Category Archives: Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas

Hope For The Holidays: Honoring Those Who Have Died

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“Hope for the Holidays” is  December 3 from 6 to 7 pm at the Cheney Witt Funeral Home, 201 S Main Street, provided by Mt. Carmel Hospice.
Cheney Witt Funeral Home, 201 S. Main, taken from its website.
“The event honors those patients we have served and cared for over the last year who have passed,” said Mt. Carmel Hospice Chaplain Jeff Feagins. “It is also open to anyone in the community who has lost a loved one they would like to honor.”
Mt. Carmel Hospice offices are located at 2322 S Main Street at the Community Health Center of Southeast location.
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas at Fort Scott, 2322 S. Main.
“Mount Carmel Hospice takes its name to honor the legacy of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Wichita, who were early pioneers in healthcare and founders of Mount Carmel Hospital in Pittsburg in 1902,” he said.
Jeff Feagins, Mt. Carmel Hospice Chaplain and Bereavement Coordinator. Submitted photo.
“The holidays can be a difficult time for families and friends remembering a lost loved one,” Feagins said. “This service can provide a time to honor and remember those we’ve lost. We want to strive to help people through the grieving process. There will be a time of worship, prayer, and a message of hope, to help people having a difficult time grieving the loss of a loved one.”
Services Provided by Mt. Carmel Hospice
The mission of the Mt. Carmel Hospice team is to address the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of both patients and their family members at the end of life by providing care wherever the patient calls home.  Services include:
RN Case Manager
Social Work Services
Medications
Medical Equipment and Supplies
Chaplain Services
Hospice Aid Services
Therapy Services
Volunteer Services
Short-Term Inpatient Care
Short-term Respite Care
Bereavement Counseling
Feagins explains the chaplain services he provides:
“My first task is to understand the patient/family’s current spiritual needs,” Feagins said. “I am there to listen and provide spiritual guidance. Spiritual care may include:  offering companionship, talking about life, values, fears, hopes or dreams, difficult health decisions, ways to find hope and purpose, honoring or healing relationships, giving or asking for forgiveness, letting go of anger, hurt or past wrongs, the meaning of life and what happens after death. The care plan can also include prayer, talking about faith, and reading scripture.  I also offer grief support for the family after their loved one passes away. This includes phone calls, visits, and mailings throughout the next 13 months. I also offer a monthly grief support group called Grief Unveiled throughout the year.”
 
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care

Teacher Turned Pediatrician: Mary Jo Flint

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Dr. Mary Jo Flint.

 

Dr. Mary Jo Flint started on August 26 as a pediatrician at the Community Health Center Of  Southeast Kansas in Fort Scott.

Flint earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks and taught kindergarten and Head Start classes.

“I was a teacher and enjoyed kids,” she said. “I enjoy watching them grow and working with families….helping them.”

Her decision to go on to medical school at the University of North Dakota was an extension of her wanting to help kids, she said. She graduated from med school in 1991 and completed her residency at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City. She is board-certified in pediatrics through the American Board of Pediatrics and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

For the last three years, she has worked in Tennessee in rural medicine.

With a daughter in Kansas City and a new grandchild, she wanted to be closer to them.

What attracted her to Fort Scott was the mission of the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, she said.

According to the CHC website, they transform healthcare by addressing and removing barriers faced in finding quality healthcare, and are driven to provide compassionate care for everyone who comes,  regardless of circumstances.

The medical services Flint provides are well checks-preventative appointments with children from birth to 18 years old and their parents- sick visits, developmental screenings, vaccines, x-rays, ultrasound, and mental health screenings.

“I use Evidence–based medicine (EBM),” she said, which is the scientific method to organize and apply current data to improve healthcare decisions. “I am constantly learning. If I find that something isn’t working, I don’t keep on doing it, I try something else.”

CHC has a walk-in clinic on site, 2322 S. Main, that is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the doctor’s office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Contact Dr. Flint at 620.223.8040 for an appointment for your child.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas at Fort Scott, June 2023

About CHC

Providing Compassionate Care

In 1903 Mother Mary Bernard Sheridan, a Sister of Saint Joseph, brought healthcare to the poorest in our region, building a hospital on donated land and providing care for all. She told her staff to “Do all the good that you can, for all the people you can, in all the ways that you can, for just as long as you can,” according to the CHC website.

Humble Beginnings

CHC/SEK opened its doors in 1997 on the second floor of a 90-year-old elementary school building as a community outreach of Mt. Carmel Regional Medical Center, the hospital Mother Sheridan founded in 1903. Their purpose was to ensure that all children were “ready to learn” by providing physicals and immunizations, no matter their parents’ ability to pay. It was a mission of love in an area of critical need – a community that continues to have some of the highest rates of childhood poverty in Kansas.

They quickly realized these children’s parents and grandparents needed care too and expanded services and facilities to provide quality, affordable healthcare to patients of all ages. By 2003, they had become an independent organization with 11 employees that cared for 3,300 patients.

Healthier Communities

Today, more than 1000 employees care for more than 70,000 patients every year, providing medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, and support services across eastern Kansas and northeast Oklahoma – still regardless of the ability to pay.

 

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas

CHC/SEK family resource specialist recognized for home visits

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FORT SCOTT –– When little Rowdy was four months old, his mother connected with a Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas family resource specialist to help her navigate through the early days of parenthood.

That specialist is Rene Hibdon, and she was recently selected as the Universal Home Visitor of the Year award by the Kansas Maternal and Child Health. Hibdon makes home visits and has helped over 200 parents and babies get a good start.

The CHC/SEK utilizes the Universal Home Visiting program which is a product of the Kansas Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program, through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The primary goals of the program are to support healthy pregnancies, improve birth outcomes, and promote healthy infant development.

MCH Home Visiting is available to all without eligibility requirements. According to MCH the program follows a strengths-based approach which concentrates on the inherent strengths of individuals, families, and groups to aid recovery and empowerment. Services are intended to positively impact behaviors by increasing the number of people accessing early and comprehensive health care and services before, during, and after pregnancy.

In addition to providing education on health, safety, parenting, and infant development, MCH Home Visitors screen for risk factors, link families to other community resources, and help them navigate systems of care. A critical responsibility of the home visitor is to have a broad knowledge of available local services.

“Rene makes an impact in the lives of parents and their children,” CHC/SEK Patient Education and Support Manager Julie Laverack said. “We are proud to have her on our team of family resource specialists.”

Rowdy’s mother, Brooke, started working with Hibdon when she was in addiction recovery. With a compassionate approach, she supported the new mother with advice, connecting her to resources, and helped her set goals.

One goal they worked on was working independently on scheduling appointments and follow through with connections for resources. Hibdon showed her how and also went to appointments with her.

“Now she has the confidence to attend appointments without support,” she says, adding she has now set a new goal focusing on saving and using money to provide transportation and housing for her family. “Mom has shown great growth in all aspects of her life. She has stayed in her recovery program, she has great self-confidence, and she is thriving to be a better person and mother each day. She is not only accomplishing these goals for her family, but she is also accomplishing these goals for herself.”

Hibdon and the home visiting program has made an undeniable impact on families.

“When I need you, you’re there for me and my family,” the Brooke shared with Hibdon. “It doesn’t matter what the situation is, you are always willing to assist me. If I need help getting resources, you always look into it and point me in the right direction. If I need to get some things off my chest, you’re a great listener and if I need advice, you give it.”

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Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas

Walk-in mammography screenings now available at CHC/SEK

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Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas at Fort Scott, 2322 S. Main, Fort Scott.

 

One in eight women will develop breast cancer and to remove barriers many women have in receiving timely breast cancer screenings, the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas has made walk-in mammogram screenings available at its Fort Scott and Pittsburg South locations starting on September 3.

Women aged 40 and older without a recent mammogram screening can walk in from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday through Friday at CHC/SEK’s Fort Scott clinic located 2322 S. Main St, Fort Scott and Pittsburg South clinic located at 1011 S. Mount Carmel Place, Pittsburg. No referral or order required.

CHC/SEK participates in the Early Detection Works which is a breast and cervical cancer screening program for Kansas women. The clinic offers other financial assistance programs ensuring every woman who needs a mammogram screening will receive one regardless of income or insurance status. Patients can ask to speak to a Benefits Enrollment Specialist for more information on Early Detection Works. CHC/SEK offers discounted fees for services based on family size and income. No one is denied services based on their insurance status or ability to pay.

CHC/SEK provides Hologic 3D Genius imaging for all patients which detects 20–65 percent more invasive breast cancers than 2D alone.

To learn more or make an appointment call 620-223-8484 or visit our website at chcsek.org/service/imaging/

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About the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas 

The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) is a mission-focused, patient-owned, federally qualified health center (FQHC), Kansas not-for-profit corporation, and a recognized 501(c)(3) public charity. The CHC/SEK provides quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare for everyone, regardless of income or insurance status. The CHC/SEK has 39 registered sites in Kansas and Oklahoma, providing approximately 60 services, including walk-in care, primary care, women’s health, mammography and prenatal care, pediatrics, school-based health services, vaccinations, dental care, behavioral health and addiction treatment, and chronic disease management. To learn more, visit www.chcsek.org.

Bourbon County, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care

Women’s Health Fair: CHC/SEK focuses on Cervical Health Awareness

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Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas staff share information on women’s health services and health education materials at the Women’s Health Fair in Fort Scott in April.

The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is hosting a Women’s Health Fair on Sept. 7 at its Fort Scott clinic. The event is an opportunity to raise awareness about cervical cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV) disease, and the importance of getting screened.

The fair will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the CHC/SEK clinic located at 2322 S. Main St. Fort Scott. Participants aged 21 through 65 can get a cervical cancer screening during the health fair. To be screened during the event, an appointment can be made by calling 620-231-9873. Walk-in screening appointments will also be welcomed on the day of the event.

CHC/SEK staff at booths will provide health information on mammography, colorectal health, vaccines Early Detection Works and more. Mammography screening will be available at the event.

According to the CDC, each year in the United States, about 11,500 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed, and about 4,000 women die of this cancer.

For women aged 21-29, it is recommended to have a pap smear every three years if the results are normal. For women aged 30-65, providers recommend a pap smear with HPV testing every five years if results are normal. For women over age 65, the decision to stop screening depends on history and should be discussed with their provider.

Early detection is key, CHC/SEK Physician Holly Gault, MD, said, adding that she can’t stress enough how much better it is to find out early.

“We’ve seen several cervical cancer cases in young people that could’ve been prevented or caught earlier in the disease progression with proper screening,” Gault said.

CHC/SEK also participates in the Early Detection Works Program, which is a breast and cervical cancer screening program for Kansas women, and the clinic offers other financial assistance programs. Patients can learn more about Early Detection Works during the fair.

Another way CHC/SEK is helping prevent cervical cancer is by talking to parents about getting their children immunized for HPV. High-risk HPV infection is associated with nearly all cases of cervical cancer.

“There is a rise in cervical, head, and neck cancer, caused by HPV,” Gault said, adding these cancers could be prevented with immunizations for HPV.

The CDC and the American Cancer Society recommend HPV vaccination (Gardasil) for females and males as early as 11 years of age. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Gardasil three-dose series for individuals up to 45 years of age.

For more information about the upcoming event people can call the clinic at 620-231-9873.

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About Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas 

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) is a mission-focused, patient-owned, federally qualified health center (FQHC), Kansas not-for-profit corporation, and a recognized 501(c)(3) public charity. CHC/SEK provides quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare for everyone, regardless of income or insurance status. CHC/SEK has 39 registered sites in Kansas and Oklahoma, providing approximately 60 services, including walk-in care, primary care, women’s health, mammography and prenatal care, pediatrics, school-based health services, vaccinations, dental care, behavioral health and addiction treatment, and chronic disease management. To learn more, visit www.chcsek.org.

 

Bourbon County, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care, Youth

CHC/SEK Fort Scott welcomes new pediatrician

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FORT SCOTT –– Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is pleased to announce pediatrician Mary Jo Flint, MD, has joined the medical staff at CHC/SEK’s Fort Scott Clinic, 2322 S. Main St.

 

Pediatricians see to the needs of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. For many young people, a pediatrician is their primary care provider from birth, through the age of 18. Pediatricians have many responsibilities, from regular well-child checkups to diagnosing and treating illnesses, injuries, and other health conditions.

 

Dr. Flint is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and most recently practiced in Henderson, Tennessee. She has connections to our region, having previously practiced pediatric medicine in the Kansas City area.

 

Dr. Flint graduated from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and worked in private practice in Kansas City and Children’s Mercy Hospital. She is affiliated with Overland Park Regional Medical Center, Menorah Hospital, Shawnee Mission Medical Center, and St Luke’s East.

 

Outside of her work, she enjoys reading about history and historical biographies, following sports including KC Chiefs, KSU football, and University of North Dakota hockey, attending music and drama events and church.

 

Dr. Flint will join CHC/SEK in September and appointments are now being accepted by calling 620-223-8040.

 

For more information about CHC/SEK Fort Scott Clinic, visit https://chcsek.org

 

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas

Mount Carmel Hospice awarded accreditation, now accepting patients

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FORT SCOTT –– A new hospice service dedicated to caring for terminally ill residents in Bourbon and Crawford County has achieved a significant milestone. Mount Carmel Hospice, a non-profit service operating within the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK), has officially obtained accreditation from CHAP, the Community Health Accreditation Partner, Inc., for meeting Hospice Standards.

The CHAP Accreditation demonstrates that Mount Carmel Hospice meets the industry’s highest nationally recognized standards. As patients near the end of life, hospice care focuses on the quality of life when quantity of life is limited. Hospice care helps patients live their final months with the greatest comfort and dignity and care is provided for the whole family, not just the person with the illness.

Mount Carmel Hospice was incorporated in 2023 by CHC/SEK after Bourbon County’s locally operating hospice service closed. Mount Carmel Hospice is currently accepting patient enrollments from Bourbon and Crawford counties. Expansion into additional areas is planned for the near future.

Mount Carmel Hospice takes its name to honor the legacy of Sisters of St. Joseph of Wichita, who were early pioneers in healthcare and founders of Mount Carmel Hospital in Pittsburg in 1902.

To be hospice-eligible, a patient must receive a diagnosis of a terminal illness from a physician, with a life expectancy of 6 months or less if the illness follows its normal course. Hospice services are fully covered by Medicare and most other insurance plans. If the terminal condition improves, the patient can be discharged from hospice and returned to curative treatment. If need be, patients can return later to hospice care.

The care team at Mount Carmel Hospice includes compassionate experts to help manage symptoms, so patients can feel comfortable and spend their final days in ways that are important to them. Nurses are available around the clock, seven days a week. Social workers, chaplains, home health aides, volunteers, and bereavement counselors each contribute to wrapping an extra layer of compassion and support to the patients and their loved ones.

Volunteers are also an important part of the hospice team, bringing their special skills and talents with them that they can share. Volunteers offer the gift of time to devote to patients and families. Additional services include grief support groups, which are available to anyone in the community free of charge.

To contact Mount Carmel Hospice, please call 620-264-6550 or email Becky Davied, at [email protected]. For those interested in volunteering with Mount Carmel Hospice, please contact a hospice representative at 620-264-6550 or apply for a volunteer position on our website at chcsek.org/careers.

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About the Community Health Center of the Southeast Kansas

The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is a not-for-profit Federally Qualified Health Center based in Pittsburg, KS dedicated to providing quality health care to everyone regardless of income or insurance status. CHC/SEK serves more than 60,000 children and adults annually at clinic sites in Bourbon, Crawford, Cherokee, Labette, Linn, Montgomery, and Allen counties, and in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. For more information, visit www.chcsek.org.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care

Heart Health Month: Stopping tobacco use

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Stopping tobacco use can help reduce your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and other serious health problems. Within a few months after you stop smoking, you may notice improved breathing, circulation, and overall energy levels.

“There are so many benefits from stopping tobacco use,” Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas Clinical Pharmacy Services Manager Jennelle Knight, PharmD, CDCES, says. “It can improve your mental health, reduce stress and increase your lifespan. We at CHC/SEK are committed to assisting all who want to take back control of their health and gain freedom from tobacco.”

CHC/SEK helps patients take the first step towards stopping tobacco use including smoking, vaping, chewing and other forms of tobacco. The health center has a team of counselors, healthcare professionals, and peer support that can provide individual counseling, group counseling, nicotine replacement therapy and other resources.

Patients are provided with the information and support they need to make an informed decision about their health. Staff help patients develop a plan that is tailored to their individual needs. CHC/SEK offers several treatment options to help you stop using tobacco products.

Even for long-term heavy tobacco-users at any age, it can increase life expectancy. Additionally, stopping can improve quality of life as it can reduce the risk of respiratory infections, gum disease, and improve sense of smell and taste.

Tobacco Cessation Medications

Utilizing FDA-approved medication in addition to counseling can more than double your chances of success.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a proven and effective way to stop using tobacco. It works by supplying the body with small doses of nicotine without the harmful chemicals found in tobacco. Nicotine is an addictive substance — tobacco contains harmful chemicals. These small doses of nicotine from NRT help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms associated with stopping the use of tobacco such as smoking, vaping, and chewing. NRT comes in various forms such as gum, lozenges, and patches.

There are also prescription-only treatment options available to help reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

Health Benefits of Stopping Smoking

Stopping smoking can significantly reduce your risk of developing smoking-related diseases, even if you’ve smoked for many years. The health benefits start almost immediately after you stop smoking, and they continue to improve over time.

Within twenty minutes of stopping smoking, your heart rate and blood pressure drop. Within twelve hours, your carbon monoxide levels return to normal. Within two to twelve weeks, your circulation improves, and lung function increases. These improvements make it easier to exercise and breathe.

Health Benefits of Stopping Vaping

Stopping vaping can have tremendous health benefits, both in the short and long term. By stopping vaping, you are reducing the risks of lung, heart, and brain damage, improving your overall health and well-being.

Within twenty minutes of stopping vaping, your blood pressure and pulse return to typical levels, and the blood circulation throughout your body improves. Your lungs have already begun to clear out mucus and other debris that may have accumulated from vaping. Within 8-12 hours, the high levels of carbon monoxide in your blood significantly decrease, making more oxygen available quickly.

By stopping vaping, you give your body a chance to heal and recover from the damage caused by vaping. You will breathe easier, have more energy, and reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases.

Health Benefits of Stopping Chewing

Chewing tobacco is a harmful habit that can lead to serious health problems. Not only does it increase your risk of oral cancer, but it can also damage your teeth and gums, cause bad breath, and even contribute to heart disease and stroke.

Stopping chewing tobacco can have dramatic health benefits. Within just twenty minutes of stopping, your blood pressure and heart rate begin to reduce, and within a year, your risk of oral cancer decreases by half. Additionally, your sense of taste and smell will improve, and your teeth and gums will become healthier and less prone to decay.

 

Ascension Via Christi, Bourbon County, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care

Ascension Via Christi Fort Scott Emergency Department Departure: CHC Is Preparing For More People, Bo Co EMS Is Fully Staffed

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Mercy Hospital Fort Scott signed an agreement with Ascension Via Christi to provide equipment and furnishings for emergency room services in 2019, following the hospital’s closure in December 2018. Ascension Via Christi pulled out of this site on December 20.

The doors are locked once again at the former Fort Scott  Mercy Hospital Emergency Room. Ascension Via Christi closed them on December 20, 2023, after four years of service. This following AVC’s announcement that they experienced  “a decline in visits and …. other economic challenges,” according to a press release.

December 20: Ascension Via Christi Closes Emergency Department in Fort Scott

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas in Fort Scott has been preparing for the Ascension Via Christ Emergency Department departure by recruiting more providers,  planning more training, and purchasing additional supplies.

CHC in Fort Scott provides care to about 125 to 150 people daily in its Walk-In Care department, which is part of the center at 2322 S. Main, Krista Postai, CEO of CHC/SEK said.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas at Fort Scott is located at 2322 S. Main, on Hwy. 69. The Walk-In Clinic is left in this photo.

The Fort Scott Walk-In Care department sees people from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

Editors note: Taken from the CHC Facebook page

All CHC/SEK Walk-In Care locations will close at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve (Sunday, Dec. 24.)
All CHC/SEK locations will be closed on Christmas Day (Monday, Dec. 25). Normal hours of operation will resume on Tuesday, Dec. 26.

Postai said after visiting with the AVC administration she found that “their late evening/late night volume… was minimal,”  It was then determined to keep their  Walk-In Care hours as established.

“All our clinics are accustomed to having individuals walk in with serious problems (e.g. having a heart attack) and we are going to anticipate more and are preparing for these situations,” Posai said.

“We have been working to ensure that in addition to the medical provider ( a Nurse Practitioner or Physicians Assistant) ), there is always a more experienced registered nurse on duty and we have been recruiting for additional RNs for that purpose,” she said.  “We have evaluated staff skill levels, supplies, and other resources and will provide additional training and supplies as necessary. We already have lab and diagnostic imaging (including CT scanning) and excellent clinical staff in place.”

Krista Postai. Submitted photo.

 

“We have also met with local law enforcement and Emergency Medical Service staff and are working with them to coordinate care for patients, as well as visiting with Via Christi staff and Dr. Stebbins (their ER physician director) to discuss opportunities for closer collaboration on our referrals down to Pittsburg,” she said.

 

“We have reached out to Amberwell Health after reading of their interest in potentially staffing the ER and urged them to connect with us on their next visit to Fort Scott,” she said. “Unfortunately, we have yet to meet with them.”

 

“The concept of participating in the new Rural Emergency Hospital program was researched, but it was determined that only hospitals were eligible and, at this point in time, it is unlikely that will change,” she said.

 

“We are indeed very sorry to see Ascension Via Christi withdraw from Fort Scott, but understand there are other factors influencing their decision,” she said. “We have urged them to reconsider if these matters get resolved but recognize that southeast Kansas is not a major market for Ascension.”

Bourbon County EMS

Bourbon County EMS Director Teri Hulsey said “AVC closing is sad for the community, but we are fully staffed and ready for any call. We have six full-time paramedics and six full-time Emergency Medical Technicians and several part-time.”

“The only change will be transport times,” Hulsey said.

Cardiac patients will be transported to AVC in Pittsburg. Moms about to give birth can go to Nevada Regional Medical Center in Missouri or Pittsburg AVC. “It’s the patient’s choice,” Hulsey said.

“We have two first-out ambulances when a call comes, those go out,” Hulsey said. “For trauma (car wreck, a stroke, fall out of a tree) if we can get a  helicopter either Joplin, MO or Overland Park Regional or Kansas University Medical Center in the Kansas City area. If a flight is not available, the patient will be transported.”

The Bourbon County EMS has seven ambulances that are supplied with “everything we need,” Hulsey said.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care

CHC/SEK CT Department earns ACR Accreditation

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FORT SCOTT — Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas in Fort Scott has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in computed tomography (CT) for adult and pediatric scans as
the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR).

The location is also accredited by the ACR for mammography.
CT scanning — sometimes called CAT scanning — is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and tailor treatments for various medical conditions. Mammograms are X- ray images of your breasts designed to detect cancers and other changes in breast tissue.

The ACR gold seal of accreditation acknowledges CHC/SEK’s commitment to the highest level of ACR practice and technical standards for image quality, patient safety, staff qualifications,
facility equipment, quality control and quality assurance.
“Having CT in our facility gives the patient access to affordable scans if they don’t have insurance, or if they have high deductible insurance, it gives them the option to receive a CT
scan that they wouldn’t receive because they couldn’t afford it,” said Kimberly Wass RT(R). “On- site CT allows our clinicians to diagnose and treat sooner because it removes hospital
scheduling backlogs and transportation barriers for the patients.”

The same is with mammography. Although breast cancer screening cannot prevent breast cancer, it can help find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat.
Radiologist reports are received quickly and to the doctor, so the patients are notified in a timely manner of what’s going on, Wass said adding, “And, if there’s anything of concern, we’re able to ‘cloud’ our scans to other facilities. We don’t have to worry about creating a disk to be mailed, or carried by the patient if we are sending them on to a specialist or a hospital.”

CHC/SEK has CT and mammography services in Fort Scott and Pittsburg. For more information
about CHC/SEK CT and mammography services call 620-231-9873 or visit www.chcsek.org

Area News, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care

CHC/SEK Nurse Practitioner becomes HIV Specialist

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CHC/SEK Nurse Practitioner Crystal Garcia, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, AAHIVS, listens to a patient’s heart at the CHC/SEK Coffeyville clinic. Submitted photo.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas Nurse Practitioner Crystal Garcia, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, AAHIVS, joins CHC/SEK’s Family Physician Julie Stewart, MD, as the second HIV
Specialist at CHC/SEK.

Garcia recently completed her certification through the American
Academy of HIV Medicine.

“I’m so excited to have another HIV Specialist on our CHC/SEK Infectious Disease team,” Stewart said. “Crystal has a heart for the patients and the knowledge to care for them with
excellence. We are blessed to have her expertise on our growing team as we reach more and more patients each day.”

Prior to the inception of CHC/SEK’s Infectious Disease team, people living with HIV had to travel up to three hours to see their HIV Specialist in Wichita or Kansas City or wait up to 12
weeks for an HIV Specialist to come to them in Pittsburg. Now, between Garcia and Stewart, they can stay in their hometowns and get care five days a week.

Garcia also just entered into a year-long training through the Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center’s (MATEC) Clinical Scholar Program with the University of Kansas School of
Medicine.

The program pairs participants with a mentor, provides access to clinical consultations with otherHIV providers, and there are many opportunities to advance their knowledge through live and
virtual meetings and sessions. Garcia’s mentor is Donna E. Sweet, MD, AAHIVS, MACP, a Professor of Medicine from the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita. Sweet has been at the front of fighting HIV and AIDS in Kansas for 30 years. Garcia has monthly meetings with Sweet and will have the opportunity to shadow her in the clinic several times this fall.

“This program offers so many resources and education that I will be able to pass on to patientsthat we serve to improve their retention in care and their overall health,” Garcia said.
HIV specialists provide and have access to wrap around care that includes evidenced based practice knowledge to help those diagnosed with HIV. This increases engagement in treatment,
retention in care and decreases the effects this virus can have if not adequately controlled, Garcia said.

HIV specialists not only diagnose and treat individuals with HIV, but they also work to prevent others from acquiring it, Garcia said, adding that the treatment of HIV has come so far in the 40 years that individuals with HIV when engaged in care with an HIV specialist, can have a very positive prognosis.

“By being able to care for individuals diagnosed with HIV, we often are a ray of hope in someone’s life that they may not have seen on their own,” Garcia said. “This diagnosis can come
with so many negative thoughts and feelings that often individuals are ashamed and would rather not come into care due to fear and the unknown.

“It is beyond rewarding to be able to help people diagnosed with HIV understand their diagnosis and how it is very manageable throughout their lifespan. As a provider for people living with
HIV, there is a very unique connection that occurs and sometimes the person just needs acceptance and to be heard to see their life is not over and their future can look very parallel to what they planned prior to their diagnosis.”

 

Garcia is also nearing completion of an Internal Medicine fellowship with Stewart, a 12-month program designed to be an internal medicine/infectious disease fellowship within CHC/SEK. She
spent the first three months side-by-side with Stewart for every patient she interacted with, before seeing patients independently at the CHC/SEK Baxter Springs, Columbus, Coffeyville,
Fort Scott, Iola, and Pleasanton clinics.

She also regularly has appointments via Telehealth to
Independence and Parsons. Occasionally, on an emergency basis, she will Telehealth into other clinics, such as CHC/OK in Miami.

“I believe Dr. Stewart and I have built a very solid professional relationship that only adds to
each patient’s care,” Garcia said. “Our patients are aware we are a team and very much operate under this mindset to provide each patient with what they need and want from their healthcare.
“This last year has been a steep learning curve that has forced me to dive deep into myself and hustle for a goal that I truly believe benefits each patient. This fellowship is a huge building
block that enhances my professional ability to improve my practice.”

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas

Low-dose CT lung cancer screenings available at CHC/SEK

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Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas at 2322 S. Main,  Fort Scott.

The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) is helping identify lung cancer in its earliest stages through low-dose CT lung cancer screenings in its Fort Scott and Pittsburg locations.

With a physician’s order, individuals 50-80 years old who currently smoke, or formerly smoked one pack per day for 20 years or two packs per day for 10 years, and who have smoked within
the last 15 years, can receive a noninvasive and inexpensive lung cancer screening.

“Low-dose CT lung cancer screenings are effective, noninvasive, and inexpensive,” says Kimberly Wass, RT, (R). “It only takes a few minutes, causes no discomfort, and exposes you to
a small amount of radiation, the images obtained give us a detailed picture of the patient’s lungs and chest.”

CT scanners combine a series of X-ray images taken from different angles around your body and use computer processing to create cross-sectional images (slices) inside your body. CT scan
images provide more-detailed information than plain X-rays do. The images can help diagnose lung cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages.

In the United States, lung cancer accounts for approximately one-fourth of cancer related deaths because many patients are diagnosed with advanced stages of the disease when treatment options are limited.
According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, tobacco use is still one of the leading causes of preventable death, disease, and disability in the state. Almost one in four
(24.6%) Kansas adults (18 years and older) use tobacco and many chronic conditions related to tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke.
https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/lung-cancer/saved-by-the- scan/quiz

CHC/SEK Can Help When Quitting Tobacco
CHC/SEK can assist you towards stopping your use of tobacco products. Our team of counselors, healthcare professionals, and peer support can provide individual counseling, group
counseling, nicotine replacement therapy, and other resources to help you along your journey.

For medically qualified patients, nicotine replacements such as gum, patches, and lozenges can help you stop using tobacco products. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) works by supplying
the body with small doses of nicotine without the harmful chemicals found in tobacco. NRT helps reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms associated with stopping the use of tobacco
such as smoking, vaping, and chewing.

At CHC/SEK, we encourage our patients to use KanQuit, a free service for all Kansans that provides counseling, support, and other resources to help you stop using tobacco. KanQuit
provides coaching over the phone or online, text messaging, email support, and quit medication (nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges) to those that qualify.

• The Quitline is free. The cost is paid by your public health department, health plan, or employer.
• Quitline is based on proven strategies. KanQuit has already helped more than 1.5 million people in their quit journey.
• The Quitline is self-paced and customized for each person. You decide the details of your plan such as how often you speak with a quit coach and whether you use quit medications.
• The Quitline is staffed by trained coaches, all of whom have completed rigorous Tobacco Treatment Specialist training.
Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit KSquit.org to get started today.