Nevada Medical Clinic to become part of Nevada Regional Medical Center
Jason Anglin, CEO of NRMC, announces that after many months of discussions and planning that Nevada
Medical Clinic is to become a part of Nevada Regional Medical Center.
At the August meeting, the Nevada Regional Medical Center board of directors voted to approve the
Nevada Medical Clinic becoming a hospital clinic and to consolidate operations with the clinic and its
physicians. The decision was made after months of research and detailed analysis.
In early 2022, Drs Jennifer Conley and Heather Russell, of the Nevada Medical Clinic approached hospital
administration with their intent to change their business model. They explained that they had explored
options for their future including: closing the clinic and finding new positions elsewhere, acquisition of
the clinic by an outside health system, and acquisition by Nevada Regional Medical Center.
“The medical delivery system and financial structure have changed significantly over the years. Now,
government payments are extremely unfavorable for independent physicians and dramatic increases in
medical liability and health insurance premiums have made continued private ownership of Nevada
Medical Clinic no longer financially viable,” said Dr. Conley.
Nationwide, the percentage of physician–owned practices has steadily declined as more doctors are
seeking employment. “More than half of all physicians in the United States are now employed,” said
Holly Bush, Chief Quality Officer at NRMC. “And that number continues to rise every year.”
“Those physicians who were recruited to Nevada Medical Clinic in the past fourteen years left after
three to five years for employment models,” said Conley. “A large number of local physicians retired
from their practices between 1999 and 2015. This has caused the workforce to decrease from as many
as twelve physicians to the current five. There is no real prospect for adding more physicians without a
change in structure.”
Presented with this dilemma, hospital administrators worked with outside consultants to research the
risk associated with losing the neighboring clinic and to develop a financial analysis to determine the
feasibility of saving the practice.
“What we found in our assessment was that the loss of the Nevada Medical Clinic and its physicians
would be detrimental to healthcare in our community. Strategically, working together with Nevada
Medical Clinic is critical to NRMC. We had to find a way to keep these services here,” said Anglin.
“Acquisition by an outside health system would require the physicians maintain outpatient–only
practices with cessation of obstetric services. Maintaining OB services is essential for NRMC to continue
to qualify for the disproportionate share hospital program (DSH) and for the pharmacy 340B program.
Together those programs provide over $5 million to NRMC every year. A loss of these programs
jeopardizes NRMC survival. Working together with Nevada Medical Clinic physicians allows NRMC to
continue to maintain these essential programs.
From a community service perspective, OB is vital to our community as all of the nearby hospitals have
closed their units. Without OB in Nevada, our residents would have to travel a significant distance to
deliver their babies. It is time to recruit new obstetric physicians for NRMC, but this process is lengthy,
challenging, and very expensive. We cannot let the doctors we have here go, stated Anglin.” The clinic
would also provide NRMC with added space for recruitment of other physicians.
Currently, the long–term care facilities in Nevada rely on the clinic physicians for medical care and
medical directorships. Loss of this coverage could be detrimental to these, already struggling, entities.
The financial pro forma that was developed and presented to the board showed that addition of the
clinic and employment of its physicians and staff is possible for NRMC, even under their current state of
financial strain.
“We will be able to designate the Nevada Medical Clinic as a Hospital Based Rural Health Clinic like our
other campuses,” said Dana White, Chief Financial Officer at Nevada Regional Medical Center. “That
designation is what makes the payment system from Medicare and Medicaid more favorable for a
clinic.”
“Despite our financial position, we are compelled to make this transition with the Nevada Medical Clinic
as we believe it is vital for the future of both organizations,” said Bob Beaver, Chairman of the NRMC
board of directors. “Given the state of today’s healthcare system, this should help sustain great doctors
in our community for many more years and give us the space to recruit more.”
Anglin stated, “We intend to move forward with as little disruption to the patients as possible. We found
that Nevada Medical Clinic was a lean organization that operates very efficiently, which is what made
this possible. It is our intention to continue with what works.”
Nevada Regional Medical Center and Nevada Medical Clinic are targeting for the transition to occur
soon.
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Friday Night Free Concert: Wood Family
This week’s Friday Night Concert will be presented by family trio Kevin and Kathy Wood from Prescott, and their daughter Leah Maxfield. The program will feature country and bluegrass gospel. Musician Sandy Hemphill will also join the trio on guitar.
“The Wood family started singing in church about twenty years ago. Kevin also plays guitar,” concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “We appreciate the opportunity to promote our local musicians and provide wholesome concerts for the whole family. Bring a couple of friends and join us a fun evening.”
The one-hour concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Park Pavilion at First and Main streets. The event is free and open to the public. Dave Oas and Jim Butler provide the sound each week. Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to The Loading Dock at Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall Street.
KS Tax Receipts Growth
Kansas’ September Total Tax Receipts
$84.5 Million More Than Last September
TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced Kansas’ September total tax receipts were $961.0 million. Those collections are $96.2 million, or 11.1%, more than the estimate, and reflect a $84.5 million, or 9.6%, growth from last September.
“Thanks to our laser-sharp focus on creating quality jobs and attracting business to Kansas, we have now seen 26 months of revenue surpluses,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “That has enabled us to provide tax credits for teachers and cut taxes for seniors, veterans, homeowners, and businesses – all while paying off debts and fully funding our schools. These revenue estimates show we are making Kansas the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Individual income tax collections were up $31.3 million, or 7.6%, for the month with $441.3 million collected. That is $34.5 million, or 8.5%, more than the same month in 2021. September corporate income tax receipts, which are comprised primarily of estimated tax payments, have continued to trend upward. Corporate income tax collections were $49.2 million, or 40.6%, more than the estimate with $170.2 million collected. That is a growth of $24.9 million, or 17.1%, from the same month last year.
“The higher-than-expected corporate estimated payments suggests that corporations again anticipate favorable profit margins in 2022,” Revenue Secretary Mark Burghart said.
Combined retail sales tax and compensating use collections were $309.6 million, 8.3%, or $23.7 million, more than last September.
Click here to view the September 2022 tax receipts spreadsheet.
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Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief
Governor Laura Kelly Announces Application for COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Now Open
TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced that small businesses can now apply to receive COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief. In June, Governor Kelly signed bipartisan House Bill 2136, investing $50 million to help small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re making sure small businesses can receive the support they need to hire workers, strengthen their products, and better serve their communities,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “My administration will continue to remain laser-focused on creating a stronger, more resilient economy to help every business and every family succeed.”
Businesses can learn whether they qualify for the program and how to access relief by accessing guidance from the Kansas Department of Revenue here.
The COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Program is funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which requires a federal Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) to be completed for a business to be eligible to receive assistance.
“Due to federal requirements, the Kansas Department of Revenue cannot process a retailer’s application for the Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief program unless a business has secured a federal UEI number,” Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart said. “Doing so helps ensure the program’s guidelines are followed and the accurate accounting for disbursement of funds.”
The UEI is issued at no cost through the federal System for Award Management website, SAM.gov.
Due to recent increases in the number of entities registering with SAM.gov, it may take up to 25 business days for new registrations to be processed. For any issues related to registering with SAM.gov or obtaining a UEI, applicants can contact the Federal Service Desk at 866-606-8220.
Once registration is complete and confirmed, business owners can apply for the COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Program by going to ksrevenue.gov.
Applicants with questions regarding the COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Program can contact the Kansas Department of Revenue at 785-368-8660.
Small business owners have until April 15, 2023, to apply for this financial assistance.
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Recycle This Saturday at Advantage Metals
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Gov. Kelly: Paying Down Debts, Paying Cash For Projects
Kelly Administration Saves Taxpayers Over $750M by Retiring Debt and
Paying Cash for Projects
~~Fiscal Responsibility is ‘Transformative’ for Kansas~~
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced today that actions taken by her administration in Fiscal Year 2022, including paying down debts incurred by the Brownback Administration and paying cash for projects, have saved Kansans $754.2 million in interest payments.
“By prioritizing fiscal responsibility, we have put Kansas back on track and ready for the road ahead,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “My administration has managed our budget wisely in order to save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and axe taxes – all while making historic investments in our schools, infrastructure, and law enforcement.”
In Fiscal Year 2022 (July 2021 through June 2022), the Kelly Administration used the budget surplus to retire debt early and pay for projects with cash rather than through issuing bonds. The Administration paid down $1.6 billion in debt, saving $632.0 million in interest payments, and will pay cash for $203.0 million of new capital projects, saving Kansans more than $100 million in interest that would have otherwise accumulated through bonds.
These savings also include saving Kansans $22.2 million in interest by paying off the nearly $100 million of a $200 million transportation bond that was issued in 2012.
“Utilizing our surplus to pay down this level of debt in one year – while simultaneously building our reserves to record levels – is a transformative event,” Adam Proffitt, State Budget Director, said. “This will insulate our budget from potential future economic volatilities, which will provide fiscal stability, allowing us to continue to fund critical services for all Kansans for years to come.”
These savings include paying off debt to KPERS, for the KBI Lab at Washburn University, and for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, among others.
Lisa Lewis: New Fort Scott City Clerk
Lisa A. Lewis, 56, is the new Fort Scott City and Municipal Court Clerk, as of Oct. 1, when Diane Clay retired.
Lewis and husband, Tony, are new to Fort Scott. The Lewis’s came in 2021, having lived in Chicago and raised their four children there.
From 2019 to 2021 they lived in Queen Creek, AZ but decided they liked Midwest living better than the desert, so decided to move to Kansas, she said.
She started working at the city of Fort Scott as administrative support in January of 2022 working with Jackson Tough and Tourism as well as City Hall.
“My son in Spring Hill, KS was the one responsible for us all moving to Kansas,” she said. “We wanted to come back Midwest, where our heart is, but never back to Illinois. He played baseball for Wichita State University and then minor league for the Chicago White Sox. My husband also played minor league for the San Diego Padres and was sold on Fort Scott because of the LaRoche Stadium, where he currently works, so he is enjoying life here too and hoping to make more opportunities for the city with that aspect.”
“We wanted to move to a small town, from the big cities of previous years, and start to slow down,” she said. “I began working at City Hall but opportunities came fast and furious that changed all of that. Diane Clay took me under her wing and brought me along. She truly is amazing and someone I look up to. I hope to make her proud. I most certainly have a lot to learn in order to represent like she did, but I will get there. I believe I bring a lot of life experiences, I have dabbled in many of the pertinent professional areas over the years. I also have the passion and mindset to be an integral part of a team to help this charming little town be all it can be and more.”
“I come from big towns, and I know how to live ‘big town’, however, I have quickly come to love the charm and pace of small town living; but it is a definite learning curve,” she said. “I hope the residents will afford me that necessary grace period to learn all about Fort Scott and its needs, because my intentions are nothing but good. I am enjoying getting to know everyone. People are friendly here even though I am an outsider. Residents and my co-workers have been extremely gracious, welcoming and patient to date. I am used to being surrounded by shopping and services galore. Now I realize that if Wal-Mart doesn’t have it, we may not really need it anymore…that’s a good thing.”
With her husband of 33 years, Tony, they raised four children.
“My daughter (32) is married with one child and one on the way,” she said. “She lives in Shawnee, KS and her husband works for Johnson County Corrections. Our son (30) lives in Chicago, IL and is a general manager for Menards. He plans to move to Kansas in the near future. Our son (26) is married with one child on the way and lives in Spring Hill, where he is a deputy sheriff for Johnson Co. Sheriff’s Office. Our daughter (16) is a junior at Fort Scott High School and found her passion in the theater there.”
Her work experience includes: Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Graphic Designer (20 years), Illinois DCFS Case Aide /Court Liaison (9 years), worked in healthcare as a CNA, Phlebotomist and Lab Clinical/Clerical Assistant (7 years).
Contact info for the city clerk:
The office is located at 123 S. Main St.
Fort Scott, KS 66701 and the phone number is
(620) 223-0550. FAX: (620)-223-8100
or email [email protected]
The clerk’s office hours are Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM.
Ammoniating Wheat Straw, A Potential Feed Source in Drought?
Southeast Kansas has been in a severe drought for most of this year’s growing season.
Poor crop and pasture yields have led to limited feed options and increased forage price tags for cattle producers.
Two thousand twelve offered very similar conditions to the Plains they could get their hands on.
One option many Kansas producers found was to ammoniate wheat straw.
Wheat straw is widely considered a poor forage that is better served as bedding, but research conducted by Kansas State University shows ammoniating bales can greatly improve protein content
and digestibility. Wheat straw typically tests around 3.3% crude protein and 31% in–vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD). Ammoniation rates of 1.5% (lbs anhydrous ammonia/dry matter lbs wheat straw) can increase crude protein content to 8.6% and IVDMD to 42%. An ammoniation rate of 3% increased
crude protein to 10.8% and IVDMD to 46.2%.
The process of ammoniating wheat straw is not overly complicated. An area large enough to hold the stacks of bales will need to be cleared, with some soil pulled away to be used later. Bales
should be gathered in rows and stacked in a pyramid (three bales on the base, two on the second level and one on top). The entire stack should be covered with a black plastic sheet, about 6 to 8 mm thick. A 40’ x 100’ sheet can cover 12 rows of pyramid–stacked bales. The edges of the plastic should hit theground and be covered with loose soil to seal the bales inside the plastic. Any holes in the sheet will
need to be patched with tape. Next, a pipe (6 – 8 ft long) should be placed on the ground and inserted into the center of the stack. Attach the pipe to the anhydrous tank and slowly empty
Once the stacks of bales are covered, it is time to let the anhydrous ammonia go to work. The ammoniation process is dependent on heat, so the straw will be ready to feed sooner with warmer
temperatures. Average temperatures above 86°F will need to be sealed for one week, temperatures between 59 – 86°F need to remain sealed for two to four weeks, and temperatures below 59°F need to remain sealed for up to eight weeks. The October 2021 average daily high and low temperatures at the
Kansas Mesonet Station near Uniontown, KS were 71°F and 51°F, respectively. With expectations of a warmer than average October for 2022, we could expect the ammoniation process to take around 4 weeks if started the first week of October.
Now, what is the cost?
Any producer who fertilized his pasture or crop ground this past spring knows that fertilizer prices have gone through the roof, especially compared to 2012, when producers were using this
alternative feed source.
The price of anhydrous ammonia at Midwest Fertilizer in Iola, Kansas, was $1,206.67 as of Sept 28, 2022. That equates to $0.60/lb. A 40’x100’ sheet of black plastic can seal a row of 12 pyramids.
Assume a tightly wrapped wheat straw bale (tightly wrapped bales work better for ammoniating) weigh on average 1100lbs. 72 total bales, at 90% dry matter, means you will have roughly 35.64 dry tons of wheat straw to ammoniate.
1.5% rate will require 1,069.2 lbs anhydrous ammonia
1,069.2lbs x $0.60/lb = $641.52 = $18/dry ton wheat straw
3.0% rate will require 2,138.4 lbs anhydrous ammonia
2,138.4lbs x $0.60.lb = $1,283.04 = $36/dry ton wheat straw
Anhydrous ammonia will not be the only cost associated with this process. Let’s assume another
$15/dry ton wheat straw to account for fuel, the plastic sheeting, labor, and other miscellaneous costs.
This will bring our cost of ammoniating wheat straw to:
1.5% rate: $33/dry ton wheat straw
3.0% rate: $51/dry ton wheat straw
Today’s prices may make the decision more challenging than it was in 2012, but with prairie hay
trading in southeast Kansas at $100–130/ton and wheat straw only trading at $60/ton, ammoniating
wheat straw is an option for those lacking feed this fall.
For more questions regarding ammoniating wheat straw and other forage questions, contact
Chad Guthrie, crop production and forage management agent, or Hunter Nickell, Livestock Production
Agent at any Southwind Extension District office. Locations in Erie, Fort Scott, Iola, and Yates Center.
Disclaimer: Caution should be taken as anhydrous ammonia is a dangerous chemical. Releasing the
anhydrous too quickly could cause the plastic sheeting to rupture. The plastic will also balloon out
during the ammoniation process, so strong winds, hail, or wildlife could puncture the plastic.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Oct. 3
Stuffing Everywhere by Carolyn Tucker
Keys to the Kingdom
By Carolyn Tucker
Several years ago, when our son was in college and still living at home, he had a beautiful fawn Boxer. I grew up with dogs living outside, but we made an exception for Gus to live indoors because he was such a smart, lovable, and loyal companion. Aaron took responsibility for house training him and all was well — until the evening all three of us left Gus home alone. I guess he got terribly bored, emotionally strung out, or so lonesome he could cry. Anyway, after being gone, I was the first to enter the living room. Gus was just quietly sitting there, but he had eaten the couch and strewn the stuffing all over the floor. I don’t know exactly why he ate such a strange supper. Fortunately, that couch needed to be replaced anyway, so I thought the furniture casualty was extremely funny!
Let’s drop the “ing” from “stuffing” and just focus on “stuff.“ God is greater than stuff (hard times). A partial list of stuff that we might encounter could be: career disappointments, various losses (death, divorce, job) sickness, financial setbacks, family heartaches, etc. But be of good cheer because believers are not up a creek without a paddle. We have this wonderful promise, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1 NLT).
The devil will tell you that your situation is hopeless. But there’s not an iota of truth in that lie. Jesus was speaking to the crowd about the devil and said, “He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 NLT).
Christ followers are to practice trusting God every day through thick and thin. Otherwise, we’ll live in worry, fear, anxiety, and doubt and that‘s a miserable way to survive. If we fail to trust God and His promises, we’re actually being prideful in thinking we can handle our stuff by ourselves. Having a deep-seated confidence in God proves that we believe He has the solution when we don’t. God says, “I will…make Trouble Valley a Door of Hope” (Hosea 2:15 GNT). God takes care of His children in a precarious world. We can move forward if we’ll trust Him to direct and help us.
When stuff (hard times and challenges) happens, don’t allow the devil to fill your mind with his garbage of anxiety. Make a stout decision to trust God to pull you through the knothole. You can be more than a survivor, you can be an overcomer through Christ. He has experienced every temptation we have and He will help us press through to victory. He said He would never leave us alone and we can take that to the bank.
“To depend” means you can believe in, rely on, bank on, count on, lean on, and pin your hopes on someone who‘s proven to be trustworthy. Written by Randy Phillips and recorded by Janet Paschal, “You Can Depend on Jesus” really brings this truth down where we live: “It’s fairly easy what you need to do, Invest your trust in One who’s tried and true; The Ageless Stone will stand alone when all the sifting sands of life have come and gone. You can depend on Jesus, you can depend on Him. As He was yesterday, tomorrow He’ll be the same. You can depend, you can depend on Him.”
The Key: When life’s cushion falls apart at the seams and stuffing is everywhere, you can depend on God to help clean up the mess.
Health Champion Award Nominations Sought
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The nomination deadline for the 2023 Health Champion Award has been . The Governor’s Council on Fitness is excited to partner with the Salina Crossroads Marathon to provide entry to the Salina Crossroads Marathon, Half Marathon, 4.01K, Family Run/Walk and Team Relays on November 5th in Salina, KS.
Anyone who submits a nomination for an individual or an organization for Health Champion will receive a code to register for free to the event of their choice.
The nominee will also receive free entry!
Kansas Health Champion Award Nomination: http://www.getactivekansas.org/…/Health_Champion…Salina Crossroads Marathon website: https://www.runsalinacrossroads.com/
Send your nominations in today for your community’s champion! Organizations, individuals, worksites…anyone!
Jody Hoener The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc. President and CEO, 620-215-2892, 104 North National,Fort Scott, KS 66701
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