The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas Ft. Scott Clinic opened in January 2019 to fill the primary care gap when Mercy Hospital closed in December 2018, after over 100 years in the community.
On April 17, the new facility at 2322 S. Main will be open to the public, following the move from the former Mercy Hospital building at 401 Woodland Hills.
To view details of the move:
More Space & Services In One Location For CHC Starting April 17: Other Tenants Staying
With the move to a new facility, residents have services not previously offered, including expanded clinic hours, expanded Walk-In Care, expanded pharmacy, telehealth and behavioral health services, according to a press release from CHC.
Benefits of the the new services at the new facility:
A Larger More Efficient Medical Clinic
The new location expands to 36 exam rooms including, telehealth, according to the press release.
It features updated furnishings and efficient design to save steps for both patients and the staff.
There is an integrated model of care with a wide array of enabling services including behavioral health via telemedicine, patient navigation, and care management.
The medical staff include Dr. Sarah Bradshaw, Dr. Holly Gault, Dr. Pankaj Gugnani, MD, and Dr. Maxwell Self. Advanced Nurse Practitioners include Amanda Stice, Kayla Tinsley and Whitney Dickerson.
Specialty Care offered within the clinic:
Diabetic Care: APRN Becky French-diabetic care and education.
Pulmonology: Paden Shaffer APRN-pulmonology and sleep disorders/CPAP management.
Pain Management and Infectious Disease: Dr. Julie Stewart.
Wound Care: Dr. Michael Nagle. Todd Carl, APRN
Freeman Orthopedic clinic: Greg King, FNP
A Larger Walk-In Care Clinic
The new Walk-In Care service features a larger waiting area, more privacy and expands to eight exam rooms. There were three at the prior one. Hours of operation are 7 AM- 7 PM every day.
Expanded Imaging Services
Advanced diagnostic imaging equipment is under one roof including digital x-ray, ultrasound, mammography, bone density, and a newly purchased 64-slice Computerized Tomography (CT) scanner.
The CT is an important addition to the clinic providing a detailed look at what is happening inside of the patient’s body, according to the press release.
“In an urgent situation, having CT locally is important so patients can be scanned quickly to rapidly assess their condition,” according to the press release. “CT scans can often be difficult to access and quite expensive for patients. Having CT in-house makes these scans accessible and affordable. For patients receiving discounted charges through the sliding scale program for uninsured and underinsured patients, the cost of a CT scan can be as low as $50 including the physician’s read.”
Expanded Pharmacy
Apothecare Pharmacy is a subsidiary of CHC/SEK, and is now open to the public providing a full range of prescriptions, according to the press release. “The Apothecare staff include Kelsey Burford, PharmD, Cetra Horton, PharmD, Adam Malone, PharmD, Blake Martin, PharmD, Julie Pellett, PharmD, and Darin Treiber, PharmD. They work directly with the medical staff to ensure patients get the medications they need, affordably, quickly, and safely.”
Apothecare pharmacy is open 7 AM-7 PM, seven days a week, with a convenient drive-through pick-up window and to-your-door delivery within 15 miles. Apothecare accepts most insurance plans Medicare, Medicaid and private commercial plans.
Laboratory
Outpatients requiring laboratory services will find the new space and expanded 7AM-7 PM Monday-Saturday hours more convenient. “We want patients to be able to stop in for a quick lab draw and be on their way,” said Baily Davis, CHC/SEK Fort Scott Practice Manager.
Wellness Center.
“CHC/SEK has long recognized that ‘health’ and ‘wellness’ go hand in hand,” according to the press release. They will continue to cultivate a culture of health and wellness for both patients and staff.
The center features cardio and strength equipment and is staffed by Physical Therapist and Pelvic Health Physical Therapist, Jessie McGown, DPT; Registered Dietitian, Patrick James, RD; and Chiropractor, Dr. Dave Miller, DC.
There are individualized treatment plans for each patient to best meet their health and wellness goals, which includes teaching and supporting healthy eating habits, improving overall strength and mobility, and pain management, according to the press release.
Teaching Opportunities
“Since its beginning, CHC/SEK has focused on education,” according to the press release. “To have a thriving… community, rural America needs to train and retain future healthcare workers to replace the retiring workforce, and meet increasing healthcare needs.”
“The new clinic will allow space to collaborate with teaching institutions for students to train alongside staff. CHC/SEK supervises approximately 250 students (medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing, behavioral health, etc.) per year, and has an accredited family practice residence program with Kansas University for training and retaining rural physicians.
Group Therapies
Expanded meeting space will allow group therapies for addiction treatment, diabetic education, tobacco cessation, and SNAP-ED classes to offer to patients and the community.
2022 CHC Service to the Community
Last year, the clinic saw more than 60,000 patients, including medical, behavioral health, wellness and support services.
During 2022, staff provided more than 1,700 mammograms, Apothecare Pharmacy filled more than 70,000 prescriptions and the clinic provided more than 4,500 COVID-19 tests and administered more than 8,000 immunizations.
Help For Uninsured, Underinsured
CHC/SEK offers a sliding scale discount for uninsured and underinsured patients based on the household’s annual income and the number of individuals living in the household. All patients seeking care at CHC/SEK are eligible to receive services regardless of income or ability to pay.
