August 18, 2018

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SATURDAY’S OPEN HOUSE MARKS RCH’S

10-YEAR MILESTONE IN CURRENT FACILITY

With over 63 years of service, Rooks County Health Center (RCH) has

experienced tremendous growth in the last ten years since moving to

the current facility. In celebration of this ten-year milestone, RCH is

hosting a public open house 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, September 22,

1210 N. Washington Street, just off US HWY 183 north of Plainville.

Attendees will enjoy free refreshments of brisket, cake, sno cones, popcorn and beverages. Free

entertainment for the open house includes, bounce houses, Sunflower Clydesdales wagon rides, Nex-

Tech train rides, human foosball, fly-in and tour by Eagle Med, an ambulance tour and a tour of the

Rooks County Transportation Van. Tours of the hospital require a reservation as groups are limited to

10 people at a time. To reserve a time for a tour of the RCH campus, call Eric Sumearll 785-688-4428.

Door prizes will be awarded during the open house with the Rooks County Healthcare Foundation’s

50/50 raffle drawing concluding the day’s activities.

“Change is never easy. Thirteen years ago, the community was faced with a decision, to renovate the

Plainville Rural Hospital as it was, or, make the bold move of building a new facility with a new name,”

commented Eric Sumearll, RCH Director of Communications and Development. “Looking back is easy

and Saturday we want to celebrate with our community, who had the vision to create Rooks County

Health Center and share a little of the vision soon to come.”

According to Sumearll there are many achievements to recognize. Most recently, RCH received a

national award for creating awareness and improving treatment for sepsis, the body’s life-threatening

response to infection. RCH was the first critical access hospital in the nation to receive the honor. This

national award is one of many since moving to the new facility ten years ago, however, the greatest

recognition according to Sumearll is seeing the increase of services for Rooks County residents and the

surrounding communities. Especially when compared to the fate of so many other rural hospitals in the

nation who have either had to close or make severe cutbacks to services in order to survive.

“Rooks County has a long tradition of great healthcare, the ‘then’ new facility allowed for better

recognition of these services and provided room for growth,” explained Sumearll. For example, the

former Saturday walk-in clinic was rebranded and expanded to become Doctors Without Delay, open

six days a week with extended hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Being the first daily walk-in clinic in the

region brought patients to RCH from all over, according to Sumearll, attributing to a 479% growth in

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the last ten years. Prior to Doctors Without Delay, patients, who felt too ill to wait for an appointment

with their primary caregiver, would have to go to the emergency room at great expense.

Deciding to build the new facility with an eye towards attracting young families to the area led to

creating two state-of-the-art labor and delivery suites complete with a jacuzzi bath for mothers and

fold-out beds for family. Mothers could now remain in one room throughout labor, delivery and

recovery and have a variety of birth plan options. This foresight led to a 267% increase in births over the

last ten years.

Inpatient services have increased 24% while emergency room registrations dropped 11%, a possible

indicator that Rooks County residents are being more proactive in their healthcare. Lab tests and digital

imaging procedures have increased by 39% and 43% respectively. Some of these increases are due to

initiatives like First Friday Screenings, which allow the public to order their own health screenings

without a doctor’s order and receive them at a discount. Most notably is the growth of in-house

physicians and visiting specialists that the current facility now hosts.

“While some may think if you build it, they will come,” explained Sumearll. “That simply is not true.

Alongside the physical transformation, our staff’s chosen culture of caring grew to be one of the best

examples in healthcare and our greatest recruiting tool. These physicians could set up their practices

anywhere but it’s the staff and the community that keeps them coming back to RCH. They love coming

here.”

On the heels of Saturday’s open house celebration is the 35th anniversary of the founding of RCH’s

Auxiliary, a group of dedicated volunteers who promote and advance the welfare of Rooks County

Health Center. Details regarding the Auxiliary’s anniversary and service will be on display at Saturday’s

open house.

Pam Harmon, RCH Director of Nursing, was asked to speak to the Kansas Association of Healthcare

Executives at a meeting prior to the Kansas Hospital Association’s Annual Convention in Overland

Park.

Pam talked about how we use technology to free up staff to allow

better hands on patient care. Examples are the automated calling

system and the stroke robot.

Way to represent RCH, Pam!

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Dr. Steve Simpson from KU is shown presenting

Stephanie Bjornstad & Pam Harmon with the award.

RCH Earns National Award for Combatting

Sepsis, First Critical Access Hospital in

Nation To Do So

Sepsis Alliance, the leading sepsis advocacy organization in the country, names Rooks County Health Center (RCH), a 20-bed critical access hospital in rural Kansas, a 2018 Sepsis Hero. RCH was one of five heroes honored at the Seventh Annual Sepsis Heroes Gala, September 13 at the Marquee in New York City. Sepsis Heroes are chosen based on a demonstration of their dedication to raising awareness and improving treatment for sepsis, which is the body’s life-threatening response to infection. The condition affects 1.7 million Americans annually and is responsible for nearly 270,000 deaths per year. According to the University of Kansas Medical Center, mortality rates for sepsis and septic shock in Kansas are as high as 50%, far greater than mortality rates for heart attack (9.6%) or stroke (9.3%).

“Sepsis is not very well known or understood among the general public and, surprisingly, healthcare professionals,” said Thomas Heyman, Executive Director of Sepsis Alliance. “The amazing work our 2018 Sepsis Heroes are doing to raise awareness about sepsis and post-sepsis syndrome, improve sepsis treatment, and reduce readmissions is truly lifesaving.” RCH’s award-winning sepsis initiative was guided by Stephanie Bjornstad, RN and RCH Quality Director and Risk Manager; Jen Brull, MD and RCH staff physician; and Pam Harmon, RN and RCH Chief Nursing Officer. Asked to describe the amount of effort involved in RCH’s sepsis initiative, Bjornstad explained, “When we first started, the sheer complexity of the challenges of developing our program just seemed overwhelming. Despite those challenges we were able to progress to the point where now our innovations are in place and the program just runs smoothly.” The great strides RCH made in improving sepsis treatment and outcomes for their patients in Western Kansas is reflected in the fact that RCH is the only critical access hospital in the nation to ever receive the Sepsis Hero award.

AJ Thomas, CEO of RCH, stated, “Our entire staff looked at the best practices, adapted them to rural Kansas, implemented them and this saved lives. Sharing an award like this with major, urban academic hospitals illustrates our staff’s initiative and progressive ethos in helping people.”

Harmon and Bjornstad were the guests of Sepsis Alliance as they traveled to the gala in New York to receive the award on behalf of RCH. America’s Got Talent finalist & sepsis survivor, Angelica Hale performed at the gala where she was presented with the Erin Kay Flatley Spirit Award. Other Sepsis Hero award winners include Jay Towers, a radio and TV personality; UM-Pulse, the University of Michigan Post ICU Longitudinal Survivor Experience clinic; Jill Kogan Blake, a sepsis survivor; and Sharon Hansen, a critical care nurse educator.

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Please join the RCH Auxiliary on

Monday, October 1 from 1pm to 4pm

in the cafeteria as they serve cake to

staff, patients and visitors to

celebrate their 35th anniversary!

Community Foundation Accepting Applications for Fall Grants

The Heartland Community Foundation, which serves Ellis, Rooks and Trego Counties, is accepting

applications for fall grants. Online applications are due Thursday, November 15, 2018.

A total of $150,000 is available to charitable projects in Ellis, Rooks and Trego Counties through

the Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund, with $50,000 available per county. Focused on

improving quality of life, grants will support education, health care, community social services and

security, conservation and environment, arts and culture, and community beautification.

Funding is limited to projects in Ellis, Rooks and Trego counties and will be awarded through a

competitive application process. Non-profit organizations including government and public

entities, educational institutions and churches are encouraged to apply. Applications must be

submitted online by 11:59 p.m. on November 15. Complete funding criteria and the grant

application are available at http://heartlandcommunityfoundation.org/search-apply-for-a-grant/.

During its spring grant cycle, the community foundation awarded over $217,000 to area

organizations across the three counties. For more information, contact Sandy Jacobs, executive

director, at 785-621-4090.

Please keep this foundation in mind for local organizations you may be involved with.

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HR News

CHANGES IN EMPLOYEES: Jaime Benoit will join the Business Office. ************************************************************** OPEN POSITIONS

Cook Scheduling/Insurance Coordinator Receptionist for Therapy Department *************************************************************** PTO DONATIONS PLEASE!

Lindsey Bollig is asking for your support while she is out on maternity leave. Please contact Cindi if you want to donate PTO hours to Lindsey.

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

Congratulations to Heather Balthazor!

She was selected as Employee of the Month for September.

Heather has worked at RCH

since January 2009 as a Radiology Tech.

Heather (left) was nominated

by June Karlin (right).

It is not too late to get your ticket for the foundation’s 50/50 raffle! The drawing will

be held this Saturday at 4pm.

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RCH Flu Vaccine for employees Flu vaccines will be available for all employees at the annual competency fair on Wednesday, October 10th in the muffin room located in the PACU. All employees of RCH must either receive a flu vaccine for the 2018-19 season, or wear a mask at all time while in the facility from October 15th to April 1st. All flu vaccines given by RCH are preservative (Thimerosal) free. If an employee obtains a flu vaccine after the 10/15 cutoff date, they must wear a mask for 10 days after receiving the vaccine. All vaccines are provided to employees at no cost. Immediate household members of RCH employees may purchase a flu vaccine for $20. They may get this by registering as a patient and paying at the front admission desk. High-dose flu vaccines are available for employees/household members 65 years of age or older. Flu is caused by influenza viruses, and is spread mainly by coughing, sneezing, and close contact. Anyone can get the flu. Flu strikes suddenly and can last several days. Flu can lead to pneumonia and blood infections. Each year thousands of people in the United States die from flu, and many more are hospitalized. Flu vaccine can:

• Keep you from getting flu,

• Make flu less severe if you do get it, and

• Keep you from spreading flu to your family and other people.

There is no live flu virus in flu shots. They cannot cause the flu. If you have any questions, please contact Stephanie at x433. Thanks!

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Construction Update for Phase 2. Much appreciated rain has slowed initial progress on the new RCH Rehab Center. However, dryer weather has allowed Commercial Builders time to form the walls for the new therapy pool.

Happy 2nd Anniversary PFAC!

On Thursday, September 6, RCH’s Patient/Family Advisory Council, PFAC, met in celebration of their second anniversary! The meeting was spent reviewing their accomplishments over the past two years and looking forward to continued productive service to RCH, her staff and her patients.

“I can’t say enough about the OUTSTANDING job

your people are doing in the emergency room!

Thanks so much!!”

- Recent ER Patient

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Lunch Menu

Wednesday, Sept 19

Steak fingers, cheesy potatoes and peanut butter sheetcake

Thursday, Sept 20

Chili and cinnamon roll

Friday, Sept 21

Chicken Cordon Bleu, baked potato, green beans and brownie

Saturday, Sept 22

Beef tips over egg noodles, vegetable, ice cream and cookies

Sunday, Sept 23

Pork roast dinner, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetable, roll and cherry pie

Monday, Sept 24

Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, mixed vegetable and pockets of lemon cake

Tuesday, Sept 25

Tater tot casserole, garlic toast and Rice Krispie treat

Wednesday, Sept 26

Turkey and dressing, corn casserole and pumpkin cake

Thursday, Sept 27

Taco salad and ice cream

Friday, Sept 28

Chicken and dumpling soup and Texas sheet cake

Saturday, Sept 29

Sloppy Joes on bun and ice cream and cookies