American Legion Post 25
Telephone: 620.215.1688
Email: [email protected]
State Treasurer Jake LaTurner Adds New Transparency to Statewide Debt Report
Topeka—Kansas State Treasurer Jake LaTurner today released the statewide indebtedness report in a new, more transparent, user-friendly web format for Kansans to access. The report shows Kansas carrying a debt of $1,554 per capita, placing it 18th in the nation for highest debt per capita compared to all fifty states and higher than the debt per capita of Missouri ($532), Oklahoma ($303), Iowa ($219), and Nebraska ($20) combined. This data is compiled as part of the 2018 Moody’s Investor Service’s Public Finance Report, published annually.
“It is important that we do not turn a blind eye to this endless cycle of mortgaging our children’s future,” said Laturner. “Adding more debt to our state must come to an end, and it starts with shining a light on where we are doing well and where we need to improve.”
The website, which can be found at https://kansasstatetreasurer.com/indebtedness.html, includes a series of interactive graphs that detail the sources and amounts of debt carried by the state as well as individual counties.
“I strongly encourage the Governor, Legislators and others to use these tools to help develop a plan that aggressively attacks this liability,” said LaTurner, “Debt is a dangerous cycle that does not end without action on our part. Kansans work hard every day to balance their budgets at home, and government should do the same.”
Carl Frederich Lyman, age 72, a resident of rural Garland, Kansas, passed away early Monday, January 28, 2019, at his home.
He was born November 10, 1946, in Ft. Scott, Kansas, the son of Clifford Lyman and Hattie Jasmund Lyman. Carl graduated from the Ft. Scott High School and the Ft. Scott Community College. While in high school, Carl was a member of the 1963 championship football team.
Carl married Deborah Beth Mosher on April 23, 2004. Carl had worked as a meat cutter in Pittsburg and then worked for twenty-five years at Ward-Kraft in Ft. Scott. Following his retirement, Carl continued to work part-time for Wal-Mart. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He loved spending time with his grandchildren. He also liked to cook. He had served as a Past Master for the Rising Sun Lodge #8 A.F. & A.M. in Ft. Scott. He was a member of the Community of Christ Church.
Survivors include his wife, Deborah, of the home; a son, Matt Lyman and a daughter, Jana Walker and her husband, Shane; three step-children, Tracie Nation, Courtney West and Brian West; fourteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.
At Carl’s request, his body was donated to the University of Kansas Medical Center.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 A.M. Monday, February 4th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Masonic rites will also be conducted.
Burial will follow at a later date in the Sunny Slope Cemetery in Blue Mound, Kansas. Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
April Michelle “Shelly” Brodnax Piatt, age 48, a resident of Girard, Kansas, passed away Monday, January 28, 2019, at the Freeman West Medical Center in Joplin, Missouri.
She was born April 18, 1970, in Ft. Scott, Kansas, the daughter of James Erwin Brodnax and Doris Jean Stanley Brodnax. She graduated from the Ft. Scott High School and later from Labette County Community College.
She had worked as a CNA doing home health care and also assisting the school nurse for the Girard school district. Shelly cared deeply for her family and was a devoted mother to her two sons. She was always willing to help others any way she could.
Survivors include her two sons, Chase Piatt and wife, Courtney, of Arma, Kansas and Dalton Piatt, of Reno, Nevada. Also surviving are her parents, James Brodnax, of Girard, Kansas and Jeanne Stanley of Reno, Nevada; and two sisters, Tanya Morter and husband, Matt, of Ft. Scott, Kansas and Christina Larking and husband, Matthew, of Milford, Massachusetts.
Pastor Dale Samuels will conduct graveside services at 1:30 P.M. Thursday, January 31st at the West Liberty Cemetery east of Hammond, Kansas.
Family and friends will meet Thursday at the Cheney Witt Chapel prior to leaving for the cemetery at 1:15 P.M. Arrangements are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
