Category Archives: Health Care
Noble Health Announces Reopening a Hospital in Fort Scott
Fort Scott will get a new hospital.
The Fort Scott City Commission and the Bourbon County Commission signed a contract in July 2021 to facilitate Noble Health Corp’s feasibility study of reopening the former Mercy Hospital building as an acute care hospital.
Today, the decision was announced by Noble Health Corp. to move forward with the project.
Bourbon County, the City of Fort Scott, and other government officials and members of the community gathered in the McAuley Center at the former Mercy Hospital this morning to hear the announcement.
Rob Harrington, Bourbon County Rural Economic Development; Drew Solomon, Noble Health Corp.; Clifton Beth, Bourbon County Commissioner; Fort Scott Mayor Kevin Allen; Merrill Atwater, Noble Health; Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt; U.S. Senator Jerry Moran; and U.S. House of Representative Jake LaTurner all spoke at the event.
The facility will reopen as Noble Health Bourbon County Community Hospital.
Harrington said that approximately 100 jobs will be available in the new hospital and that a Request for Quote will go out in a couple of weeks for the first phase of the construction process.
The whole process could take a year to complete, he said.
The building is located at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. on Fort Scott’s south side, just west of Hwy.69.
Mercy Hospital closed its doors in December 2018, following declining patient numbers and shrinking reimbursement for services.
The building currently houses the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas clinic and the Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department. Fort Scott Community College has used the patient rooms on the west side of the facility for student housing for the last few years. On the ground level is I Am Rehab Physical Therapy and Fitness and a hair salon, Diamonds in the Marketplace.
“Ascension Via Christi will be staying for a longer period and is currently working out the details of a long-term lease with Noble,” Harrington said in a later email. “CHC’s lease will be expiring at their current location (December 2022), however, they will be continuing services at their new location at the old Price Chopper building after build-out. Also, CHC has been told that they have as long as they need to stay at their current location if the build-out takes longer than expected.”
Background of the Project
Noble Health Corp., Kansas City, announced on June 25, 2021, the contract for the study.
To view the Noble Health Corp. announcement:
Reopening An Acute Care Hospital In Fort Scott Being Explored by Noble Health
The city contributed $200,000, the county contributed $800,000 towards the feasibility study, according to the contract. The local government entities used American Rescue Plan money from the federal government for the project, according to Bourbon County Commissioner Clifton Beth.
The American Rescue Plan Act 2021 can be viewed at ARP Act SxS – as of 02.22.21.pdf (house.gov)
The feasibility study investigated the condition of title to the development property, the physical condition of the property, the zoning, the economic feasibility, and all matters relevant to the acquisition, usage, operation, valuation, and marketability of the property and the project, as the developer deemed appropriate
The county government agreed to contribute at least $2,000,000 to finance certain costs and expenses related to and associated with the project, according to the contract.
Continue reading Noble Health Announces Reopening a Hospital in Fort Scott
FS Commissioners Gather On Jan. 31 at 401 Woodland Hills
There will be a gathering of City Commissioners at 401 Woodland Hills Boulevard, Fort Scott, Kansas at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, January 31st, 2022 in the McAuley Room. Even though a majority of Commissioners may be present, no City business will be conducted.
CHC Fort Scott Summary of 2021
Krista Postai, CEO of Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas sent an update on the Fort Scott clinics for 2021.
“Altogether, at our Ft. Scott clinics, we employ 109 staff,” she said. “We had 71,000 patient visits last year and our pharmacy filled 57,000 prescriptions. We completed 1,400 mammograms.”
COVID-19
“On the COVID front, we completed 8,769 tests and 7,842 vaccinations,”Postai said. “We were approved to receive the COVID-19 Anti-Virals (Merck’s Molnupiravir and Pfizer’s PAXLOVID) at no cost and will be dispensing them, as appropriate, with a prescription through our pharmacies including the one in the Woodland Hills Ft. Scott Clinic.”
“Unfortunately, the initial allocation is very limited but we hope to see that increase as the national supply increases,” she said.
“We have also just been notified that we’re eligible to receive 20,000 N-95 masks from the federal stockpile – recommended for protection from the Omicron variant of COVID — for distribution to the public; we do expect those to arrive by the end of January and we will publicize once they arrive,” she said.
“We also expect another supply of the at-home testing kits for public distribution,” she said.
Preparing to Move Location in Fort Scott
“The design phase continues on our new building ( the formerPrice Chopper building on South Main Street),” she said. “We are still on schedule to be open in December 2022.”
“The CT Scanner – a Hitachi Supria 64-Slice unit – has been ordered, she said. “It is identical to the one being installed this week in Pittsburg. The Board did approve the charges for scans which will be as low as $50 for those who meet financial guidelines
The CHC/SEK Board of Directors elected new leadership for 2022 including Board Chair Patrick O’Bryan, Vice Chair Jake Letner, Secretary Rose Madison, and Treasurer David Shepherd.
CHC Fort Scott clinic hours remain the same – Walk-in Care is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week; the main clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Access to COVID Testing
KDHE Takes Steps to Improve Access to and Speed of COVID-19 Testing
~ Actions are being taken to address the rapid increase in demand for COVID-19 testing due to Omicron variant ~
TOPEKA – Over the past month, the highly infectious and transmittable Omicron variant of COVID-19 has significantly increased case rates and demand for testing in the United States and Kansas. KDHE continues monitoring the spread and impact of Omicron since the first case was confirmed in Kansas in mid-December 2021.
As of January 16, 2022, the daily case rate has been more than 7,800 daily COVID-19 cases, that is a significant increase from about 1,200 cases per day in early December 2021.
Over the same period of time, KDHE saw testing rates increase. This increase in demand for COVID-19 tests has led to longer wait times, delays in turnaround of test results, and decrease in availability of rapid over-the-counter antigen tests.
KDHE is actively working to increase testing availability for all Kansans. Outlined below are a few of the steps KDHE has and continues to take to reduce wait times, improve turnaround times, and increase the number of mass testing sites in Kansas:
- Coordinating with health departments to increase staff at existing sites across the state. The following locations are now open from 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday – Saturday:
- Johnson County – Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS
- Johnson County – Church of the Resurrection, 13720 Roe Ave., Leawood, KS
- Adding new testing sites to reduce wait times. KDHE is currently working to add 13 new testing sites, beginning with the following locations:
- Johnson County – Shawnee Mission Park, 7900 Renner Rd., Shawnee, KS, opening January 19.
- Johnson County – Roeland Park Community Center, 4850 Rosewood Dr., Roeland Park, KS, opening January 21.
- Ellis County – Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine St., Hays, KS, opening January 21.
- Crawford County – Countryside Christian Church, 1901 E 4th, Pittsburg, KS, opening January 21.
- Identifying new partner labs to increase testing capacity and reduce test result turnaround times.
- Sourcing indoor locations for mass testing sites to reduce closures due to weather.
Up to date information on testing locations and hours can be found at knowbeforeyougoKS.com.
KDHE is taking additional actions to expand testing access:
- Community Testing Partners (CTPs): expanding the number and geographic footprint of partners (such as pharmacies, local health departments, and hospitals) to ensure broader availability of testing across the state.
- Long Term Care Facilities (LTCFs): extending funding for PCR testing through March 2022 for Long Term Care Facilities to ensure they have screening and surveillance testing to protect the most vulnerable.
- K-12 testing: prioritizing antigen testing kits for school districts, sourcing over 520,000 additional antigen test kits, and updating testing protocols to continue to keep Kansas schoolchildren safe.
Additionally, at-home COVID-19 rapid tests are now available for free at covidtests.gov. All households are eligible to order 4 free at-home tests, which will typically ship within 7-12 days. The first shipments of tests will begin in late January.
For Kansans with a health insurance plan, over-the-counter tests can be purchased at no cost or reimbursed through your health plan as of January 15. Check with your health plan for details and keep your receipt to submit a claim to your insurance company for reimbursement. For Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries, please check with your plan or state agency for information.
KDHE will continue to develop and pursue additional initiatives to increase testing capacity and shorten turnaround times to keep Kansans safe. In the meantime, KDHE continues to urge Kansans to use the following tools to protect against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant:
- Get vaccinated and boosted. Vaccines remain the best tool to protect people from COVID-19, slow transmission and reduce the likelihood of new variants emerging. The authorized COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalizations and death.
- Wear a mask. Masks offer protection against all variants. It is recommended that people in Kansas wear a well-fitting mask in public indoor settings, where COVID-19 transmission remains high, regardless of vaccination status.
- Social distance. People should avoid large gatherings and stay at least 6 feet from others when in public settings, especially if you are at higher risk of getting sick.
- Stay home. If you have tested positive or are showing symptoms of COVID-19, such as a sore throat, cough, or fever, avoid spreading the virus by staying isolated. Consult a healthcare provider on your recommended course of treatment.
To find a free testing location in your community, or guidance about who should get tested, visit knowbeforeyougoKS.com.
To learn more about the vaccines, visit kansasvaccine.gov.
Find and schedule a vaccination appointment at vaccines.gov.
Critical Blood Shortage Impacting Kansas Hospitals
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Trauma Program (KTP) continue to highlight the importance of blood donation amid increasingly critical blood shortages experienced across the state and nation. Blood shortages can pose risks to hospitals in performing necessary patient care. As January is National Blood Donor month, KDHE and KTP encourage those able to schedule an appointment to donate blood. In recent weeks, the Red Cross has declared this the worst blood shortage in over a decade, with less than a one-day supply of critical blood types. The Community Blood Center for our region is at a 1-2 day supply.
“We encourage Kansans who can donate blood to schedule an appointment today,” Janet Stanek, Acting Secretary, said. “Blood donation helps ensure our hospitals can continue their operations and has the ability to save lives.”
Updated policies and practices allow for safe donation during the pandemic. Donation centers provide specific guidance on the blood donation process and safety measures taken within their centers. The National Institutes of Health have found blood donations to be safe under current COVID-19 screening guidelines.
Locations for blood donation can be found at organization websites such as savealifenow.org, AmericasBlood.org, or redcrossblood.org.
Support For Moms with Infants Available For Free
Mommy and Me is a support and education program for mothers with children or who are pregnant.
The support group meets monthly at the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department in Fort Scott at 6th and Horton.
The next one is scheduled for Wednesday, January 19 at 4 p.m.
The group meets once a month, with a topic of discussion.
As an encouragement to attend the meetings, diapers are given to participants each meeting, Holly Fritter, Healthy Start Home Visitor, said.
“We give away a packet of diapers every time they attend because we want people to be supported, and educated,” she said.
The program was created to help support moms in taking care of their babies and themselves.
“Discussions in the past have been breastfeeding, formula feeding, prenatal care, postpartum care, postpartum depression and other maternal warning signs, stages of labor and what to expect, nutrition, baby basics, parenting, things like that,” she said.
“We want people to know that they are not alone, they have someone to talk to and someone to listen.
CHC/SEK consolidates curbside COVID testing
CHC/SEK will consolidate curbside testing for Coronavirus beginning Jan. 12. There will remain one curbside testing location in each county served by CHC/SEK.
Curbside COVID-19 testing will be temporarily suspended at Baxter Springs, Pittsburg South (1011 Mount Carmel Place), Arma, Fort Scott primary clinic, Independence, Mound City and La Cygne clinics.
CHC/SEK will shift resources and continue curbside testing by appointment at Pittsburg North (3011 N. Michigan), Pleasanton, Iola, Coffeyville, Parsons, Columbus, Miami and Fort Scott Walk-in Care. Some locations are scheduled out several days for testing appointments.
“It is important to note that patients who are experiencing COVID symptoms are still be able to be seen by medical staff in all clinics and tested for Coronavirus as appropriate,” said Jason Wesco, President of the CHC/SEK health system.
The change comes after the health center experienced increasing demand for testing and staffing shortages caused by COVID-19, seasonal flu and other illnesses.
“Our staff have kept our communities safe through the pandemic, but we are experiencing levels of infection unlike we ever seen” he said. “To date, our staff have delivered almost 79,000 tests and almost 63,000 vaccinations. Staff are exhausted and this measure will help protect them while ensuring that we continue to test in every county we serve while continuing other critically needed healthcare services provided by CHC/SEK.”
If you receive word of a positive COVID-19 test, put on a mask immediately. Then isolate yourself as quickly as possible, even if you don’t have symptoms.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends isolating for at least five full days, followed by five days of wearing a mask around others, as long as you don’t have a fever and any other symptoms are improving. If you are seriously ill with COVID-19 or have a weakened immune system, the CDC recommends an isolation period of 10 to 20 days.
If you have a fever, the agency advises you to stay home until the fever resolves. If you are waiting for test results but have symptoms of Covid-19, the CDC recommends that you isolate anyway, regardless of vaccination status.
CHC/SEK said its best advice is still to get vaccinated and get boosted. Wear a mask, don’t touch your eyes or face and wash your hands frequently. Social distance as possible and most of all, absolutely stay home if you think you might be ill or potentially exposed.
Fort Scott’s Middle School: Masks Required
USD234 Superintendent Ted Hessong said in an email that as of Friday, January 7, the school district had 29 student active cases and nine staff cases.
He gave the statistics of the number of COVID positive students and staff/total number of students and staff in a building as of Friday:
Fort Scott High School= 1.52%
Fort Scott Middle School= 2.26%
Eugene Ware Elementary School = 1.88%
Winfield Scott Elementary School= 1.30%
USD 234 Preschool = 2.00%
“According to the district’s gaiting criteria, any building that has a positivity rate over two percent and the community spread is over 30 new cases, that building will need to wear masks until the positivity rate falls below 2%,” Hesson said. “Therefore, the middle school is required to wear masks at this time until the building positivity rate falls below 2%. The preschool is not required to wear masks at this time because they have a lower student/staff population, but we are monitoring that building’s numbers.”
The school district has provided a way to follow USD 234’s COVID Attendance Dashboard, he said, and this information is updated daily in the afternoon.
To view the state’s COVID-19 data:
Kansas has had 566,000 cases of the virus and 7,124 deaths. Bourbon County has had 3,192 cases and 44 deaths reported, according to https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=latest+covid+stats+for+bourbon+county+ks
from the New York Times.
COVID-19 Update and Status on Kansas Hospitals.
The COVID-19 Update for Kansas, per Kansas Department of Health and Environment:
There have been 15,332 new cases, 15 new deaths, and 104 new hospitalizations since Monday (1/3/22).
The average age of the COVID-19 case is 39.
Rebecca Johnston, Southeast Kansas Multi-Health Department Administrator, presented a link to a Youtube video on a presentation about the dire state that Kansas Hospitals are in right now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz62gGguXhw
“I urge our residents to wear a mask in large gatherings, use good hygiene, practice social distancing, get vaccinated if able and stay home when sick!” she said.
The following is the updated Kansas guidelines:
2022 Updated COVID-19 Guidelines
For General Population + K-12 Schools
January 6, 2022
IF YOU TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19:
ISOLATE
EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS:
- Stay home for at least 5 days
- Stay home as long as you have symptoms. If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.
- If you have no symptoms or your symptoms resolve, you can leave your house after a minimum of 5 days of isolation.
- Continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days after you leave isolation.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO COVID-19:
QUARANTINE PROCEDURES
IF YOU ARE VACCINATED:
|
IF YOU: Have been boosted OR Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months OR Completed the primary series of J&J vaccines within the last 2 months OR Have had lab-confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days |
YOU SHOULD:
|
IF YOU ARE NOT FULLY VACCINATED:
|
IF YOU: Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine more than 6 months ago and are not boosted OR Completed the primary series of J&J more than 2 months ago and are not boosted OR Are unvaccinated |
YOU SHOULD:
|
*Please note: these guidelines are not for healthcare workers or congregate settings (correctional facilities, long-term care facilities, daycares).
Health Department COVID-19 Guidelines
SEK Multi-County Health Department of Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, and Woodson Counties provided the following:
2022 Updated COVID-19 Guidelines
January 4, 2022
IF YOU TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19:
ISOLATE
EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS:
- Stay home for at least 5 days
- Stay home as long as you have symptoms. If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.
- If you have no symptoms or your symptoms resolve, you can leave your house after a minimum of 5 days of isolation.
- Continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days after you leave isolation.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO COVID-19:
QUARANTINE PROCEDURES
IF YOU ARE VACCINATED:
|
IF YOU: Have been boosted OR Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months OR Completed the primary series of J&J vaccines within the last 2 months |
YOU SHOULD:
|
IF YOU ARE NOT FULLY VACCINATED:
|
IF YOU: Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine more than 6 months ago and are not boosted OR Completed the primary series of J&J more than 2 months ago and are not boosted OR Are unvaccinated |
YOU SHOULD:
|
*Please note: these guidelines are not for healthcare workers, school-aged children, or people living in congregate settings.
Kansas sees a 54% increase in drug overdoses in first 6 months of 2021
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) continues to highlight the importance of overdose prevention resources and education amid increased drug overdose deaths in 2021. Provisional surveillance results from the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) show that at least 338 Kansas residents have died of drug overdose between January 1, 2021 and June 30, 2021. The tally represents a 54% increase from the 220 drug overdose deaths identified by SUDORS surveillance in the same 6-month time frame in 2020. Provisional data represents the most current estimates and is subject to change.
SUDORS collects information regarding unintentional and undetermined intent drug overdose deaths. It combines various data sources, including death certificates, medical examiner and coroner reports, and law enforcement reports to provide insight into circumstances surrounding overdose deaths. SUDORS is administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and more information can be found on their website.
Of the provisional 338 deaths, 149 involved fentanyl or fentanyl analogs, 149 involved methamphetamine and 40 involved other licit and illicit drugs, such as cocaine, benzodiazepines and prescription opioids. More than one drug can be involved in a fatal drug overdose, so these values are not mutually exclusive.
Fentanyl continues to drive the uptick in fatal drug overdoses in Kansas. This is largely attributed to increased availability, accessibility and use of illegally manufactured fentanyl statewide. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is often combined with other drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, or used as a standalone drug. Due to its potency, fentanyl-involved overdoses have a fast onset and may be difficult to reverse.
There are several resources available to prevent drug overdoses. Recovery from SUD is possible. Those in need of help can call Kansas’s SUD hotline at 866-645-8216 or visit FindTreatment.gov to locate treatment services. People who use drugs and their support networks have access to naloxone and are trained in overdose recognition and naloxone administration procedures. Naloxone is a medication that reverses the effects of opioid overdoses. Kansas allows pharmacists to dispense naloxone to patients without a prescription pursuant to KAR 68-7-23. Visit ktracs.ks.gov/pharmacists/naloxone-dispensing to find a naloxone-dispensing pharmacy near you.
DCCCA, Inc. has a naloxone program that is funded by the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) through the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant. DCCCA has a limited supply of naloxone kits available for those who are unable to access it through a local pharmacy or other means. Additionally, DCCCA offers free naloxone training. Please visit dccca.org/naloxone-program for more information.
Please visit PreventOverdoseKS.org for resources, epidemiological data, and more information on Kansas’s efforts to prevent drug overdoses.