Rural Health Education and Services

KUMC Assistant Professor heads startup company to help cancer centers meet new guidelines

2012-01-31T08:32:00.000-06:00

Article courtesy of LeavenworthTimes.com
By Tim Linn
GateHouse News Service
Posted Jan 28, 2012 @ 08:39 AM

In September, President Barack Obama spoke to a desire to promote the commercialization of university research efforts, later signing an executive order to shorten the length of time to turn federally funded research into commercial product.

A Leavenworth native is now helping in that task, launching a startup company in May based on research she conducted in collaboration with the National Oncology Nursing Society.

Jennifer Klemp is an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She is also the director of cancer survivorship for the center. It was that later specialty that spurred the new venture, called Cancer Survivorship Training Inc.

Hospitals have constantly shifting guidelines for care, Klemp said, one of the newest ones being that accredited cancer centers have cancer survivorship programs in place by 2015.

With that in mind, she said Thursday that she began researching how cancer survivorship programs were being delivered currently at hospitals nationwide. Klemp said the results, coming directly from hospitals nationwide, seemed to indicate there was a lot of work to do in the lead up to 2015.

“Only 13 percent of respondents had any sort of formal programs,” she said.

Another 60 percent of respondents, Klemp said, had not begun to start setting up a survivorship care program or were in the thinking phase. The survey also sought to gauge how those respondents would like to train to set up a survivors care program.

Klemp said survivorship programs have an important place in the “continuum of care.” Though most patients have primary care physicians and oncologists, there has long been a gulf in the middle. Klemp said patients often receive a host of information at the time of diagnosis from their primary care professionals — information that they might not need until years later. And oncologists’ primary concern is looking for the return of cancer. Survivor care, Klemp said, bridges the gap between the two.

“It’s coming in and making sure you don’t have any major side effects from the treatments, your heart’s doing fine, your bones are fine,” she said. “It’s a true multi-disciplinary approach.”

Using the results of the survey plus the fact that her office has had requests for guidance setting up survivor care programs, Klemp said she started putting together some tools for a “systemwide” disbursement of training. Although a grant that would have funded that effort did not pan out, Klemp said another opportunity — one to license the research from KU and set up a business — did emerge. Because of the unpredictability of grant funding from one year to the next, Klemp said that route might have been a better option for the long term anyway.

“This is allowing for built-in sustainability,” she said.

In May, Klemp said Cancer Survivorship Training Inc., the startup company for which she will have oversight, will officially launch its services, offering a number of online and mobile applications to help train and educate healthcare providers on cancer survivorship programs.

Julie Gooneardene, KU’s associate vice chancellor for innovation and entrepreneurship, applauded the effort.

“We’re excited and proud to work with Dr. Klemp and facilitate the creation of this new startup company — the 23rd startup company to come out of KU,” she said. “At KU, we’re working to encourage an entrepreneurial mindset among our researchers so we can continue to transfer university research into new products and new cures. This is exactly the type of technology transfer that we want to facilitate.”

For Klemp, the new effort is a way to improve more than just healthcare professionals’ credentials.\

“The ultimate goal is obviously we want to improve patient care,” she said.

http://www.leavenworthtimes.com/features/x842388631/Leavenworth-native-spearheads-new-KU-startup?zc_p=0

Pharmacy in Greensburg to open Feb. 1 - Innovative machine is key to new dispensary

2012-01-30T15:45:00.000-06:00

Article courtesy of the Kiowa County Signal

By Patrick Clement - Signal Editor

Greensburg, KS - Starting on the first day of February, area residents will be able to fill their prescriptions locally thanks to a 40-year pharmacy veteran and an innovative new machine that might be the pharmacist of the future.

“This has been a long time coming, “ said Kiowa County Memorial Hospital Administrator Mary Sweet. “It’s just another sign of progress and rebuilding. For people in the community it will be more convenient and for our patients it means not having to drive half an hour to pick up their medications.”

In anticipation of the opening of the pharmacy, the hospital is circulating flyers and forms for area residents to fill out. “The forms are so people can get into the system ahead of time,” said Sweet.

The pharmacy is one of a number of pharmacies owned by Merlin McFarlane, a south-central Kansas based pharmacy veteran. McFarlane owns locations in Kingman, Cheyenne Okla., Harper and Wichita.

“I’ve been talking about this for a long time with Mary [Sweet] and Dennis McKinney,” McFarlane said. “I knew Dennis for a long time, since he was our state legislator. I was on the Board of Pharmacy and got to know him. Since the tornado both of them were coming by trying to get me to put a pharmacy out here. Until now there had not been an option to do that.”

McFarlane cites the large prescription-dispensing machine as the primary reason he will be able to provide services in Kiowa County. The computer-integrated system can accept and fill prescriptions automatically, keeping costs down while still fulfilling patients’ needs.

“My store in Kingman has some automation, but nothing like this,” continued McFarlane.

“We’ll have a staff member in the hospital that will be able to access our system and enter people’s information. The computer will take the information, put it into our work queue in the pharmacy. We will be able to access it and if the certain medication is in the robot, it will dispense the medication properly into the bottle, put a lid on it, print and stick the label and bag it for the customer.”

The machine does not and cannot complete every task. But it can reduce overall man-hours and reduce labor costs without interrupting services.

“It holds about 180 of the most popular medications in it,” McFarlane noted. “It can’t have everything, but we hope it will do 60 to 70 percent of the orders. Then the pharmacist will be able to provide those to the customers during the open hours.”

McFarlane has hired Julie Keeton and her husband, Bucklin native, Wayne Keeton to run the facility beginning in June and will have pharmacists from Pratt oversee operations starting in February.

“After she takes her board exam [in May] they plan on moving out to the area. Hopefully into Greensburg, if they can find a place to live. In May or June they will be out here. He’s got a business degree and she’ll have a pharmacy degree. He’ll probably do something else, but he’ll help with the accounting [at the pharmacy],” continued McFarlane.

Labor costs are the biggest concern says McFarlane; especially considering the small number of customers a rural pharmacy serves. He says that the machine allows flexibility for the future in regards to expenses and the pharmacy’s ability to withstand economic ups and downs.

“There really is almost no downside to having equipment like this. They are working on regulations right now that would allow communities where there is no pharmacy the ability to do telepharmacy or remote dispensing. Those regulations are probably a couple of years away. This machine could become a satellite pharmacy, worse case scenario.”

McFarlane says he’s seen a lot of changes in his 40 years in the business. So what does he think of a more computerized and automated system?

“It has gotten and will get more and more automated,” he acknowledged. “Now, we can’t bill an insurance company without a computer. You can’t send a paper claim to an insurance company anymore. I think the way we are doing this is pretty cool. I think it’s pretty neat the way this all works.”

The new pharmacy inside of the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital will open at 1 p.m. on Feb. 1. Find more information at www.KCMH.net

editor@kiowacountysignal.com

http://www.kiowacountysignal.com/bigpackage/x767707172/Pharmacy-will-open-on-February-1st?zc_p=0

Southeast Kansas on a crusade against heart disease

2012-01-27T10:48:00.000-06:00

Article courtesy of The Morning Sun
By Nikki Patrick
January 27, 2012

PITTSBURG - Heather Baima, APRN, and Shelley Watts, APRN, want to clear up a common misconception.

“When you ask what the No. 1 killer of women is, a lot of people think that it’s breast cancer, but that’s not correct,” Watts said. “Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women. Actually, it’s the No. 1 killer of everybody.”

Both women know a great deal about heart disease because they see it every day.

Baima worked for 11 years as a nurse at St. John’s Medical Center in the Medical Cardiac Unit, and has been employed in the office of Dr. Ali Hammad, cardiologist, for the past 1 1/2 years. Watts has been a coordinating nurse practitioner in the office of Dr. Bashar Marji, cardiologist, for the past 2 1/2 years.

“We see people every day who suffer from heart-related illness, and it’s so sad,” Watts said. “This part of Kansas, Crawford and Cherokee Counties, has some of the highest rates of heart disease in the state.”

The good news is that people can do something about it.

Top risk factors for heart disease include having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, being overweight or obese, being physically inactive, age and family history.

“You can’t dodge your genetics, but you can modify other risk factors,” Baima said. “You can keep your cholesterol low, stop smoking and lose excess weight.”

They are now planning several events in observance of the “Go Red for Women” campaign of the American Heart Association. The symbol of the campaign is a red dress.

“It symbolizes the fact that heart disease doesn’t care what you wear,” Baima said.

The official kickoff for Go Red will be a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. on Feb. 3 in the Via Christi Hospital community entrance.

The two sent out letters to area schools to get them involved, and Frontenac High School picked up the ball.

“There will be a Go Red basketball game at 6 p.m. Feb. 7 at Frontenac,” Baima said. “There will be T-shirts, with proceeds going to the American Heart Association, and we will be there.”

Baima and Watts will also speak at a Via Christi Lunch and Learn session on Feb. 10.

Living a heart-healthy lifestyle is important for everyone, but the Go Red campaign focuses on women for several reasons.

“One out of every four women will die from heart disease,” Baima said. “We are the caregivers, and are often too busy taking care of others to take care of ourselves.”

“Women also don’t have the typical heart symptoms,” Watts added. “For a woman, the signs of heart disease might be something as simple as just having shortness of breath when walking, or pain in the back or jaw.”

While heart disease is often thought to be mainly a problem in the elderly, this is changing.

“We are becoming more unhealthy as a nation,” Watts said. “We have people in their 30s and 40s with heart disease now. Our goal is to help younger people know how to prevent this.”

Many young people spend hours on the computer, and Baima has a message for them.

“Step away from your computer,” she said. “We teach women as young as high school the importance of getting healthy exercise.”

Modern busy lifestyles, and even economic pressures, contribute to the problem.

“Thirty or 40 years ago you didn’t have both parents in the workplace, or high school kids in the workplace as well as going to school,” Baima said. “It’s getting harder to fit exercise into many people’s lifestyle, then they drive through a fast food place for meals. It is wonderful to see that a lot of those places now have healthier choices. We just have to educate people to make those choices.”

And those choices should be made consistently.

“It can’t just be a diet, it can’t be something you do until your cholesterol is down,” Baima said. “It has to be a lifestyle change.”

She acknowledged that change can take time, and noted that making unrealistic goals is not the best way to go.

“Slowly build up to a healthier lifestyle,” Baima said. “Set an attainable goal, like walking for 15 minutes three days a week. Anything that you do consistently for four weeks will become a habit.”

Additional information is available through Go Red BetterU, the American Heart Association’s free 12-week online program. It is available at GoRedforWomen.org.

Statewide HEI taking shape in Kansas

2012-01-23T11:00:00.000-06:00

The statewide health information exchange is finally beginning to come together. Read about it on the Kansas Medical Society's website: Statewide HIE taking shape in Kansas

Bringing health care to Kansas, one doc at a time

2012-01-18T14:35:00.000-06:00

Wanted to share an interesting story on an innovative way to recruit physicians for rural Kansas.

http://harvestpublicmedia.org/blog/961/bringing-health-care-rural-kansas-one-doc-time/5

Warm Wishes from Rural Health

2011-12-07T10:44:00.000-06:00

Many good wishes for a blessed and happy holiday season

We wanted to share a beautiful winter photo from this year's Rural Kansas photography contest. The Rural Health staff loved this photo so much, we decided to use it for our holiday card.

Covered Bridge photo taken north of Marysville, Kansas by Fernando Ugarte, M.D.

Celebrating National Rural Health Day

2011-11-14T16:46:00.000-06:00

Mark your calendars and join us for a reception as we celebrate the first-ever National Rural Health Day.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

University of Kansas School of Medicine

(Meadowlark Room)

1010 N. Kansas

Wichita, KS 67214

We'll be sharing more about the first National Rural Health Day later this week.

KCO - Wichita @ the Wichita Boathouse

2011-11-07T14:28:00.001-06:00

We hope to see many of you at KCO this Thursday, November 10.

Reminder:

This year's event will be at the Wichita Boathouse, 515 S. Wichita in Wichita.

If you haven't registered, you may call 316.293.2649, email rhealth@kumc.edu or go online to www.ruralhealth.kumc.edu.

Prospective students get hands-on experience

2011-11-03T13:37:00.000-05:00

Prospective students get hands-on experience

KCO - Wichita is just around the corner

2011-10-28T16:28:00.002-05:00

On Thursday, November 10, Rural Health Education and Services is hosting the Kansas Career Opportunities (KCO) event in Wichita, Kansas at the Wichita Boathouse

Agenda
Day Session
12 p.m. Registration (complimentary lunch provided with registration)
12 - 2 p.m. Visit with Exhibitors
2 - 2:45 p.m. Guest Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Scott Koontz, "Life as a physician in rural Kansas"

Evening Session *NEW*
5 p.m. Registration (complimentary wine and appetizers provided with registration)
5 - 7 p.m. Visit with Exhibitors
6:45 p.m. Professional Panel

Professional Panel
Engage in conversations with industry experts and find out more about private practice financing, resident loan programs, contract negotiations, loan forgiveness programs, malpractice insurance, and financial planning and investment.
Meet our Panel
Scott Palecki, Attorney with Foulston Siefkin, LLP; Lynn Adams, Director of Education Consulting at Kansas Medical Mutual Insurance Company; Tara Morrow, Senior Coordinator for Kansas Bridging Plan with KUMC; Pat Gearhart, President of Bank of Kansas and Kurt Carter, Senior Vice President of Stillwater National Bank.
More about KCO
KCO is designed to introduce medical students, residents, and other health care professionals to rural communities seeking health care providers. Rural Kansas communities are invited to exhibit at the career fairs and discuss health care career opportunities in their area.

Whether you are a student, resident physician, or a practicing health care professional, you won’t want to miss this unique opportunity to meet representatives from Kansas communities. Lunch is provided and a prize drawing is held for those who attend. Below is a schedule for the day.

Register for KCO Today!
On the website: ruralhealth.kumc.edu
By email: rhealth@kumc.edu
By phone: 888-503-4221

KCO - Kansas City ~ Record Setting Year

2011-10-18T15:06:00.000-05:00

Wow! What a busy, successful and FUN day! KCO - KC had a record breaking year with 195 participants visiting with 30 health care exhibitors from all across Kansas.

Another KCO event is coming up soon in Wichita. The venue has changed this year and the event will be held at the Wichita Boat House. Mark you calendar for Thursday, November 10. Registrations are still being accepted. Call 888-503-4221, email rhealth@kumc.edu or register online.

Hope to see you there!

Kansas Career Opportunities - KC

2011-10-12T09:47:00.000-05:00

The KUMC [Wichita] staff is on its way to Kansas City today to begin setting up for KCO-KC! More than 30 health care facility representatives from rural Kansas will be at tomorrow's fair to meet with medical students, resident physicians, practicing physicians, health care professionals and even spouses! If you have not registered to attend, you can register onsite. We hope to see you there!

Kansas Career Opportunities - KC

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Noon to 2 p.m.

University of Kansas Medical Center

Hixson Atrium

List of Exhibitors for KCO - KC

Anderson County Hospital, Anthony Medical Center, Citizens Medical Center, Coffeyville Regional Medical Center, Dodge City Medical Center, Geary Community Hospital, HaysMed, Herington Municipal Hospital, Health & Human Services/Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Services/National Health Service Corps, KAMU, Kansas Academy of Family Physicians, Kansas Department of Health & Environment/Primary Care Office, Labette Health, Lindsborg Community Hospital and Rural Health Clinic, Memorial Health System in Abilene, Mercy Hospital Independence, Mercy Hospital Fort Scott, Mitchell County Hospital Health Systems, Ness County Hospital, Newman Regional Health in Emporia, Phillips County Hospital, Pratt Regional Medical Center, Rice County District Hospital, Rural Health Education and Services, Salina Regional Health Center, Sheridan County Health Complex, Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Via Christi Hospital, Pittsburg, Inc., and Western Plains Medical Complex.

Dentist joins Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas

2011-10-07T11:17:00.000-05:00

Arthur Unruh, DDS, joined the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) Iola Dental Clinic in June.

“Being from a small town, I never ruled out the possibility of working in rural Kansas and after looking at several opportunities found Iola to be the best fit,” said Unruh.

Dr. Unruh was raised in Hesston, Kan. He received a Bachelor’s in Science Biochemistry from the University of Kansas in 2007. In May 2011 he completed dental school at The University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Krista Postai, CEO of CHC/SEK believes they were fortunate to find someone who was a perfect match for a busy rural practice that serves people from all walks of life.

“Dr. Unruh clearly understands the importance of access to oral health care and dentistry. For him, it’s clearly more than just making a living—it’s about making a difference,” Postai said.

Dr. Unruh indicated that his favorite part of dentistry is that he gets to meet and interact with new people every day. “There is a very large need to be filled in the population we are serving and it is rewarding to be able to help out those who otherwise are unable to get care,” Dr. Unruh said.

Unruh and the CHC/SEK were matched through the Kansas Recruitment Center (KRC). The KRC, which provides placement assistance to rural health organizations, seeks to enhance the quality and quantity of health care professionals in rural Kansas by helping providers like Unruh find a practice in Kansas. The KRC is a not-for-profit program of Rural Health Education and Services at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Further information is available at ruralhealth.kumc.edu or by phone at 888-503-4221.

KCO - Kansas City is one week away

2011-10-06T14:59:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, October 13, Rural Health Education and Services is hosting the Kansas Career Opportunities (KCO) event in Kansas City, Kan. and will take place in Hixson Atrium on the University of Kansas Medical Center Campus on 39th Street, just east of Rainbow Blvd.

KCO is designed to introduce medical students, residents, and other health care professionals to rural communities seeking health care providers. Rural Kansas communities are invited to exhibit at the career fairs and discuss health care career opportunities in their area.

Whether you are a student, resident physician, or a practicing health care professional, you won’t want to miss this unique opportunity to meet representatives from Kansas communities. Lunch is provided and a prize drawing is held for those who attend. Below is a schedule for the day.

It is still not to late to attend, visit Rural Health's website for more information and to register for the event.

If you are not able to attend KCO Kansas City on October 13, you are in luck. KCO Wichita will be held on November 10, at the Wichita Boat House. KCO Wichita will also have an evening event. More information on KCO Wichita can be found on Rural Health's website.

Nearly all U.S. doctors are now on social media

2011-09-29T10:14:00.000-05:00

Below is a article that Rural Health found to be interesting and wanted to share it with you.

Although most are active on sites personally -- and many professionally -- they have been reluctant to engage with patients.

By Pamela Lewis Dolan, amednews staff. Posted Sept. 26, 2011.

The number of physicians using sites such as Facebook and Twitter has grown so quickly that Gabriel Bosslet, MD, realized the moment his study on physician social media use appeared in June that it already was out of date.

The data, collected by Dr. Bosslet between February and May 2010 and posted more than a year later on the Journal of General Internal Medicine site, found that 41.6% of doctors use social media sites.

However, between April and May 2011, research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan found that 84% of doctors use social media for personal purposes. Then in August, nearly 90% of physicians reported that they used at least one social media site personally, according to a survey by the online physician learning collaborative QuantiaMD.

By those numbers, physicians are well ahead of the general adult population -- 65% of the general public use social media, according to a study published in August by the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

"The rise in social media has been so meteoric," said Dr. Bosslet, an internist at Indiana University Health and an affiliate faculty member at the Charles Warren Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics in Indianapolis, which sponsored his research. The time that passed between data collection to his study's results being posted was like a "generation later," he said.

33% of U.S. physicians have received Facebook friend requests from patients; 75% of them declined the invitations. However, although physicians appear to be embracing social media, they are still feeling their way around it. According to QuantiaMD, 87% of physicians make personal use of social media, but a lesser amount, 67%, use it professionally. And one thing that hasn't changed during those 18 months is the lack of patient-physician communication on social media.

One-third of the QuantiaMD survey respondents said they had received a friend request from a patient on Facebook. Three-quarters of the physicians declined those invitations.

"There is a real reticence on the part of many physicians to use social media, or even email for that matter, to communicate with patients," said Nancy Fabozzi, health care market research and competitive intelligence specialist with Frost & Sullivan. Not only are physicians worried about liability and privacy issues, but also "there's not enough hours in the day, quite frankly," she said.

Read the full story on amednews.com

2011 Rural Kansas Photography Contest Winners

2011-09-23T11:40:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to the winners of the 2011 Rural Kansas Photography Contest, presented by Rural Health Education and Services. All winning photos can be found on the Rural Health website: http://ruralhealth.kumc.edu/photocontest/2011winners.html.

This year we had 75 people submit almost 350 Photos! Below are the 1st place winners for each category.

Rural Landscape

1st Place - Lee Mossman
"Lake Sunset"

Healthcare

1st Place - Marcia Newell
"Checking Ears in the ER, During the Teddy Bear Clinic"

Community

1st Place - Bryan Gilligan
"Firefighters"

Recreation

1st Place - submitted by Roger Tobias, photo by by Jessica Lindsey
"Airplane Caleb, Landing strip bordered by ripened wheat"

Community celebrates expansion of KU Wichita Campus

2011-09-14T14:29:00.000-05:00

WICHITA, KAN. – The University of Kansas, along with state, university, and local leaders, will celebrate the expansion of the KU School of Medicine and the KU School of Pharmacy on the Wichita Campus at a dedication ceremony from 4 to 6 p.m., Sept. 15, at 1010 N. Kansas.

The ceremony will highlight the new first-year classes in both schools, as well as recognize those who helped establish and expand the university’s Wichita Campus as KU works to meet the needs of the state.

“There is a serious shortage of doctors and pharmacists in Kansas, particularly in rural areas. Through this expansion of our presence in Wichita, KU will help close those gaps,” said KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little, PhD. “We’ve received tremendous support from state and local leaders, and those partnerships will benefit Kansans and build healthy communities around the state."

Ninety of 105 Kansas counties are medically underserved. In addition, six Kansas counties have no pharmacy and another 30 have only one.

“For almost 40 years, we’ve provided hands-on, clinical training for third- and fourth-year medical students in Wichita,” said KU School of Medicine–Wichita Dean H. David Wilson, MD. “KU will now be educating even more doctors for Kansas by expanding the total class size with an expansion here in Wichita, and the medical community couldn’t be happier.”

The School of Medicine–Wichita is collaborating with the School of Pharmacy, Wichita State University, and Newman University to share resources, including a cadaver lab and several faculty members to avoid duplication and increase efficiency. By 2015, the KU Wichita Campus is projected to have an $80 million annual economic impact on the Wichita area.

The first four years of the KU School of Medicine–Wichita expansion are being funded by tuition and philanthropy. The expansion of the School of Pharmacy was made possible thanks to support from the state, which also included the construction of a new building in Lawrence.

“The expansion to Wichita and the new building in Lawrence allowed us to increase the number of incoming pharmacy students from 105 two years ago to 170 this year,” said KU School of Pharmacy Dean Ken Audus, PhD. “We’re confident that investment will pay dividends to the people of Kansas for generations to come.”

“Our Wichita Campus has been extremely successful, serving as a model for other medical schools nationwide. Thanks to our community partners and so many gracious donors, we have been able to build on this success,” said Barbara Atkinson, MD, KU Medical Center executive vice chancellor and KU School of Medicine executive dean. “Our goal of having a full, four-year medical school campus in Wichita is now a reality.”

Construction was completed in May for the 26,047-square-foot, second-floor addition designed by GLMV Architecture and constructed by Walz Harmon Huffman Construction and Hahner Foreman & Harness Inc.

KUMC graduate and Rural Health participant, Dr. John Birky, MD, shares his experience in Zimbabwe as part of his studies through Via Christi Health's International Family Medicine Fellowship

2011-09-06T15:04:00.000-05:00

Dr. Birky was a Kansas Bridging Plan recipient and recent Kansas Recruitment Center placement.

Read more about Dr. Birky's experience in Zimbabwe at Kansas.com

Kansas Career Opportunities (KCO) dates announced for Kansas City and Wichita

2011-09-02T09:58:00.000-05:00

Kansas City

Thursday, October 13, 2011

12 to 2 p.m.

The University of Kansas Medical Center, Hixson Atrium

Wichita

Thursday, November 10, 2011

12 to 2 p.m.

New Evening Event: 5 to 7 p.m.

New Location: Wichita Boathouse

KCO is designed to introduce medical students, residents, and other health care professionals to rural communities seeking health care providers. Rural Kansas communities are invited to exhibit at the career fairs and discuss health care career opportunities in their area.

Learn more, register to attend, and register to exhibit in Kansas City ...

Learn more, register to attend, and register to exhibit in Wichita ...

We hope to see you there!

2011 Rural Kansas Photography Contest

2011-08-25T10:45:00.000-05:00

Time is running out! Only three weeks left to enter photos for this year's Rural Kansas Photography contest, presented by Rural Health Education and Services.

Photos submitted should depict Kansas as a great place to live, work, and play. Winning photos will be published and prizes will be awarded.

Photographs are due by September 19, 2011.

For more information, contest rules, and entry forms please go to http://ruralhealth.kumc.edu/photocontest/index_info.html

First class of Wichita pharmacy students begins training Monday

2011-08-19T13:26:00.002-05:00

The KU School of Pharmacy-Wichita will begin training its inaugural class of 20 students on Monday.

The pharmacy school is located on the campus of the KU School of Medicine—Wichita, 1010 N. Kansas.

The school expects to accept 20 new students each year through 2014. After that, it could see class sizes increase to as many as 40 students a year, pharmacy school officials said.

Nine of the first students are from Wichita. The others are from Andover, Altamont, Assaria, Cimarron, Derby, Ellsworth, Great Bend, Haven, Manhattan, Minneapolis and Olathe.

"Pharmacy practitioners are often the first points of contact, and in some instances, the only health care professionals accessible in our state's rural counties," KU School of Pharmacy Dean Ken Audus said in a news release. "As the only school of pharmacy in Kansas, it's our obligation to address that need quickly and with purpose. The new facilities in Wichita represent a big step in that direction."

BY JERRY SIEBENMARK
The Wichita Eagle
http://www.kansas.com/2011/08/19/1980276/first-class-of-wichita-pharmacy.html

New Kansas Connections is Available Online

2011-08-16T14:40:00.001-05:00

The Summer 2011 publication of Kansas Connections is now available.

Article Highlights include:

Southeast Kansas Responds to Joplin Tornado
Cancer Survivorship Study
Pilot Program Selects Eight Rural Kansas Practices
KansasWorks Health care Workforce Partnership
Google Provides Rural Health Opportunities
Rural Health Care Provider Spotlight – Dr. Dennis Kepka
Labette Health Expands Wound Care Services

All issues of Kansas Connections are available online in an easy-to-view format at www.ruralhealth.kumc.edu.

Kansas Recruitment Center Announces Placement - Physician joins Associates in Family Care in McPherson

2011-08-12T15:44:00.000-05:00

Andrea Herrera, MD, joined Associates in Family Care, LLC, a clinic in McPherson in August.

“I lived in McPherson for several years while attending McPherson College and really enjoyed it here. I’m looking forward to connecting with old friends and making new ones,” said Herrera.

Dr. Herrera indicated that she will be joining two established partners who have made her feel very welcome in their clinic. Dr. Herrera has special interests in sports medicine, women’s health, pediatrics and disease prevention.

“I am very thrilled to have Dr. Herrera joining our practice,” said Dr. Brian Billings of Associates in Family Care. “She is Board Certified in Family Medicine and will be taking care of patients in all phases of their lives.”

In her hometown of Hesston, Kan., Herrera received an Associates of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from Hesston College in 1997. She completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology degree from McPherson College, graduating cum laude in 2000. In 2005 she completed her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita. Dr. Herrera completed her residency at the University of Texas Health Center in Tyler, Tex. in 2008.

Herrera and Associates in Family Care, LLC were matched through the Kansas Recruitment Center (KRC). The KRC, which provides placement assistance to rural health organizations, seeks to enhance the quality and quantity of health care professionals in rural Kansas by helping providers like Herrera find a practice in Kansas. The KRC is a not-for-profit program of Rural Health Education and Services at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Further information is available at ruralhealth.kumc.edu or by phone at 888-503-4221.

University of Kansas tops best universities to work for

2011-08-11T15:10:00.000-05:00

WICHITA — Usually college rankings are all about how good a school is for students.

Glassdoor.com, which examines careers and companies, has a new study that will be published on its site Friday that takes a look at what colleges are like for the people who work there.

The University of Kansas is the No. 1 best place to work in the ranking of more than 100 large schools nationally.

H. David Wilson, dean of the KU School of Medicine-Wichita, isn’t surprised.

“I can tell you the people that work here are really a happy bunch,” he says. “We come to work because of the camaraderie, because of the support of the university and because of the mission.”

He says there is minimal turnover.

“People know that they could probably make more money working somewhere else,” Wilson says.

There are intangibles that trump dollars, though.

“People feel like we’re doing something important.”

By Carrie Rengers - http://blogs.kansas.com/haveyouheard/author/crengers/

Dr. Terri Cusick and the Wichita Center for Graduate Medical Education among Wichita's Health Care Heroes

2011-08-02T08:41:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Dr. Terri Cusick, KU School of Medicine-Wichita/Wichita Surgical Specialists PA and to the Wichita Center for Graduate Medical Education for being chosen as two of Wichita’s 2011 Health Care Heroes. Health Care Heroes honors companies, individuals and organizations for their contributions to improving health care in Wichita and the surrounding area. This year's honorees will be recognized at an event Sept. 22 and will be profiled in a special edition of the Wichita Business Journal on Sept. 23. Read more at Health Care Heroes - Wichita Business Journal

Small-Town Doctors Made in a Small Kansas Town

2011-07-29T15:17:00.000-05:00

The eight students at the University of Kansas medical school in Salina.
Front, from left, Rany Gilpatrick, Claire Hinrichsen and Sara Ritterling;
second row, Kayla Johnson, Erik Dill and Tyson Wisinger;
back, Jill Corpstein and Daniel Linville.

SALINA, Kan. — This state, so sparsely populated in parts that five counties have no doctors at all, has struggled for years to encourage young doctors to relocate to rural communities, where health problems are often exacerbated by a lack of even the most basic care.

On Friday, a new medical school campus opened here to provide a novel solution to the persistent problem: an inaugural class of eight aspiring doctors who will receive all their training in exactly the kind of small community where officials hope they will remain to practice medicine.

The new school, operated by the University of Kansas, is billed as the smallest in the nation to offer a full four-year medical education. More important, supporters say, the students will remain personally and professionally rooted in the agricultural center of the state — a three-hour drive from the university’s state-of-the-art medical and research facilities in Kansas City.

It will be a different experience, one that administrators say will better prepare students for the realities of a rural practice. Lectures on subjects like anatomy will be delivered via streaming video, lab work will be overseen by more practicing generalists and fewer academic specialists, and the problems of patients will tend more to the everyday than to the extraordinary.

And, the thinking goes, spouses picked up along the way are less likely to complain about moving to a small town.

“It just makes sense, and it’s great that it’s been put into practice,” said Alan Morgan, the president of the National Rural Health Association. “From a rural policy perspective, this is big news.”

Increasingly, medical schools across the country have been looking for ways to add to the ranks of physicians in rural areas. Some are using incentives like guaranteeing admission or forgiving loans to students who commit to practicing in small communities.

Others are recruiting students from rural areas and giving their applications preference, in the hope that they will return after graduating. And a number of schools encourage students to spend one year or more training in rural areas.

Kansas has tried each of these approaches in recent years, all of which are being used at the Salina campus. But with more than half the primary care physicians concentrated in the four largest counties, a vast majority of the state is considered medically underserved. And with many rural doctors near retirement age, the shortage could grow more acute.

The medical school program here, which is similar to a program at the Indiana University campus in Terre Haute, emerged as the top recommendation several years ago in a state report on the shortage of rural physicians.

It was supported by research suggesting that students who trained in urban areas faced hurdles in adjusting to the more bare-bones life of a country doctor, said Dr. Heidi Chumley, a senior associate dean at the University of Kansas.

“When they go off to the ritz and the glitz and pick up a spouse from the big city, it’s always hard to get them back to small-town America,” said Micheal Terry, president and chief executive of Salina Regional Health Center, which donated the three-story building being used by the school, as well as enough money to run it for a year. (The school cost $1.1 million to start and $1.1 million in reserve to operate it for the first year.)

Situated at the intersection of two highways, Salina, which has a population of nearly 50,000, serves a crucial role as a regional hub supporting surrounding rural communities; the hospital where the school is based receives patients who travel as many as four hours to get there.

University officials were relieved when one visitor from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, an accrediting body whose approval was considered a major hurdle, remarked with surprise that the area was not just cornfields.

Barbara Barzansky, co-secretary of the accrediting agency, said there had been concerns about the size of the school: Salina is the smallest city in the country to host a full medical degree program. But she said the committee found the resources to be adequate.

“It’s an interesting model, and if the outcomes are good, it could be a stimulus for other schools to do it,” Ms. Barzansky said.

On Friday, the eight students met for the first time for orientation, sitting nervously alongside one another before breaking into enthusiastic chatter. Dr. William Cathcart-Rake, a longtime physician here who is the director of the school, said that while they were the first class of “something very, very special,” they should not think of themselves as experiments.

Though a couple of students said they would have preferred to attend at the campuses in Kansas City or Wichita — one plans to commute from there — the rest said the smaller school had been their first choice.

Most of them grew up in small towns themselves and have agreed, in exchange for free tuition and monthly stipends, to start their careers in rural areas.

They know the life of a rural physician is not easy. Patients tend to be older, poorer and often uninsured. The job generally pays less than lucrative specialties. And many rural doctors have so little support that they are essentially on call permanently.

But the students also spoke firsthand of the need for doctors — one recalled a half-hour drive to the city, relieved by four Advil and an ice pack, to see a doctor about his broken arm.

“I’m a small-town girl, and I always wanted to be back in a small town,” said Kayla Johnson, 23, who grew up west of here in Odin (population 101) and did not like the idea of living in a city to study medicine. “When I heard that the Salina program was starting, I was so excited.”

Dr. Robert Moser, who had a rural practice before becoming the secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said he expected the number of students who go into primary care in rural areas to at least double each year.

And while the number is still small, he said, the impact on communities will be significant.

That would be the case in Jewell County, where the only two doctors have moved away, forcing the county to pay outside physicians to provide services a few days each month and to be on call for emergencies.

“It would be great to have a doctor full time here,” said Angela Murray, the administrator of the County Health Department. “Hopefully that will happen.”

Article courtesy of The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/23/health/policy/23doctors.html?_r=3

By A. G. SULZBERGER

Published: July 22, 2011

Pharmacies becoming scarce in rural Kansas counties

2011-07-27T13:06:00.000-05:00

By Jan Biles

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

July 25, 2011

SCOTT CITY — Jena Brunswig understands how important it is for her and her husband, Jonathan, to keep the doors of their pharmacies in Lakin, Leoti and Scott City open.

Their Health Mart franchises are the only pharmacies in Kearny, Wichita and Scott counties, respectively. If they were to close, customers — many of them elderly — would have to drive 45 minutes to an hour to have their prescriptions filled and, of course, drive the same distance home.

Six Kansas counties are without a pharmacy, while 30 counties have only one.

"We originally opened a pharmacy in the Wichita County Health Center in Leoti about 15 years ago," Brunswig, who has a doctorate degree in pharmacy from The University of Kansas, said.

Thirteen years ago, the couple opened J&J Pharmacy in the Kearny County Health Center, and in 2003 they purchased the Scott City business.

Her husband, who also has a doctorate degree in pharmacy from KU, serves as a consultant for rural hospitals and nursing homes in Kearny, Finney, Lane, Scott and Wichita counties.

Brunswig said their pharmacies employ 20 to 25 full-time workers and about 20 to 25 part-time employees during the summer and holiday season.

"With the declining population, it's difficult to have enough people to run a business," she said.

Even more difficult is finding pharmacists who want to work and live in small western Kansas towns. So, the Brunswigs rely on "growing our own" through the KU School of Pharmacy curriculum that places students in communities for a one-month rotation. The curriculum allows community pharmacists to mentor students as they gain real-world experience.

"All the pharmacists we've hired have grown up here," she said.

Brunswig said she and her husband recently hired KU pharmacy students from Scott City and Leoti who wanted to return to their hometowns to begin their careers.

"They'll typically stay five years and then move on, although some marry and stay here," she said. "The KU perceptorship has increased our ability to find staff."

Abby Amick, director of Wabaunsee County Economic Development, said that county has been without a pharmacy since 1988, when its owner retired.

"When I started working here, it was one of my biggest concerns," Amick said.

Talks about establishing a satellite office through a pharmacy in a neighboring county was aborted when it became apparent it would be too costly to staff the pharmacy and pay overhead, she said.

"It's all the regulations that caused people not to be interested," she said, explaining how the satellite office would be required to have a full-time pharmacist to dispense and monitor the medications.

Amick said Alma residents can drive 16 miles to Wamego to pick up medications, while Alta Vista residents can travel to Council Grove, about 15 miles away, to fill prescriptions. A Rossville pharmacy makes deliveries to the Lake Wabaunsee and Eskridge areas, and a Topeka pharmacy also delivers to Lake Wabaunsee.

In addition, several area pharmacies offer mail-order services.

Brunswig said mail-order pharmacy services are a growing threat to brick-and-mortar pharmacies because they can provide medications more cheaply and be delivered to a person's mailbox.

"Schools, hospitals and the county have gone to mail-order prescriptions," she said. "It's cheaper for them to provide health insurance if they have this mail-order rider."

However, Brunswig said, mail-order pharmacies can't provide medications the day a person becomes ill or runs out of medication.

"Waiting three days for an antibiotic from mail order is not quality care," she said.

Consequently, the Brunswigs' pharmacies fill and deliver prescriptions to elderly residents who live in town and sometimes to rural areas.

"I hope that the population sustains our business, and the health insurance legislation will not inhibit our health care service," she said. "There are a lot of unknowns, and so many things are out of our control. The future of hospitals, clinics and pharmacies is unknown."

Article courtesy of The Topeka Capital-Journal. View article at:

http://cjonline.com/news/2011-07-25/pharmacies-becoming-scarce-rural-kansas-counties#.Ti6mheamMy4

2011 Rural Kansas Photography Contest

2011-07-19T08:57:00.000-05:00

Once again it is time for the Rural Kansas Photography contest, presented by Rural Health Education and Services.

Rural Health Welcomes Jenifer Yuza

2011-07-14T12:11:00.001-05:00

Rural Health Education and Services welcomes Jenifer Yuza as the new Marketing and Communications Coordinator. In this role she will be coordinating the production of Kansas Connections and all marketing activities of RHES. You can contact Jenifer directly at jyuza@kumc.edu . Welcome to RHES, Jenifer!

Switch to electronic records improves patients' health

2011-07-11T11:27:00.001-05:00

Switch to electronic records improves patients' health

July 01, 2011

By Cori Ast

As Jennifer Brull, MD, enters an exam room, her hands are free to greet her patient with a warm handshake. That's because, unlike many doctors, Brull isn't holding a clipboard with the patient's chart. Paper charts are a thing of the past at Plainville Medical Clinic, which documents patient visits with electronic health records (EHRs) that Brull can call up on a password-protected, networked computer in the exam room.

Brull, a family physician, can enter her diagnosis, treatment and other health information into the computer during the visit. Then she can print up a summary -- for the patient, not for her files.

"Each patient encounter is much more comprehensive. I no longer have to remember things about visits that might have been six months ago or more -- the computer remembers for me," Brull says.

The EHR system at Plainville Medical Clinic improves patient care and physician efficiency, but it also qualifies Brull for up to $63,750 in Medicare incentive payments. The payments are given to registered physicians and hospitals who engage in ""meaningful use"" of EHRs, which requires physicians to use the technology to improve patient care in a measurable manner. Some of these measurements include tracking preventive health screenings and behavioral information, such as tobacco use, that often influence patient health.

As of mid-May, only 1,026 providers in the nation had registered for the payments, out of a possible 56,599 that have demonstrated ""meaningful use."" Brull was one of the earliest adopters -- and the first certified ""meaningful use"" physician in Kansas.

"It's cool to be the first doctor in Kansas, but the best part of meaningful use is that, in the process, I improved the way I take care of my patients," Brull says. "And that's what''s key -- my patients get better care."

That better care has saved lives, too, according to Brull, who graduated from the KU School of Medicine in 1998.

For example, Brull thought she was doing a great job of talking to her patients about colon cancer prevention. However, when Plainville Medical Clinic implemented an EHR system, Brull realized her baseline measures for colon cancer screening were a paltry 43 percent.

"Anecdotally, I thought I was doing a great job of screening my patients for colon cancer. In reality, I wasn't," Brull says. In the two years she has been using EHRs, the percentage of her patients who are screened regularly for colon cancer has jumped to 85 percent. Brull has also caught three cases of colon cancer so early that the patients did not need chemotherapy. Those cases, she says, might have been missed if she was still screening fewer than half of her patients.

In fact, improved quality of care is why Brull and the physicians at Plainville Medical Clinic paid the hefty start-up costs to implement their EHR system, which went live in 2008. Despite the substantial investment, the EHR system at Plainville Medical Center has already paid for itself in increased physician productivity.
"It's just easier to see patients in the electronic world," Brull explains.

The financial incentives for EHRs extend beyond increased productivity. Brull has already received her first $18,000 Medicare incentive payment. The payments, which are authorized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, will continue through 2016 for Medicare-based payments and through 2021 for Medicaid-based payments.

In 2015, however, punitive measures will go into effect for physicians and hospitals choosing not to comply with "meaningful use" of EHRs. Those providers will receive less money from Medicare reimbursement for providing the same services as certified "meaningful use" providers.

Karl Koob, chair of health information management at the University of Kansas School of Allied Health, says that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Service''s carrot-and-stick approach is necessary because collecting the data on a national scale is critical for improving the U.S. health care system.

Although physicians benefit from the government''s push to adopt EHRs, many practices still haven't switched to electronic records. Anna Johnson, MET, clinical assistant professor of health information management at KU School of Allied Health, believes the hesitation, particularly among rural physicians, is due to in large part to the high start-up costs and the drastic changes EHRs can have on a physician's work day.

"Small physician practices don''t have as many resources," Johnson says. Because implementing an electronic health record system is resource-intensive, the uncertainty of success can leave doctors waiting on the sidelines.

Brull believes that cost isn't the largest barrier. Instead, she says, it's a lack of support.

"I think when doctors say they're not financially able to implement an EHR, it has to do a lot more with the culture that is in place in the office. If you have people who believe it won't work, then it won''t," Brull says.
Brull and the physicians at Plainville Medical Clinic believed an EHR system could work for their practice -- and it does. Today, Plainville's patients can access their health records online, email their physicians with questions and receive overall better care thanks to the EHR system. Brull and the other physicians spend less time on paperwork and more with patients. The EHR system has also reduced the number of late nights in the office, leaving more time for family. A meaningful change indeed.

To view this article visit: http://www.kumc.edu/news-listing-page/electronic-records-improve-patients-health.html

New Salina med school campus unique in U.S.

2011-07-08T10:51:00.000-05:00

By Dave Ranney
KHI News Service
July 5, 2011

SALINA — Next month, the University of Kansas School of Medicine will open a four-year, fully accredited school – officials prefer to call it a campus – next door to the Salina Regional Health Center.

“This will be the smallest medical school campus in the country and Salina will be the smallest city in the country - outside of a few major suburbs - to have a medical school campus,” said Dr. Heidi Chumley, senior associate dean for medical education at KU Medical Center.

The first class will have eight students, seven of whom are from Kansas.

KU Medical Center officials said they plan to add eight students a year at the campus in each of the next four years.

More primary-care docs

“The goal is to develop more primary care doctors for rural Kansas,” Chumley said. “We’re shooting for 75 percent (of the new school’s eventual graduates) choosing primary care, and 75 percent rural.”

Much of the new school’s curriculum will be tied to the classroom offerings at the KU Medical Center’s campuses in Kansas City and Wichita.

“We completely redid our curriculum about six years ago. It’s very computerized now,” said KU Medical Center Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Atkinson. “All the lectures are podcasts. They’re all going to be teleconferenced (in Salina), though some will be generated on-site.”

The cost of remodeling the three-story building has been picked up by Salina Regional Health Center. And the hospital’s foundation and several private donors are covering many of the operational costs and scholarship offers.

“So far, we’ve not asked the state for any money for this because we understand the financial situation the state is in,” Atkinson said. “But we have asked donors to support it and they’ve been very, very generous. Incredibly generous.”

Salina-area benefactors, she said, hope to raise $2.5 million over the next four years. They’ve already raised $1.5 million with $1 million coming from the salina hospital.

Salina Regional Health Center has hosted a residency program for KU Medical School graduates for about 30 years.

Most of its residents went on to start or join rural practices.

Model for other states

“What the University of Kansas is doing, I think, will be a template for having a positive impact on the number of medical practitioners in rural communities,” said Brock Slabach, senior vice president at the National Rural Health Association. “Other universities will be watching because, really, for a major medical school to commit itself to meeting rural-community needs like this is truly novel. It shouldn’t be, but it is.”

Slabach said he’s long been baffled by the fact that medical school officials in many rural states’ fail to see the connection between their states' shortages of health care providers and their students leaving for big cities in other states.

“I wouldn’t include Kansas in that group,” he said.

Last year, a national survey of how well medical schools were fulfilling their “social mission to train doctors…” ranked KU School of Medicine fifth in the nation.

The school was ranked eighth for its percentage of graduates (44 percent) practicing in underserved areas.
Earlier this year, a Kansas Department of Health and Environment survey found that 51 of the state’s 105 counties had less than one physician per 2,695 residents and were considered medically underserved.

Looming retirements

“The shortage of health care professionals has been a critical issue for a long time,” said Dr. William Cathcart-Rake, a Salina oncologist and director at the KU-Salina campus. “It’s not new, but what is new is that now we have a number of physicians who are nearing retirement age, and a good number of them are practicing in the rural communities.”

Generating enough new doctors to replace those who are retiring – especially in rural areas - will be difficult, he said.

“We have to do something,” Cathcart-Rake said. “We can’t keep doing what we’ve always done. It’s not enough.”

The Salina campus, he said, will be geared toward allowing students from small towns to complete their studies and residencies in a small-town environment.

“There is evidence that shows that if someone is trained in a rural area they are more likely to stay in a rural area,” he said. “So the idea is that from day one we’ll be training our students in in non-metropolitan settings and exposing them to all the good and the bad that comes with life in rural Kansas. After that, we’ll hope for the best.”

Cathcart-Rake, who grew up in small town in Orange County, Calif. (“…back when there was still a small town in Orange County”), has been practicing medicine in Salina for 32 years.

“The perception is that if you go to a small town you’ll work yourself to death, you’ll never get a vacation and you won’t get to spend time with your family,” he said. “The way to get around that is to be with a group of physicians so you can cover for each other so you don’t have to do everything for yourself.

“The days of there being a doc in every little town are gone. That’s not the model anymore,” Cathcart-Rake said, noting that in Clay Center, for example, the local clinic has eight physicians and four mid-level practitioners serving a large catchment area.

Similar models are in place in Tribune, Quinter, and Beloit.

Enjoying small-town life

Earlier this year, Aneisa Slack, 25, completed her second year of study at KU Medical School in Kansas City. She’s starting her third year on the school’s Wichita campus.

“I’ll be here for six months,” she said. “Then, in January I’ll go to Salina. I’ll be there for 18 months.”
Slack, who grew up on the family farm south of Oxford in Sumner County, said she wants to be a primary-care physician in a small town.

“I like the small-town lifestyle,” she said. “I know that a lot of people don’t. But that, I think, is because they’re not from a small town. I’ve had some classes with students from Wichita and Kansas City who’ve never been to a small town. They’ve driven through them, but they’ve never spent any time in one.”

Slack last year was president of the KU Rural Medicine Interest Group, which is a student organization. She said she was leaning toward joining an existing practice or going to work for a small-town hospital.

Most of her fellow students, she said, are not interested in opening their own practices.

“The ones I know aren’t really interested in starting a business,” she said. “They don’t want to have to put up with all the paperwork. They just want to be a doctor.”

Article courtesy of Kansas Health Institute. View article at: http://www.khi.org/news/2011/jul/05/salina-medical-school-campus-be-no-other/#

Wichita-area health care leaders sign pact to create training site

2011-06-30T13:37:00.000-05:00

BY RON SYLVESTER
The Wichita Eagle

Every year, 180,000 people die because of accidents in their medical treatments.

"That's the equivalent of a huge plane crash once a day," said Wichita physician Robert McKay, program chair of anesthesia at the University of Kansas Medical Center-Wichita. He was citing a survey last year of medical deaths by the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services.

"If a plane crashed every day, people would stop flying. But they can't stop going to the hospital," McKay said Tuesday.

This week, McKay learned, a simulation training program similar to one he's trying to help bring to Wichita had all but eliminated what the health care profession calls "adverse events" at one large Midwest hospital.

Cincinnati Children's Hospital recorded about one such event every six months 10 years ago, before they started training with medical simulators. Now, the hospital has gone 3 1/2 years without a serious safety event, according to Tom LeMaster, program director for the Cincinnati Children's Center Simulation and Research Center.

Simulators allow medical professionals to practice real-world scenarios on high-tech mannequins under the same types of circumstances they face in hospitals or ambulances.

"I can't say simulation fixed everything, because there are other changes we made, but I can say it was a huge part of it," LeMaster said.

Such success helped bring together leaders from Wichita's hospitals, medical clinics, military installations, emergency services and health care schools to sign a joint operations agreement for the Mid-Continent Regional Center for Health Care Simulation.

About a dozen health care leaders and educators signed the agreement for the proposed $14 million training center during a lunch at the Wichita Art Museum.

The agreement represents a formal backing of the project from the city's health care organizations and schools. It may open as early as next year if enough money can be raised, organizers said.

"It worked in Cincinnati; it can work anywhere," said McKay, who serves on a steering committee for the new center.

LeMaster said the Cincinnati program started training hospital staff in the emergency room and now is integrated throughout the hospital. LeMaster said his crew now can bring a simulated emergency test into the hospital, unannounced, and teams must react as if it's a real emergency.

"We run about two codes per month throughout the hospital," LeMaster said.

LeMaster cited the cardiopulmonary bypass machine, which pumps blood and oxygen to a patient during heart surgery. It effectively takes over for the heart and lungs. When it works. But it's a machine, built by humans, and has its limitations and failures.

"And when a heart-lung bypass stops, you're in trouble," LeMaster said.

But since doctors and nurses have been training in simulation of such emergencies, they now handle them better.

"With something happens now, it barely bothers them, and they can fix it quickly without stress to the patient," LeMaster said.

That's the kind of training, and patient safety results, those hoping to bring to Wichita's health care community.

Paul Uhlig, a heart surgeon and associate professor of preventive medicine and public health at the KU medical school, is chair of the steering committee. He said the center is organizing itself as a nonprofit. The Wichita Community Foundation is taking donations for the project until the group gets its tax-exempt status.

Uhlig said the group hopes to raise $8 million of its startup costs through community donations, another $5 million through a one-time investment of local and state funds and $1 million in support from the local health care industry.

Tuesday's signing was a symbol of the community commitment to raise the funds.

"It's a statement of sincere interest in working together to create this center," Uhlig said.

The group is scouting several locations for the center, Uhlig said, which would be centrally located and easily accessible by all the health care centers and educational programs in the area.

The goal, Uhlig said, is to become a regional medical training center.

From Rural Health to the JayDoc Clinic: A Pre-Med’s Journey

2011-06-23T15:51:00.000-05:00

Part 3

Part 2 (You can view Part 1 from the March 24 post)

Part 1 (You can view Part 1 from the February 11 post)

Why I Volunteer
I am not the kind of girl who likes to set an alarm for Saturday morning. I am not the kind of girl who likes to set an alarm really any day of the week, but that is another story. On the Saturdays I volunteer at the JayDoc Community Clinic (JCC) my alarm goes off at 7:00am. I have come to affectionately call the Saturdays that I volunteer at the clinic my “JayDoc Saturdays.” Typically, the piercing noise coming from my alarm clock ranks right up there with nails on a chalkboard, but on JayDoc Saturdays things are different. They’re different because on JayDoc Saturdays I am up before the alarm even has the chance to go off. I am merrily bouncing all around my house getting ready for my day at the clinic. I am excited about what my day potentially holds for me. Questions race through my mind as I prepare for a day at the clinic. What kind of patients will I have today? What am I going to learn? Will I be able to work the blood pressure cuff correctly? Is someone bringing breakfast? At this point, I need some answers and most likely some breakfast too.

On JayDoc Saturdays, I simply cannot wait to get to the clinic! I just completed the spring semester at JCC and was given the opportunity to join the clinic for the fall semester as well. Something about the JayDoc Clinic just keeps me coming back for more. Why am I continuing to volunteer at JCC when I could clearly be sleeping in? I have attempted to provide a few reasons for my choice to continue volunteering below.

Reason #1
You know the game shows where your prize is based on which door you choose? You can choose door #1 and you know what that prize is, it’s a sure thing, done deal, no risk. Then there is door #2 and you have no clue what is behind that door. If you are feeling lucky, you can choose door #2 and hope for the best. Well, I found that patients are always like choosing door #2. As I bring back each patient to the exam room, I have no idea what is in store for me once I close the door. This could be a quick open and shut case or I could spend all day trying to assist this patient. Once I get the patients in the exam room they have been known to laugh, cry, cough, gag, and/or watch me fall off my rolling chair (true story). Do I feel completely prepared to handle the patients’ diverse needs? – Not really. I think this feeling of preparation is something that comes from experience and I will feel more prepared as time goes on. For right now, when that exam room door closes what happens next is always a surprise, and I am going to be honest – it gives me an adrenaline rush.

Reason #2
I am a part of the patient care team on JayDoc Saturdays. What I do and how I do it matters to these patients and to the success of the team.   The vitals I record and the information I obtain from the patient helps prepare the medical student to formulate a game plan and minimize “door #2 syndrome.”

Being an active member of this team requires a lot of learning on my part and a lot of teaching on the part of the medical students, residents, and physicians. During my most recent JayDoc Saturday, I learned the what and the how behind SOAP notes (subjective, objective, assessment, plan) and even got to deliver ¾ of a SOAP note to the attending resident physician. I received a crash course on the different stages of hypertension and learned all about the devastating effects of high blood pressure on the human body. This all occurred over the course of an hour. I am so appreciative of the people I volunteer with at JCC. They are incredibly supportive and always willing (and excited) to answer any question I may have.   My time at JCC has provided me with an invaluable learning opportunity. I am very fortunate to have learned so much from the JCC volunteers and I look forward to what I will learn in the future.

Reason #3
Volunteering at the JayDoc Community Clinic is a truly humbling experience. When my life gets stressful, school gets tough, and work is overwhelming, I come to JayDoc and I am immediately reminded of why I want to be a physician. Suddenly, the path I have chosen for myself feels easier. I feel energized and ready to continue my journey to becoming a physician.

Is that Flat Jaydoc?

Conclusion
Why sleep in when I could be volunteering at the JayDoc Community Clinic? My enthusiasm for being a part of JayDoc Saturdays keeps me from having to hear the awful noise that emanates from my alarm clock in the morning. I also save money because the adrenaline rush I get from being at the clinic allows me to work all day without caffeine. From where I stand, my time at the clinic is truly a win-win situation.

-Auburn Weber, Rural Health Education and Services, University of Kansas Medical Center

Like KU School of Medicine–Wichita on Facebook

2011-06-17T10:41:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, June 15, marked the launch of the KU School of Medicine–Wichita Facebook page! The page will keep everyone in the know about the exciting news taking place on the Wichita Campus and within our community. However, we promise not to be a “Facebook Minutiaest”.

Oh, the places he’ll go
With the launch of Facebook, there will be a new “Doc” on campus, and he will be photographed everywhere students, residents, and faculty members can be found. His name is Flat JayDoc and, even
though he is flat, he will fit right into experiencing the intriguing and rewarding things those on the Wichita Campus get to do. Flat JayDoc is similar to the Flat Stanley project for children, which ncourages students to make connections with other schools through photos and letters. On our campus, students, residents, and faculty members will host Flat JayDoc for up to five days and assist him (after all, when you are flat, you have issues with manipulation) with getting his photos on the KU School of Medicine–Wichita Facebook page. He will be passed on to other hosts for his adventures to continue and his photos will be posted on the KU School of Medicine–Wichita Facebook page.

“Likes” for Wichita
First-Years The new 1styear medical students aren’t coming with a skeleton in the closet, but they will get one as soon as we get 1,000 “Likes”! To welcome the 1st-year class, the 4-Wichita Advancement Board will donate up to $1,000 to purchase a skeleton and a protective cabinet, a bonus and exciting instructional aid for the 1st-year students to enhance their Wichita experience. For every person who “Likes” our page, the board will donate $1 toward the purchase. We’re hoping to welcome the skeleton by Halloween. Take a minute to show your support for the 1st-year students on the Wichita Campus by simply “Like”-ing our page and then spreading the word.

White House announces the establishment of a White House Rural Council

2011-06-10T15:10:00.000-05:00

The White House - http://1.usa.gov/kPeVr2
Office of the Press Secretary
June 09, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The White House today announced the establishment of the first White House Rural Council. While rural communities face challenges, they also present economic potential. To address these challenges, build on the Administration’s rural economic strategy, and improve the implementation of that strategy, the President signed an Executive Order establishing the White House Rural Council.

“Strong rural communities are key to a stronger America,” said President Barack Obama. “That’s why I’ve established the White House Rural Council to make sure we’re working across government to strengthen rural communities and promote economic growth.”

The White House Rural Council will coordinate programs across government to encourage public-private partnerships to promote further economic prosperity and quality of life in rural communities nationwide. Chaired by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, the Council will be responsible for providing recommendations for investment in rural areas and will coordinate Federal engagement with a variety of rural stakeholders, including agricultural organizations, small businesses, and state, local, and tribal governments.

“Rural America makes significant contributions to the security, prosperity, and economic strength of our country,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The Rural Council announced by President Obama shows his continued focus on promoting economic opportunity, creating jobs, and enhancing the quality of life for those who live in rural America. Together with the rest of the Obama administration, USDA has worked to support families and businesses in rural communities so that their success will pay dividends for all Americans.”

In the coming months, the White House Rural Council will focus on job creation and economic development by increasing the flow of capital to rural areas, promoting innovation, expanding digital and physical networks, and celebrating opportunity through America’s natural resources. The Council will begin discussing key factors for growth, including:

Jobs: Improve job training and workforce development in rural America
Agriculture: Expand markets for agriculture, including regional food systems and exports
Access to Credit: Increase opportunity by expanding access to capital in rural communities and fostering local investment
Innovation: Promote the expansion of biofuels production capacity and community based renewable energy projects
Networks: Develop high-growth regional economies by capitalizing on inherent regional strengths
Health Care: Improve access to quality health care through expansion of health technology systems
Education: Increase post-secondary enrollment rates and completion for rural students
Broadband: Support the President’s plan to increase broadband opportunities in rural America
Infrastructure: Coordinate investment in critical infrastructure
Ecosystem markets: Expanding opportunities for conservation, outdoor opportunities and economic growth on working lands and public lands

Since taking office, President Obama’s Administration has taken significant steps to improve the lives of rural Americans and has provided broad support for rural communities. The Obama Administration has set goals of modernizing infrastructure by providing broadband access to 10 million Americans, expanding educational opportunities for students in rural areas, and providing affordable health care. In the long term, these unparalleled rural investments will help ensure that America’s rural communities are repopulating, self-sustaining, and thriving economically.

Dr. Eve-Lynn Nelson uses telemedicine to help Kansas children cope with mental illness

2011-06-04T09:45:00.000-05:00

June 02, 2011

By Cori Ast

By age 18, one in five American children will have a diagnosable mental health condition and millions more will have be in situations where they could have benefitted from mental health counseling. With 99 of 105 Kansas counties designated as mental health professional shortage areas, only a handful of these children might receive necessary treatment.

School of Medicine researchers such as Eve-Lynn Nelson, PhD, are finding ways to change that. Dr. Nelson, an associate professor of pediatrics, is one of three School of Medicine psychologists providing regular pediatric mental health services via video conference to Kansas children, a practice known as telemedicine.

"Without telemedicine, many Kansas kids might not receive necessary mental health treatment, and an untreated mental health condition affects every aspect of a child's life." Nelson explained.

Due to a shortage of licensed child psychologists, a Kansas child could wait six months for an in-person visit. However, a child seen through telemedicine could begin treatment within a month. In addition to quicker access, other benefits of pediatric behavioral telepsychology include the ability to get additional information from school officials and reduced travel time for the patient.

With appropriate technology and training, a telemedicine visit is no different from a face-to-face visit. "Successful treatment depends on relationship building, which is no more challenging in telemedicine than in person," said Dr. Nelson. "We are still able to forge close doctor-patient relationships even though we are often communicating over long distances."

Dr. Nelson and Susan Sharp, DO, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, are studying the use of a team-based approach in treating youth who have signs of depression. Their research also includes a provision for training providers in telemental health.

Kansas Family Physicians Helping Joplin Tornado Victims

2011-05-31T09:44:00.000-05:00

RHES would like to share this article that was posted in kafp WEEKLY.

May 27, 2011 Kansas family physicians come to aid of Joplin tornado victims
Thank you to all who have reached out to the victims of the tornado in Joplin, Mo. Many Kansas family doctors are in the trenches helping to treat patients and to restore lives. One of our members, Beth Loney, MD (Wesley FM resident) has family in Joplin. Her grandparents and aunt and uncle lost their homes. Our sympathy and thoughts go out to Dr. Loney and her family.

The KAFP thanks the following for their relief efforts --- you are true heroes of family medicine! The volunteers report that words cannot describe the devastation and loss of the people in Joplin. Here is a partial list of those who have gone to Joplin to help. If you know if anyone else not mentioned, please let us know.
• Jay Allen, MD (Fort Scott)
• Casana Siebert Brunton, MD (Independence)
• Josh Brueggeman, MD (Pittsburg)
• Deb Clements, MD (Kansas City)
• Aaron Davis, DO (Wichita)
• Mike Kennedy, MD (Kansas City)
• Ross Kimball, MD (Salina)
• Beth Loney, MD (Wichita)
• Gary Morsch, MD (Olathe)
• Jen Bacani McKenney, MD (Fredonia)
• Dru Nichols, MD (Ottawa)
• Mike Oller, MD (Wichita)
• Belinda Vail, MD (Kansas City)
Here are some important links about volunteer resources:
• Show-Me Response: an online registration system for volunteer health professionals.
• Heart to Heart
• City of Joplin, Missouri
• American Red Cross Shelters
• American Red Cross Donations
• Missouri State Emergency Management Agency
You can also follow these helpful Twitter and Facebook accounts for up-to-date information:
• Relief Spark: @reliefsparknola is using its' Twitter feed to help with volunteer efforts
• St. John's Health System is using its' Facebook account for updates.
• Joplin, MO Tornado Recovery a group created a page to help in the efforts.
• Joplin, MO. Tornado Survivors is a page created to help locate survivors.
• Animals Lost and Found from the Joplin, MO tornado

You can also view the article at:

http://www.enewsbuilder.net/kafp/e_article002116782.cfm?x=bjvbnkG,bfy1T5J3

Relief Efforts for Recent Tornadoes

2011-05-26T15:13:00.000-05:00

In the wake of the recent tornadoes that have devestated the region, RHES would like to share information on the relief efforts currently in place and how the public can help. The following information has been combined from various sources including the University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas Hospital Association and the American Red Cross.

Joplin Tornado

Kansas hospitals have treated 126, admitted 55, and released 11 patients from the Joplin tornado based on preliminary data from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

At this time, the health care providers in Joplin and Springfield, Mo. have sufficient staff identified for the immediate future and there is not a need for more medical personnel to volunteer.

However, there are many other ways we can support the relief effort. You can send much-needed monetary donations to the American Red Cross by visiting http://www.redcross.org/ or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS. You can also text the word "REDCROSS" to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Heart-to-Heart International is also accepting donations for victims of the Joplin tornado. The organization is also providing care kits of survival essentials to families in Joplin. Here is the list of items needed for the Heart-to-Heart International care kits:

    new hand towels
    new washcloths
    wide-tooth combs
    10-15 oz. bottles of shampoo
    new individually wrapped toothbrushes
    4-6 oz. tubes of toothpaste
    individually wrapped bath-size bars of soap
    adhesive bandages
    one-gallon-size, zipper-seal plastic bags

If you have items that you have collected, you can contact Heart-to-Heart International at volunteer@hearttoheart.org.

Reading Tornado

An extensive clean-up effort in Reading, Kan. is currently taking place in response of Saturday's tornado. Medical personnel are not needed but annyone who would like to take part of the clean-up effort should contact the Lyon County Extension office at (620) 341-3220 for more information.

If individuals wish to provide monetary contributions to relief efforts in Reading, contributions should be directed through the United Way of the Flint Hills (http://www.uwfh.org/). Please put "Reading Relief" in the focus area section and 100% of your contribution will go to the long-term relief effort for Reading.

American Red Cross

The Midway-Kansas Chapter of the American Red Cross has lots of information on how to get involved in the relief effort of the recent tornadoes.

You can also find them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to recieve up-to-date information.

Governor holds Economic Summit on Life Sciences at KU Medical Center

2011-05-25T09:05:00.000-05:00

May 24, 2011
By Cori Ast

More than 150 scientists, government and civic leaders, and others with a stake in future of the life sciences gathered at the University of Kansas Medical Center on Tuesday for the Governor's Economic Summit on Life Sciences. The meeting focused on Kansas' strong foundation for reaching its global potential in the life sciences.

In opening the event, Governor Sam Brownback said Kansas needs to increase life sciences research to improve health care and develop more jobs.

"You have to be a global competitor if you're going to enter the field," said Brownback. "We need to pick where we are going to compete and win at it,"

The value of partnerships and collaboration was underscored by the six speakers and 10 roundtable participants. Building relationships was emphasized as a foundation to success in several key life sciences areas, including National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation, the use of technology to improve public health, drug development, and the future health care workforce.

National Cancer Institute Designation

KU Medical Center Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Atkinson, MD, pointed to numerous collaborations that have propelled KU's pursuit of NCI designation. Those collaborations include the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, hospital partners in the Midwest Cancer Alliance, the Kansas Bioscience Authority, Johnson County taxpayers and others.

Roy Jensen, MD, director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, underscored the value of these relationships. "We would not have a chance, we would not be competitive [as a candidate for NCI designation] without the support provided by the legislature and our partners," he said during the roundtable discussion.

Governor Brownback agreed that the focus on achieving NCI designation was a critical economic force for Kansas. He also noted that the efforts to achieve NCI designation had already been a huge economic driver for the regional economy.

Technology Innovation

Another economic engine for the region will be the ability of KU Medical Center and others to tap the possibilities provided by the ultra-fast Google broadband resources in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Milo Medin, vice president of access services for Google Inc., said the high-speed Internet will bring results not yet even imagined. "We believe speed is critical to innovation and competitiveness. We believe we are in the early stages of a revolution. We want to invent the future with you,"

Google's new profile in the greater Kansas City region was mentioned by a number of people as evidence of how technology can help advance the life sciences. Dr. Atkinson said that the Google technology could enhance home health for chronic disease management, a major contributor to high health care costs for both Medicaid and Medicare.

Pharmaceutical Development

Summit participants also focused on the economic potential of pharmaceutical development in Kansas. Getting drugs from lab bench to bedside quickly would not only result in increased revenue from the development process, but improved economic productivity for the Kansans who need those medications.

Governor Brownback also urged Kansas to pursue drug discovery for neglected diseases and diseases that affect developing nations.

"I don't think anybody goes wrong doing the right thing," he said.

Health Professional Workforce

The need for a well-educated, strong health workforce that's willing to work for Kansas was another topic of discussion at the summit.

"I like to think the asset we exceed the most with here is people," said Pat George, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce.

Scooter Plowman, an MD/PhD student at the KU School of Medicine agreed. "It was the human capital at this school that brought me here," said the Chicago native.

Despite the current strength of Kansas' health professional workforce, participants noted that more infrastructure and more physicians would be needed to adequately provide for Kansans' health needs.

Ed McKechnie, president of the Kansas Board of Regents, said training more doctors for Kansas would require more Kansas residency slots to make sure that the doctors educated in Kansas are retained by Kansas.

Presentations at the summit were made by:

•         KU Medical Center Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Atkinson, MD;

•         KU Medical Center Interim Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery Paul Camarata, MD;

•         R. Scooter Plowman, KU Medical Center MD/PhD student;

•         Bob Page, President and CEO of The University of Kansas Hospital;

•         Milo Medin, Vice President of Access Services, Google Inc.; and

•         Steven St. Peter, MD, Managing Director of MPM Capital.

A roundtable discussion followed the presentations, moderated by Kansas Governor Sam Brownback. Lt. Governor Jeff Colyer, MD. University of Kansas Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little, PhD, provided opening remarks.

KU School of Medicine is the most popular medical school in the country

2011-05-18T08:10:00.000-05:00

May 17, 2011

The University of Kansas School of Medicine is the nation's most popular medical school, according to an analysis by U.S. News and World Report.

The report ranked the percentage of students admitted to medical schools who opted to enroll in the program. At the KU School of Medicine, 176 - or 82.2 percent - of the 214 accepted students chose to attend the school in the academic year beginning in 2010, which was tops among the 121 U.S. medical schools that were included in the report.

"We have long been aware that the KU School of Medicine is the school of choice among many of our applicants," said Barbara F. Atkinson, MD, Executive Vice Chancellor at KU Medical Center and Executive Dean at the KU School of Medicine. "Like most medical schools, we consider rankings one of many ways to measure success. We're extremely pleased to be at the very top of this list."

Every school on the list of most popular medical schools is a state institution, which likely contributed to the rankings, since tuition for in-state students at public medical schools is significantly lower than tuition for out-of-state students or at private schools.

Bailey Roberts, a first-year student at the KU School of Medicine, was accepted at four medical schools, including Vanderbilt University. She acknowledged that the lower tuition was a big factor in her decision to come to KU, but it wasn't the only one.

"During the admissions process, I just had a feeling KU was the best choice for me," Roberts said. "I want to go into pediatrics and work with underserved populations, and this was going to be the best school for me to pursue that dream."

A key finding is that five of the most popular schools on the new U.S. News and World Report list are also among the top medical schools in the country when it comes to training primary care physicians. The KU School of Medicine's primary care program is ranked 41^st in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report.

"Over the past several years, we have developed a reputation as one of the best medical schools in the country for educating primary care doctors," said Heidi Chumley, MD, senior associate dean for medical education at the KU School of Medicine. "I know many of our applicants are interested in pursuing a career in primary and rural medicine, and they are very aware that this is the place to get the best training for those areas."

To address the need for more primary care and rural physicians, the KU School of Medicine is adding a four-year program in Salina and expanding its Wichita campus to a full, four-year program in the fall of 2011.

To read more about the U.S.News and World Report study on popular medical schools, visit http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/2011/05/17/10-most-popular-medical-schools.

Ellsworth County Native is NRHA’s 2011 Rural Health Practitioner of the Year

2011-05-13T11:52:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Dennis Kepka, MD, of Ellsworth County, Kan. He was recognized as NRHA’s 2011 Rural Health Practitioner of the Year.

NRHA Announces 2011 Rural Health Award Recipients
From www.raconline.org
May 10, 2011
http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=15796

The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) has announced its 2011 Rural Health Award recipients who were honored May 5, 2011, during the 34th Annual Rural Health Conference, which attracted more than 900 rural health professionals and students to Austin, Texas.

“We’re proud of this year’s winners,” said Alan Morgan, NRHA CEO. “They have each already made tremendous strides to advance rural health care, and we’re confident they will continue to help improve the lives of rural Americans.”

Dennis Kepka, MD, is NRHA’s 2011 Rural Health Practitioner of the Year. With a passion for rural communities, Kepka and his wife, Jennifer, moved to Ellsworth County, Kan., after practicing elsewhere for several years. During his tenure in his native Ellsworth County, Kepka started three rural health clinics, provided training for more than 30 physician assistant students, has provided prison and jail medical services and was the sole medical provider in the county for 18 months. Kepka has practiced medicine in Ellsworth County for more than 21 years.

RHES Presents at the National Rural Health Association Conference in Austin, Texas

2011-05-06T12:27:00.001-05:00

Did anyone attend the NRHA conference this week in Austin, Texas? Rural Health's Joyce Grayson and Auburn Weber presented on Thursday, May 5 and Tyler Doyle moderated their session.

Below you can read a description of the presentation:

Retention education for today's health care student
Educating health care students on workforce retention prepares them for their job search and provides them with necessary information to identify the right opportunity. Emphasis on retention encourages them to locate a good, long-term, professional fit. Examine the benefits of educating health care students on retention while preparing them for the job search process.

If you were able to attend the presentation let us know what you thought!

KU Medical Center Student Highlighted by the National Rural Health Association

2011-05-04T08:25:00.001-05:00

Rural Health Education and Services (RHES) found this article in rural roads, a publication by the National Rural Health Association (NHRA) and wanted it to share it with you.

National Rural Health Association | Rural Roads Online | Spring 2011 | Beginnings and Passages
Beginnings-Aniesa Slack
City life calls student back to country roots
By Aniesa Slack
http://ruralroadsonline.com/Beginnings-Aniesa%20Slack

   It took me months to stop waving at every car I met on the road when I moved to the big city. And that was just the beginning of the culture shock that I was about to experience. As a first-generation college student I couldn't wait to get out of Oxford, Kan., population 1,067, and live the life I thought my parents never could.

   I never imagined how much I would miss my country roots, mostly because until I left the farm, I didn't realize that rural life was so different from the rest of the world.

   My experience has convinced me that rural Americans have a distinct culture, one that crosses socioeconomic strata, encompasses all ethnicities and knows no geographic boundary. Rural doesn't describe a place; it describes a people, my people. But I didn't always see it that way. I spent my undergrad years trying to find myself and my calling.

   The further I got from home, the more people I met who were shockingly out of touch with any lifestyle not found in metropolitan areas. It was as if urban tunnel vision had created a society blind to the world of rural America.

   Baffled and discouraged, I called Mom and Dad for advice. There I was, explaining to them how unfortunate it was that my rural culture was misrepresented, taken for granted and misunderstood by the urban majority. But not by me. I identify with rural folks. They represent me, my family and my neighbors. I understand these people, can relate to their problems and empathize with their situations.

   They deserve a doctor who recognizes the challenges they face and can appreciate the sacrifices they make. And just like that, I realized I had finally found my calling.

Aniesa Slack is a second-year medical student at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and was recently accepted into the Rural Track Program, where she will continue her clerkship rotations in a rural setting. She joined the National Rural Health Association in 2010.

Spring 2011 Kansas Connections is Now Available

2011-04-28T12:43:00.002-05:00

The Spring 2011 publication of Kansas Connections is now available. All issues of Kansas Connections are available online in an easy-to-view format at www.ruralhealth.kumc.edu.

RHES Exhibiting at KMGMA this week

2011-04-26T15:51:00.000-05:00

Rural Health Education and Services will exhibit at the Spring Kansas Medical Group Management Association (KMGMA) Conference April 28-29 at the Wichita Marriott in Wichita, Kan.

The first 20 people to bring this flyer will recieve a free gift.

Hope to see you there!

New ACGME regulations will affect Locum Tenens coverage

2011-04-20T10:39:00.000-05:00

Attention Kansas Locum Tenens clients!

New ACGME regulations will affect locum tenens coverage beginning July 1:

• Off-site accommodations for providers are required. Sleep rooms and other accommodations on hospital property are no longer allowed.

• A back-up physician must be available when using resident physicians to provide locum tenens. Resident physicians are now allowed only 80 hours to provide services each week, which includes both resident duties and locum tenens.

We will work with you and the resident on each locum tenens coverage to put a plan in place.

Please contact Andee Ellis, aellis2@kumc.edu, ph: 913-588-1228 for more information.

New Kansas Guidebook

2011-04-08T13:32:00.000-05:00

News release from http://www.kansassampler.org/newsview.php?id=140

The "8 Wonders of Kansas Guidebook" is a 272-page book showcasing over 800 beautiful photos of the 216 entries in the 8 Wonders of Kansas contests. It is certain to become a treasured Kansas classic whether it's used as a coffee table book or as a travel guide.

Photographer Harland Schuster, Morrill, went to each one of the 216 places between May and November of 2010 to take up-to-date pictures. Book designer Liz (Penner) King has interspersed information about each of the places among Harland's photos to create a book that perfectly fits the celebratory nature of 2011, Kansas' sesquicentennial year.

Author Marci Penner has worked with all entries to compile background information, location, contacts, Web sites and hours to make this spiral-bound book a useful tool when exploring Kansas.

The top 8 Wonders entries in the categories of Architecture, Art, Commerce, Cuisine, Customs, Geography, History, People, and the Overall 8 Wonders are featured in a two-page spread. The remaining 16 finalists in each category are recognized on a half page.

Mennonite Press, Newton, printed the book. Koerperich Bookbinders of Selden, one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Commerce finalists, bound the limited hard-back version.

A project of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, the book will debut April 16 at the reception for the 8 Wonders of Kansas exhibit at the Eisenhower Library, Abilene. The public is welcome to attend the reception from 2-4 p.m. The program will take place at 2 p.m.

For information about where to find the books or to order online, go to http://www.8wonders.org/.

Career Resource Luncheon

2011-04-07T15:07:00.000-05:00

All KUMC Allied Health Students are invited to attend a luncheon hosted by Rural Health Education and Services (RHES) on Friday, April 8!

Email Andrea Ellis aellis2@kumc.edu if you will be attending!

KAOM Conference this week

2011-04-05T14:28:00.000-05:00

Rural Health Education and Services will exhibit at the Kansas Association of Osteopathic Medicine (KAOM) Annual CME Convention April 7-8 at the Marriott in Overland Park, Kan.

Hope to see you there!

2011-03-30T10:13:00.000-05:00

Attention Nursing Students and Allied Health Students!

Rural Health Education and Services looks forward to seeing you at the Career fair on Hwy 54 at Newman University on Thursday, March 31!

Visit our website http://www.ruralhealth.kumc.edu/ to learn about our programs and services.

WEPAC Alliance

2011-03-25T09:22:00.000-05:00

Check out this great video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbpSU1kGsoc to find out what WEPAC is doing!

The WEPAC Alliance is a non-profit LLC that is dedicated to paying for cancer-preventative care for any woman who resides in any one of five rural, southwest Kansas towns: Wilmore, Englewood, Protection, Ashland, or Coldwater. Find them on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=134043385860.

The WEPAC Hoops for Hope Weekend is a collaborative effort between the five communities to increase awareness about women's health while raising money to help prevent the disease from spreading. Visit their website at http://www.wepacthehouse.org/.

From Rural Health to the JayDoc Clinic: A Pre-Med’s Journey

2011-03-24T09:13:00.000-05:00

Part 2 (You can view Part 1 from the February 11 post)

As a pre-med student, I wanted a little taste of what I might experience as a practicing doctor. This is what led me to the Jaydoc Community Clinic as a volunteer. I will continue to share with you my experiences!

I have long suspected that the ever popular Hollywood-created medical dramas may be exaggerating the truth about medicine…just a little. Shows like Grey’s Anatomy, House, and Private Practice like to glamorize medicine. These shows feature groups of ridiculously good looking medical professionals that not only go from room-to-room saving lives, but also manage to make their superior lifesaving abilities and knack for looking ridiculously good seem like it is just all in a day’s work. A day at the Jaydoc Clinic is worlds apart from the Hollywood view of medicine, but I did observe a few similarities.

Over the past few weeks my time at the Jaydoc Clinic has shown me what these television shows may have gotten right:

The volunteers at the Jaydoc Clinic are composed of some of Wichita’s most ridiculously good looking people, but I won’t focus on that.
The practice of medicine is heavily dependent on the relationships and interactions between physicians and their patients.

As the weeks go by, I find that as I learn more about medicine, I am also learning more about people, and how my interactions with them can influence their health.

The Straight Shooter
Some patients need a straight shooting physician and a little tough love. Many of the patients I have seen so far at the Jaydoc Clinic are plagued by chronic health issues and complications that are the result of smoking. So far, every physician I have observed has taken a direct approach to telling the patient they need to stop smoking. This statement is usually met with several reasons why the patient smokes, how they have managed to cut back, and why it is difficult to quit. The physicians are sympathetic, yet they don’t indulge the patients’ reasons for smoking. The directness of “you need to stop smoking” is often followed by “you CAN stop smoking TODAY and we have some great resources for you that can help you quit.”

The physicians, the students, and I all want our patients to be able to stop smoking. Our enthusiasm and belief in our patients’ ability to quit smoking motivates the patients and I have noticed a change in their attitude towards quitting. I watched as one patient left the exam room, armed with an entire bag of smoking cessation aids, resource guides, motivational information, and a lot of determination – she was going to quit smoking. I was excited to see that the patient left feeling encouraged, determined, and supported in their ability to successfully stop smoking and lead a healthier life.

Relate With Me
Patients like to be able to relate to their doctors. I watched as one of the physicians sat down next to the patient and explained ways the patient could lower their cholesterol and blood pressure. The physician talked about eating habits and exercise tips that she used in her own day-to-day routine. The doctor was really excited that the patient was so eager to take control of their health, and that enthusiasm rubbed off on the patient. The way the physician was able to relate to the patient allowed the patient to see that the tips and strategies were truly doable. By the end of the exam, the patient left with diet and exercise recommendations that they could immediately implement into their daily routine. Most importantly, the patient was enthusiastic about making a change that, although difficult, would have a profound effect on their health and well-being.

What I Have Learned (so far)
The little things really do mean a lot to patients. Simple actions like a smile, a handshake, a sympathetic ear, or kind words can let a patient know you care. A little tough love and motivation lets a patient know that they can overcome health obstacles and that you truly want to see them succeed. In the end, I think that the more positive a patient’s health care experience is, the more likely they are to follow through with their care. Health care providers play a huge role in determining just how positive a patient’s experience will be. Although the medical dramas fail to portray the medical field accurately, they do emphasize the importance of physician-to-patient relationship as a partnership towards a better health outcome.

-Auburn Weber, Rural Health Education and Services, University of Kansas Medical Center

More Match Day information!

2011-03-21T11:33:00.000-05:00

Looks like high numbers for Primary Care at the School of Medicine Match Day in Kansas City! To read about Match Day at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, visit http://www.kumc.edu/news-listing-page/match-day-2011.html.

National Statistics for Match Day

2011-03-18T10:15:00.000-05:00

We wanted to share an article from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) regarding the big event yesterday.

For Second Year, More U.S. Medical School Seniors Match to Primary Care Residencies

Wichita 4th-year students learn where they’ll do residency training

2011-03-17T15:30:00.000-05:00

A Message from Dean Wilson, KU School of Medicine-Wichita
( http://deansblog.byethost4.com/)

March 17th, 2011

Today’s the most exciting day of medical school – Match Day.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the process, 4^th-year medical students choose their specialty and interview with residency programs. Some even go all over the U.S. The students rank where they want to go, and the residency programs rank who they want. At exactly 11 a.m. CST all across the country, the students find out where they’ll be training and living these next 3 or more years.

Here in Wichita, our students, their families, and friends along with faculty and staff gather in the amphitheater and wait. At exactly 11 a.m. students begin opening their envelopes one at a time. To say the students and their families are excited and nervous is an understatement. Just watching them open their envelopes was sometimes painful as their hands shook so much.

Out of 48 students who matched, 26 chose primary care — family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics. Surgery was a hot choice this year with 8 in either orthopaedic or general surgery. Sherri Braksick is going to do neurology at Mayo in Rochester, while Jeffrey Robinson will join her in Pediatrics. Allison Ast wanted to go somewhere warm and ended up in Gainesville, Florida, in Pediatrics. I guess she got her wish.

About a third matched in Wichita, training in a Wichita Center for Graduate Medical Education (WCGME) program. That’s especially important to Kansas since about 65 percent of KU School of Medicine-Wichita graduates from both the school and one of the 13 WCGME residency programs practice in Kansas.

Take a moment to check out the complete list of 4^th-year Wichita students who matched today.

I’m very proud of our students and confident they’ll all be wonderful doctors. Congratulations & Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

This year’s class wore “Kiss me I matched” t-shirts, featuring a complete list of their classmates’ names, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.

Wichita Medical Students to learn residency matches on Thursday, March 17!

2011-03-16T11:29:00.000-05:00

During their fourth year, medical students interview with residency programs in Kansas and across the country in the specialty of their choice and rank the programs while the programs also rank the students. At 11 a.m. CST on the third Thursday of March, U.S. students will learn where they matched.

WHAT: Match Day

WHO: KU School of Medicine–Wichita 4th-year Medical Students
            H. David Wilson, MD, dean
            KU School of Medicine–Wichita

WHERE: KU School of Medicine–Wichita
                1010 N. Kansas
                Roberts Amphitheater

WHEN: 11 a.m., Thursday, March 17

ADDITIONAL DETAILS: Residency is a stage of graduate medical education and gives in-depth training in a specialty such as anesthesiology, emergency medicine, or neurology. Leading up to Match Day, medical students in their fourth year interview at hospitals across the country. At the end of the interview period, students submit a rankorder list of where they want to practice; hospitals also create a list. Those rankings are entered into a database and the students are then “matched” to a hospital.

The University of Kansas School of Medicine–Wichita is nationally recognized as a pioneer in community-oriented medical education. Since the first class graduated in 1975, more than 1,600 physicians have earned medical degrees. About half eventually established practices in the state, fulfilling the school’s promise of “Educating Doctors for Kansas.”

For more information about the University of Kansas Medical Center’s research, training, and
programs, contact Cari Merrill at 316-293-2643.

Media Release by University Relations, KU School of Medicine-Wichita

Physician Assistant to join Sheridan County Health Complex

2011-03-07T13:32:00.000-06:00

Keith Clements, Physician Assistant

HOXIE, Kan.—Keith Clements, physician assistant, joined Sheridan County Health Complex in February 2011.

In his hometown of Haviland, Kan., Clements received pre-nursing training at Barclay College and then pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Biology at Sterling College in Sterling, Kan. Later he received training as an Emergency Medical Technician before obtaining a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree at Wichita State University. He completed the Masters of Physician Assistants Studies at the University of Nebraska in Omaha, Neb. in 1998.

“As a PA, one of my goals has been to serve a rural community,” he said. “I value the sense of community and knowing who my neighbors are.”

Mary Krannawitter, Director of Human Resources at Sheridan County Health Complex, states that Clements will bring diversity to their provider staff.

“Clements is very experienced primarily in providing health care in rural settings. He shows commitment to community and is known to be a caring and competent clinician,” said Krannawitter.

The Kansas Recruitment Center, which provides placement assistance to rural health organizations, seeks to enhance the quality and quantity of health care professionals in rural Kansas by helping providers like Clements find a practice in Kansas.

Life As A Doctor In Rural Kansas Luncheon

2011-03-01T08:52:00.000-06:00

Don't miss Dr. Brian Cooke, Family Medicine, from Osawatomie, KS who will be speaking at this year's Life As A Doctor In Rural Kansas luncheon on Wednesday, March 2, from noon to 1pm.

Location: Stoland Lounge/Rieke Auditorium, KUMC

Sponsored by: RHES, Family med interest group and Rural med interest group.

For more info contact Andrea Ellis at 588-1228 or aellis2@kumc.edu

KDHE's Future to Be Discussed at Rural Health Symposium

2011-02-25T08:27:00.000-06:00

During this year's Rural Health Symposium, hospitals will have an opportunity to get to know the newly appointed secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Robert Moser, MD. He will provide an overview of KDHE and the agency's vision of Healthy Kansans Living in Safe and Sustainable Environments. Topics to be discussed will include short-term and long-term goals of KDHE, the proposed reorganization of the Kansas Health Policy Authority, health information exchange and the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act.

The Rural Health Symposium will be March15 and 16 at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita.

The brochure and online registration are available on the KHA Web site. Questions may be directed to the KHA Education Department at (785) 233-7436.

--Jennifer Findley, Kansas Hospital Association

2011-02-21T14:05:00.000-06:00

RHES staff will be attending the Fort Hays State Spring Career Fair on Wednesday, February 23, from 10:00am - 2:00pm. Stop by our booth for information and to find out how Rural Health can help you find the right job in Kansas!

Winter 2011 Kansas Connections is Now Available

2011-02-15T14:08:00.000-06:00

The Winter 2011 publication of Kansas Connections is now available. All issues of Kansas Connections are available online in an easy-to-view format at www.ruralhealth.kumc.edu.

From Rural Health to the JayDoc Clinic: A Pre-med's Journey

2011-02-11T13:18:00.000-06:00

Auburn Weber,
Sr. Recruitment Coordinator,
Rural Health Education &
Services, KUMC

Part 1

KU School of Medicine Wichita is going to be a 4 year medical school. This statement gave me the rush motivation I needed to think seriously about what I am going to be when I grow-up. I decided to rekindle an old aspiration and begin my journey to become a physician.

I already have a bachelor’s degree, but need at least 2 years of basic science courses to be prepared for medical school. In the meantime, I wanted a little taste of what I might experience as a practicing doctor. This is what led me to the Jaydoc Community Clinic. In the coming weeks, I will be sharing with you, my experiences as a volunteer at the Jaydoc Community Clinic in Wichita.

The Jaydoc Community Clinic (JCC) was founded and is operated by KU medical students. It is run in cooperation with the KUSM-W Department of Family and Community Medicine and Guadalupe Clinic and offers health care to uninsured and underinsured patients. Each patient is checked in by an undergraduate pre-medical student volunteer from one of the area colleges and a medical student then performs a history and physical exam. Finally, the medical student consults with the physician to determine a plan of care.

Lesson 1: I have a new found respect for my new arch nemesis – the manual blood pressure cuff.

My first day at the JCC was incredibly overwhelming and exciting. I showed up with a brand new stethoscope and lot of enthusiasm for learning!

I went from being medically illiterate to learning how to do the following tasks: blood pressure check, urinalysis, blood sugar check, pulse, and respirations. To most medical professionals these sorts of tasks are pretty standard and make up a typical day. However, to a pre-medical student, these tasks were exciting and some were downright challenging. It took several tries before I was able to come close to taking an accurate blood pressure reading. I decided to purchase my own blood pressure cuff so I could practice at home. Luckily my husband was a willing participant.

Lesson 2: Patient’s trust you to take good care of them the minute you shut the exam room door.

My attention was quickly drawn from learning tasks to actually spending time with a patient. I was checking patients in, obtaining their vitals, and documenting their health concerns. I was surprised with how supportive the patients were, encouraging me to take my time and learn. I loved having this interaction with patients. I had their trust and I did not want to let them down.

Lesson 3: Being a physician is much more than just providing a thorough exam and a correct diagnosis.

I escorted the last patient of the day to the exam room. The medical student and I learned a lot about this patient, along with his need for a critical medication that he could not afford. As the volunteer physician entered the room, I realized that this case was different than what I seen earlier in the day. The goal of the physician was to get this patient the necessary medication before the current supply ran out. The physician wrote down the name and address of an organization that would be able to quickly help this patient get the necessary medication. The physician said, “This organization will help you get your medicine. They are really good about it. They will take of care you.”

The last case of the day didn’t diagnose a new ailment or just provide a prescription refill. It exemplified how important it is for physicians to be aware of resources that can help their patients get the care, or in this instance, the medication they need. These resources are just one aspect of compassionate caring, but they will make all the difference in the world to the patients who need them most.

Event Reminder - WSU Health Professions Career Fair

2011-02-04T16:01:00.000-06:00

RHES staff will be attending the Wichita State University Health Professions Career Fair on Monday, Feb. 7th, from 11am - 2pm on the 2nd floor of Ahlberg Hall. Stop by our booth to visit with one of our recruiters and learn how Rural Health can help you find a health care profession in Kansas.

The first 20 visitors to bring a RHES coupon will recieve a free gift!

Spotlight Community - Osborne, Kan.

2011-02-03T12:42:00.000-06:00

In unique Osborne County, one will find an open landscape with rolling prairie and bluffs accompanied by the Solomon Valley River. The county is said to be a sportsman’s dream surrounded by lakes, attracting visitors from all over the country to hunt pheasant, deer, quail and turkey. Two nine-hole golf courses are available to the public, along with a four-field baseball complex, bike and hiking trails, and a shooting range.

Osborne County Memorial Hospital (OCMH) is a non-profit 25-bed acute health care provider, owned and operated by Osborne County in the State of Kansas. The hospital serves Osborne County as well as the surrounding communities. OCMH is governed by a 5-member Board of Directors appointed by the Osborne County Commissioners and is managed by The Great Plains Health Alliance, Inc. (GPHA). Staff members at the hospital work in a friendly, family oriented atmosphere, serving the needs of the patient and their families.

For more information about Osborne or other communities, visit Focus on Kansas.

KMOM update

2011-01-26T15:48:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to share the great news about the KMOM dental project from this past weekend!

The Tenth Kansas Mission of Mercy Dental Project Completed

by Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation on Monday, January 24, 2011

Topeka, KS – The Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation completed its tenth Kansas Mission of Mercy Dental Project this past weekend in Hutchinson, KS. The project provides free dental care to low-income individuals in a first come, first served clinic. The KMOM Hutchinson project treated 1638 patients with dental care valued at $1.25 million.

“This was the largest project we have ever done in terms of dollars of care,” said Greg Hill, Executive Director of the Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation.

To date, more than 19,000 patients have received dental care through the KMOM project and nearly $10 million in care has been delivered.

“One number that always sticks out in people’s minds is the number of tooth extractions that we do at a project. In Hutchinson, we extracted a total of 4389 teeth. In our ten projects combined, we have done 30,856 extractions.”

The Kansas Mission of Mercy provides this free service once a year at a different location in the state. Projects in the past have been held in Garden City (twice), Kansas City, Pittsburg, Salina, Wichita, Topeka, Manhattan and Independence. Locations and dates in Kansas City are being explored for the 2012 project.

“While talking with patients, every single one I spoke with said that without adult Medicaid, they simply were unable to get the dental care they need,” Hill said. “It’s one thing for a dentist to provide charitable work in their office ,which many do, but it’s something entirely different when we are looking at this many people.”

According to a report by the Pew Foundation, Kansas Dentists provide $46.3 million in charity and reduced-fee care to patients every year.

“This amounts to $33,000 in care done by every dentist across the state annually. In comparison, Kansas Medicaid paid $27 million for dental treatment in FY2007,” Hill said.

Kansas Recruitment Center brings new health care provider to Emporia, Kan.

2011-01-20T09:45:00.000-06:00

Alana Fearey, DO, Internal Medicine Physician, will join the team at the Medical Arts Clinic in Emporia, Kan., the summer of 2011.

Fearey has known for many years that a career as a physician was the lifestyle that she wanted to pursue. She graduated from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in May 2008 as an osteopathic physician and will complete the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University of Kansas School of Medicine – Wichita in June of 2011.

“I’m excited to begin practicing in Emporia as I’ve always known that I want to help the underserved communities. At the Medical Arts Clinic, I know that I am joining a team of physicians with outstanding reputations in quality health care,” Fearey stated.

According to Kent Palmberg, MD, Fearey is a wonderful fit for the Medical Arts Clinic. “We needed a traditional internist to join our team and she was willing to come to a practice that required she do both office-based and hospital medicine. That’s what she wanted as well.”

The Kansas Recruitment Center (KRC) seeks to enhance the quality and quantity of health care professionals in rural Kansas by helping health care providers, like Dr. Fearey, find a home practice in Kansas. For rural organizations, the KRC provides job opportunity postings and placement assistance. For health care professionals, the KRC serves as a career service center by matching candidates with openings in the state.

2,000 expected at free dental clinic in Hutchinson

2011-01-18T15:36:00.000-06:00

BY BECCY TANNER
The Wichita Eagle

"Organizers expect at least 2,000 people to seek free dental care at this weekend's Kansas Mission of Mercy dental clinic in Hutchinson.

The Sunflower building at the Kansas State Fairgrounds will open Thursday night, when organizers expect people to begin gathering. The free clinic opens at 5:30 a.m. Friday.

"Honestly, based on the last several projects we have done, it would not surprise me if the first patients are there by the middle of the afternoon on Thursday," said Greg Hill, executive director of the Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation.

Because large crowds and many hours of waiting are expected, Hill said, people can wait in the heated Sunflower building. People are encouraged to bring sleeping bags.

Dental procedures will be done in the neighboring Meadowlark building.

"By the time we open on Friday, I expect there will be about 800 or so patients waiting,'' Hill said.

Beginning in 2003, the foundation started hosting free dental clinics aimed at low-income and uninsured people.

The first clinic was in Garden City and modeled after similar ones in Virginia and Texas. Other clinics have been held in other regions of the state including Kansas City, Independence, Pittsburg, Salina, Topeka and Wichita.

Patients targeted are those in need of urgent dental care, including extraction, fillings and cleanings.

"We will treat people with no money, no insurance, no proof of income — assuming we are able to provide the care they need," Hill said. "We will do as much as we can without any charge to the patients."

Since they began, the dental clinics have served more than 17,500 people and provided more than $8.5 million in dental care.

A volunteer effort, this clinic will include 136 dentists, 133 hygienists, 183 dental assistants, 30 medical personnel and 450 community volunteers to help serve food and provide escorts for patients.

Volunteers come from across the state, with many dentists volunteering their own time and even paying for their staff to assist them, Hill said.

"It is very much a charitable, giving project," he said. "It becomes a large contribution."

Because waits are expected to be long, volunteers serve breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. Interpreters will also be available to help patients who don't speak English. "

Reach Beccy Tanner at 316-268-6336 or btanner@wichitaeagle.com.

Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2011/01/18/1678784/2000-expected-at-free-dental-clinic.html#ixzz1BQPnlqOX

Facing shortage, we can't just pull doctors out of a hat

2011-01-10T14:18:00.000-06:00

RHES found this article on amednews.com and wanted to share it. The opinions of the authors do not necessarily state or reflect those of Rural Health Education and Services, KUMC.

"Facing shortage, we can't just pull doctors out of a hat"
AMA Leader Commentary. By Cecil B. Wilson, MD, Posted Jan. 10, 2011.

"It has begun. In the first dozen days of this new year, more than 120,000 baby boomers have: a) turned 65 (at a rate of one every eight seconds); b) become Medicare eligible; and c) joined the list of people who may have difficulties in accessing a physician.

This is not a surprise, of course, but I hope that the oft-repeated statistic will force our nation and our government to face the harsh reality of America's current physician shortage, our growing underserved populations, and the dismal issue of access for those newly insured after 2014 under provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

And a new physician pipeline that makes many people very nervous.

The shortages
Here's how it currently stacks up:

We anticipate a deficiency of at least 125,000 physicians by 2025.
Already, 22 states and 17 medical specialty societies are reporting shortages.
Despite the last-minute reprieve on SGR -- the apocryphally named sustainable growth rate formula -- many of us have been forced to limit the number of Medicare patients simply because we no longer can afford to serve them.
For decades, we have watched the physician population move into cities and high-population areas, leaving vast areas of this country woefully underserved.
There still is a primary care shortage -- at least partially because pay differentials for primary care physicians make it even more difficult to repay medical school debts, which average $155,000.
We see an even larger shortage in the Hispanic, black and other minority communities -- partly because of high medical school costs but also because there are few role models for those kids.
And then there is 2014, the year of shrinking access. That year, when the full provisions of the health reform law kick in, we will see 32 million more patients -- people who up to now have been uninsured and often without a physician.
If all that isn't enough, HHS estimates that a third of today's practicing physicians will retire during the next decade.

The situation is serious for the patients who do not have or cannot get a physician's care. It presents considerable challenges for those of us in medical practice as well.

Fortunately, the health reform law does begin to address the situation. Likewise, there are other small steps under way that slowly are making a difference.

Medical education and training
Although medical school tuition remains a huge stumbling block, especially for minorities, first-year medical students are on the increase -- predicted to be up 21% by 2013 over 2009. Many programs are growing; moreover, nearly two dozen new medical schools have opened, sought accreditation or been announced in the past three years.

This is good news.

However, we are not seeing a parallel growth in residency slots. Today there are about 110,000 residents nationwide. That is an 8% increase since 1987, but still far too few.

The number of Medicare-funded residency programs was capped at about 100,000 by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. In addition, fewer states can afford to offer GME funding with Medicaid dollars: 41 states today, down from 49 in 2005.

The AMA has worked actively to get Washington to increase the number of government-paid residencies -- and we can report some success in the health reform law's provision to fund 889 new primary care residency positions. This is commendable, but it is far fewer than the nation needs.

Reaching underserved geographies
As far as geographic coverage and physician access for specific populations, we can look to programs such as the National Health Service Corps that offer medical loans repayment to new physicians who practice in underserved areas.

The 2009 stimulus package and health reform law designated nearly $300 million for the NHSC to fund primary care practitioners. NHSC plans to have nearly 11,000 clinicians caring for more than 11 million people by the end of this year, a threefold increase since 2007.

Individual medical schools also are taking steps to build physician populations in underserved areas. One example is the new Texas Tech Paul L. Foster School of Medicine in El Paso, which aims to supply physicians for El Paso, the Texas-Mexico border area and west Texas. Currently, this region has fewer than half the national average of 254 doctors per 100,000 residents.

Increasing minority physicians
Underrepresented minorities in the ranks of physicians -- only 6% compared with 30% of the overall population -- is another problem that will only grow as our current minority groups swell to dominate the population by 2050.

On the upside, the AAMC has a major initiative to increase minority enrollment.

Since 2002 the AMA has sponsored Doctors Back to School, a mentoring program that sends minority physicians into schools to share their stories, serve as role models and raise awareness about the need for more minorities in medicine. In 2010, nearly 250 physicians participated. The AMA Foundation is one of many organizations that offer scholarships to minority medical students.

Individual medical schools also have initiatives to encourage minority physicians. Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y., sponsors a summer program designed to encourage black, Hispanic and Native American high school and college students to pursue medical careers. In Illinois, the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine's Academic Medicine Program helps disadvantaged college students get the credentials needed for medical school applications.

In the meantime ...
All the examples I have listed -- new medical schools, new residency options, programs to encourage minorities and place physicians in understaffed areas -- are commendable. But they are not enough. The numbers -- whether you consider them from the perspective of a physician or a patient -- are simply staggering.

I know some believe that since we already have too few physicians to handle our growing senior population, we should address that problem first, before we take on 32 million more newly insured patients.

To those Cassandras, I say that is not only unacceptable, it is morally reprehensible.

The health reform law was passed to alleviate an untenable situation in this wealthy nation. A nation, I might add, that has a history of rising to the occasion, as I believe we can and must do once again.

In a perverse sort of way, the growing access problem may provide the pressure to persuade our nation -- and Congress -- to do what we must do, and to do it now.

We must continue to expand medical schools.

We must address the high cost of medical education.

And we must eliminate the CME bottleneck. Resident and fellow training programs cannot be paid solely through Medicare. One answer is an all-payer system, financed by insurance companies and others who have a stake in America's health.

I know as Americans we can do this. And I look forward to the AMA and our physician community playing an important role."

RHES is Eager to Work With You in 2011

2011-01-05T11:42:00.001-06:00

Rural Health Education and Services (RHES) wishes all of our friends, participants and clients a happy new year!

RHES would also like to remind you about the following programs that we administer:
•    Kansas Bridging Plan
•    Kansas Locum Tenens
•    Kansas Medical Resource
•    Kansas Recruitment Center

And the following services that we provide:
•    Kansas Connections, a quarterly newsletter
•    Kansas Career Opportunities Days
•    Focus On Kansas, an online resource
•    News in Brief, a bi-monthly e-newsletter

We look forward to working with all of you again in 2011.

Two New Placements for the KRC in Rural Kansas

2010-12-20T09:02:00.000-06:00

Parsons, Kan.

Logan Kracht, MD, OB/GYN, will join the team at Labette Health in Parson, Kan., in the summer of 2011. Dr. Kracht will be graduating from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program in June.

Kracht grew up in Marysville, Kan., a town of about 3,000 in Marshall County. Kracht completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, began medical school at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City, then completed his last two years of medical school at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita.

“Ever since I made the decision to go to medical school, I have had the intention of practicing medicine in a rural setting,” Dr. Kracht stated. “After considering all of the options and locations, my wife Maggie and I realized that there were just too many positive reasons [to relocate to Parsons, Kan.] It is a great fit for my family because we will get to set down roots in a small town much like the place I grew up. Even during my brief visits, there was a familiarity there that made it feel like we belonged.”

Javine Horani, MD, FACOG, OB/GYN, Labette Health, feels that Kracht will fit in well and is confident that he will quickly build a successful practice. “We are so excited to have Dr. Kracht and his family join our department here at Labette Health,” stated Dr. Horani. “His pleasant demeanor, excellent rapport with staff and patients, and great training from KU Medical Center were just some of the reasons that we chose him to join the OB/GYN department at Labette Health.”

Scott City, Kan.

Josiah Brinkley, MD, Family Medicine, will join Scott County Hospital, Scott City, Kan., in the summer of 2011. Brinkley will graduate from the Via Christi Family Medicine Residency Program, Wichita, Kan., in July, 2011.

Brinkley is originally from Grand Junction, Colo., but has lived in Kansas for the past 11 years. He is an undergraduate of Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kan., receiving his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine – Wichita.

“I have fallen in love with the rural side of Kansas,” states Brinkley. “The community [Scott County] is wonderful and full of very accepting, generous folks.” He feels that the physicians of Scott County Hospital are first class and looks forward to joining their team. “This is a place where they provide excellent care to patients, and something the community can be very proud of.”

The Kansas Recruitment Center (KRC) seeks to enhance the quality and quantity of health care professionals in rural Kansas by helping health care providers, like Dr. Kracht and Dr. Brinkley, find a home practice in Kansas. For rural organizations, the KRC provides job opportunity postings and placement assistance. For health care professionals, the KRC serves as a career service center by matching candidates with openings in the state. To date the Kansas Recruitment Center has placed 108 heath care professionals throughout rural Kansas.

Further information is available at www.ruralhealth.kumc.edu or by phone at 1-888-503-4221 or 316-293-2649.

Facebook Is -- Literally -- a Lifesaver

2010-12-16T09:23:00.003-06:00

RHES found this article interesting and wanted to share it with you.

Facebook Is -- Literally -- a Lifesaver by Newt Gingrich and Kamal Thapar, M.D. on healthtransformation.net, found via AOL News

(Dec. 6) -- Americans find long-lost friends on Facebook. They meet on Facebook. They post pictures of parties, vacations or even family photos on Facebook.

But what Mark Zuckerberg probably never dreamed of when he invented this social network tool to connect college students was that Facebook would someday save a life.

Social media has become a tool in the medical world to diagnose patients, treat them and save their lives.

In the past few years, we have urged hospitals and doctors to move from a paper record system to an electronic one to reduce the number of medical errors, improve efficiency and, as a result, save lives and money. Among the many benefits, an electronic medical record should give the treating physician a portable, immediately accessible and thorough account of a patient's entire medical history.

But now social media is helping the medical community enhance the practice of medicine even more.

This past summer, a 56-year-old woman checked into the emergency room of Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, Wis., complaining of chest discomfort. She said she'd been in and out of several hospitals over several weeks, yet doctors couldn't find what was really wrong with her.

Within hours, she had lapsed into a coma. Doctors later determined that she'd sustained a massive stroke, causing paralysis and coma. There was also evidence of multiple prior strokes and fluid around her heart, something unusual for a patient so young. She rapidly deteriorated toward death.

She was a single mother who lived far from any close family members. Hospital personnel talked to her son, but he could provide little information. It was discovered that she had a Facebook account.

Every doctor will attest that to make a proper diagnosis he or she needs a thorough account of a patient's medical history. That's why the doctor-patient relationship is so important. It is also why you see physicians on TV shows like "House" go to great lengths to discover everything about a patient.

In the case of the woman in a coma at Sacred Heart, her diarylike postings on Facebook were a far more detailed and complete accounting of her health than even her stack of medical records. More important, they were a far more relevant accounting because they detailed her medical history in her own words.

On Facebook she posted her medications, symptoms, hospitalizations and conditions dating back months. She had dates, times and descriptions of how she felt and what was occurring with her body.

That led the medical team at Sacred Heart to discover that the woman not only had a hole in her heart but that she'd been throwing blood clots to the brain, which caused the strokes. As a result, a treatment plan including lifesaving brain surgery was put in place. Today, she is out of a coma, has made great progress and is undergoing speech and physical therapy.

What does this case tell us about the future of medicine? Like everything in society, social media is having an enormous impact on our personal lives, in ways we never imagined. Everyone self-publishes their own stories.

Police officers are using Facebook to fight crime and hunt terrorists. And now physicians are discovering a whole new world of utilizing social media to chronicle medical conditions of patients. As people document their health on the Web, it is easy for anyone -- including doctors -- to discover what is really going on.

We can spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the latest medical equipment to try to give patients the best possible care. But sometimes it's the patients' detailed "stories" that let us tailor a medical plan that will help them recover when a standard treatment won't do.

This intersection of medicine and the digital world is worth exploring as the Facebook generation takes us to new heights we never dreamed with the World Wide Web.

Yet it also reminds us that at the heart of our 21st century health system is the individual patient. A personalized system that puts the individual at the center and helps us make decisions based on the needs of the individual will become even more accessible -- and more important -- as the digital world expands in ways that can save lives and save money.

Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, is the founder of the Center for Health Transformation. Dr. Kamal Thapar is a neurosurgeon at Sacred Heart Hospital who utilized Facebook with a patient last summer to save her life. To protect the patient's privacy, her name has not been disclosed.

KRC is Pleased to Announce Two New Placements

2010-12-10T15:31:00.000-06:00

Kansas Recruitment Center brings new health care providers to -

Junction City, Kan.

Chasitty Knouf, RN, joined the team of Geary Community Hospital, Junction City, Kan., in September this year.

Knouf was born and raised in Salina and attended Brown Mackie College – Salina where she completed the prerequisites for a degree in nursing. In 2009, she graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Knouf was excited about the nursing opportunity in Junction City. “Getting the chance to learn and grow as a nurse is what excites me most. I love my job at Geary Community Hospital!”

Teto Henderson, Human Resource Director, Geary Community Hospital states, “Knouf is vibrant and willing to learn. Her eagerness to grow with Geary Community Hospital made it an easy choice for us.”

Independence, Kan.

Elizabeth Barnes, RN, MSN, Nurse Practitioner, will be joining Montgomery County Community Clinic (MC3), Independence, Kan., this month. MC3 is a nonprofit primary health care clinic committed to increasing health care access to those in need in its community.

Barnes is excited to join MC3 and identifies with their mission. She looks forward to serving an underserved population in Kansas.

Barnes has just completed a post-master’s certification in wound, ostomy, and continence nursing at the University of Virginia School of Nursing in Charlottesville, Va. She received a Master of Science degree in nursing as a family nurse practitioner in May of this year. Previously, she completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, graduating from the Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., in 2006.

The Kansas Recruitment Center (KRC) seeks to enhance the quality and quantity of health care professionals in rural Kansas by helping health care providers, like Barnes, find a home practice in Kansas. For rural organizations, the KRC provides job opportunity postings and placement assistance. For health care professionals, the KRC serves as a career service center by matching candidates with openings in the state.

Further information is available at www.ruralhealth.kumc.edu or by phone at 1-888-503-4221 or 316-293-2649.

Spotlight Community - Hutchinson

2010-12-03T13:23:00.000-06:00

Hutchinson is not just a place--it's a lifestyle with friendly, passionate, talented people. As the largest city in Reno County, with a population of 41,000, Hutchinson is located 39 miles northwest of Wichita, Kansas, along the Arkansas River. Visited by over 1.5 million visitors annually, Hutchinson offers an array of attractions and is host to special events including the Kansas State Fair and National Junior College Basketball Tournament. Festivals and fairs, sporting events, and inspiring performances by local artists fill the community calendar. Hutchinson provides an opportunity to live a small town life with big city amenities. It is a growing area that continues to attract families. Hutchinson and Reno County also have an appealing blend of shopping, dining and entertainment. Hutchinson, Kansas is the ideal city to work, play, and live!

The Medical Center in Hutchinson, Kansas is a multi-specialty clinic. The current staff of 19 physicians represent 11 specialties. There are approximately 200 employees at three locations. The clinic is physician-owned and physician-governed, with partnership offered after one year. Promise Regional Medical Center, a licensed 200-bed not-for-profit hospital is only five miles from the main location. Friendly colleagues and a helpful staff create an atmosphere where health care professionals can make a difference.

For more information about Hutchinson or other communities, visit Focus on Kansas.

KRC Brings Two New Health Care Providers to Rural Kansas

2010-12-01T15:55:00.001-06:00

Coffeyville, Kan.

K. Sunil Menon, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon, will be joining Coffeyville Regional Medical Center, Coffeyville, Kan., in the summer of 2011. Dr. Menon is currently completing a trauma fellowship at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.

“Dr. Menon is open and easy to work with. We knew shortly after we met him that we wanted him as our new orthopedic surgeon,” stated John Smith, COO, Coffeyville Regional Medical Center.

Dr. Menon attended medical school at Thrissur Medical College in Kerala, India. He received a Masters of Public Health (MPH) and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) in the United States in 2005 and has completed fellowships in adult reconstruction and knee arthroscopic surgery, as well as revision surgery of hip and knee.

Dr. Menon feels that Coffeyville is the best long-term fit for him. “I felt very welcomed by the medical staff and I recognized that their need for an orthopedic surgeon was great. I am looking forward to coming to Coffeyville.”

Meade, Kan.

Lillian Kaltenbaeck, Physician Assistant, has joined Meade District Hospital, Meade, Kan.

Kaltenbaeck completed the Master of Physician Assistant program at Wichita State University (WSU) in August of this year. Her clinical experiences while attending WSU include time spent in pediatrics at Hutchinson Medical Center, Hutchinson, Kan. and in emergency medicine at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center, Chanute, Kan. She greatly enjoys rural health care and is happy to be at Meade Community Hospital.

Michael Thomas, CEO, Meade District Hospital, considers Kaltenbaeck’s professional experience at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, Mo., a nice complement to the current staff’s training. Thomas also added, “Kaltenbaeck’s kind, caring attitude will be a shining example for all of us.”

The Kansas Recruitment Center (KRC) seeks to enhance the quality and quantity of health care professionals in rural Kansas by helping health care providers, like Lillian Kaltenbaeck, find a home practice in Kansas. For rural organizations, the KRC provides job opportunity postings and placement assistance. For health care professionals, the KRC serves as a career service center by matching candidates with openings in the state.

Further information is available at www.ruralhealth.kumc.edu or by phone at 1-888-503-4221 or 316-293-2649.

Rural Health Welcomes New Office Coordinator

2010-11-19T15:52:00.005-06:00

Rural Health Education and Services welcomes Robin Welch as the new part-time office coordinator. In this role she will be supporting the efforts of Rural Health through the coordination and management of Rural Health functions.

Robin will be job-sharing these responsibilities with Laurie Scott, the current office coordinator. You can contact Robin directly at rwelch@kumc.edu. Welcome to RHES, Robin!

Fall 2010 Kansas Connections is Now Available

2010-11-17T16:54:00.000-06:00

The Fall 2010 publication of Kansas Connections is now available. All issues of Kansas Connections are available online in an easy-to-view format at www.ruralhealth.kumc.edu.

RHES Staff attends Kansas Hospital Association (KHA) Conference

2010-11-12T16:11:00.000-06:00

Rural Health staff exhibited at the Kansas Hospital Association (KHA) conference in Topeka, Kan., on Nov. 10 -11, 2010. This conference provided an opportunity to showcase programs and services offered through the Rural Health office.

RHES Honored in Statewide Competition for Health Care Communicators

During this year's KAHCC Emerald Awards and annual meeting, Rural Health Education and Services (RHES) was recognized with two certificates of Merit for excellence in public relations and marketing. The awards recognized RHES for their annual Rural Kansas Photography Contest and the RHES Recruitment and Retention Workshop for KAMU Members held in June, 2009.

Presented by the Kansas Association of Health Care Communicators, the Emerald Awards are given annually to hospitals and health care organizations across the state that excel in internal communications, external communications, special events, advertising, and other categories.

The Emerald Awards were presented at the Kansas Association of Health Care Communicators luncheon and meeting Nov. 11, held during the Kansas Hospital Association’s Annual Convention in Wichita.

KU Medical School expansion in Salina, Wichita aims to reduce rural physician shortage

2010-11-04T13:00:00.000-05:00

Nov 4, 2010

To address the critical shortage of rural physicians in the state, the University of Kansas School of Medicine will add a four-year program in Salina and expand its existing Wichita branch from a two-year clinical program to a full, four-year program.

In addition to increasing the number of rural health physicians in Kansas, the university’s expansions in Wichita – the KU School of Pharmacy-Wichita will open this fall with 20 students – will contribute an estimated $30 million annually to the Wichita economy.

The Wichita and Salina sites will each welcome their first class of four-year medical students next fall.

Presently, students in KU’s 35-year-old Wichita program spend their first two years at the Kansas City, Kan., campus before going to Wichita for two years of clinical training. Students will now be able to spend all four years in Wichita.

An existing Rural Track program in Kansas City sent four students to Salina for clinical training. With the expanded program, students interested in rural health careers may now complete all four years of their training in Salina.

The university’s plans are officially moving forward after this week’s announcement of a favorable review by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting authority for medical education programs, which visited the Wichita campus and the proposed Salina site in July.

“The University of Kansas contributes to the success and vitality of our state by educating students who fill vital workforce needs, such as in health care. KU’s School of Medicine is the only medical school in the state, and the expansions in Wichita and Salina will enable us to educate more physicians who will go on to improve the lives and health of Kansans,” says KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little.

“For the past hundred years we have been successful in fulfilling our mission of training excellent physicians to meet the needs of our state. Approximately half the physicians in Kansas received medical education at the KU School of Medicine,” says KU Medical Center Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Atkinson, MD. “Still, there is a growing need for physicians in our state. These campus expansions will help us achieve our common goal: that many of our students will ultimately practice primary care in underserved areas of Kansas.”

State health care leaders agree. “This is the most significant thing to happen to rural Kansas health care in a long while,” says Jerry Slaughter, Executive Director of the Kansas Medical Society.

KUMC leaders believe the Salina program could be a model for other areas of the country where there are critical shortages of rural physicians.

“We’re not the only state that has huge, sparsely populated geographic areas where people need medical care,” says William Cathcart-Rake, MD, FACP, a Salina-based oncologist who will direct the KU School of Medicine-Salina. “The whole mission of the Salina campus is to train physicians in non-metropolitan areas of the state and show these young medical students that life can be good and practice can be challenging outside of the big city.”

The KU School of Medicine-Salina will be housed primarily in space provided by the Salina Regional Health Center, where clinical faculty will facilitate small-group learning. Students will listen to lectures along with their peers in Kansas City and Wichita via interactive television and podcasts, while web-based systems will support most of the curriculum’s laboratory components.

“With today’s technology, we can bring the best elements of a large academic health center to complement the strengths of a community like Salina and give students the best of both worlds,” says Heidi Chumley, MD, senior associate dean for medical education at KU Medical Center.

Cathcart-Rake and Chumley both praise the medical community in Salina for its support of KUMC programs. “It’s a great model of a partnership between a community and an academic health center,” Chumley says.

Sentiments are the same in Wichita. The School of Medicine there has already served as a model for other medical schools that have started community-based, branch campuses. In partnership with the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, Via Christi Health, and Wesley Medical Center, the Wichita Campus has about 130 faculty members and more than 900 volunteer faculty physicians in a range of specialties. The school supports 13 residency programs, including a large number of residents in family medicine and other primary care programs.

“Thanks to our partners in the community, the support of KU and the KU Medical Center, and so many gracious donors, Wichita’s goal to have a full, four-year medical school campus will soon be a reality,” says H. David Wilson, MD, Dean of the School of Medicine-Wichita.

University leaders estimate that the annual economic impact of the Wichita campus will increase from $49.7 million to about $80 million with the growth of the medical school and the addition of the KU School of Pharmacy-Wichita.

"Hats" presentation by Dr. Tom Simpson

2010-11-01T10:01:00.000-05:00

Dr. Tom Simpson retired in December of 2008 after practicing family medicine and obstetrics in Sterling, Kansas for 31 years. That experience, which he and Linda, his wife, describe as their love affair with Sterling, taught him many things about what it takes to be successful in the rural practice of medicine, perhaps in any practice. Dr. Simpson currently practices emergency medicine part time, leaving him time for his many other interests including 9 grandchildren, woodworking, golf, hunting, road bicycling, reading and continued community involvement.

Below you can watch Dr. Simpson speak about the various "Hats" that a physician might wear while practicing medicine in rural Kansas. Dr. Simpson spoke at the Kansas Career Opportunities event on October 28, 2010 in Wichita, Kansas.

Part 1 of 7

Part 2 of 7

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Part 7 of 7

KRC is Pleased to Announce Five New Placements

2010-10-22T15:07:00.001-05:00

Stevie Winblad, MD, Family Medicine, has joined Newton Medical Center in Valley Center, Kan. (pictured left)

Jawaria Khalid, MD, Family Medicine, has joined Health Partnership Clinic in Overland Park, Kan.

Rebecca Bobbitt, RN, has joined Anthony Medical Center in Anthony, Kan. (pictured right)

Sunil Menon, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon, will join Coffeyville Regional Medical Center in mid 2011.

Roger Kirkwood, ARNP, has joined Konza Prairie Community Health and Dental Center in Junction City, Kan. (pictured left)

In addition, health care professionals utilize KRC as a career service center and receive placement assistance with openings throughout the state. KRC assists candidates in finding the right practice or career opportunity, in making relocation as easy as possible, and in ensuring that health care professionals receive the support and assistance needed to enjoy life in Kansas.

To date, KRC has assisted in placing 101 health care providers in rural communities across the state. For more information about KRC, contact Tyler Doyle, tdoyle@kumc.edu.

Successful Kansas Career Opportunities in Kansas City

2010-10-19T13:54:00.000-05:00

The latest Kansas Career Opportunities (KCO) held in Kansas City last week was a success! Rural Health Education and Services would like to thank the 29 exhibiting organizations and 188 attendees for a record-setting year for attendance.

If you were unable to attend the Kansas City event you may still sign up to attend the Wichita Kansas Career Opportunities event next Thursday, October 28th from noon - 3:30 pm. Dr. Simpson will be our featured speaker at 2:30 pm. in Roberts Amphitheater.

The Kansas Recruitment Center announces 100th placement!

2010-10-15T14:21:00.002-05:00

Denise Johnson, ARNP, will join Scott County Hospital, Scott City, Kan. in October. Denise marks the 100th placement for the Kansas Recruitment Center, a program of Rural Health Education and Services, University of Kansas Medical Center.

Originally from Scandia, Kan., Johnson has always known that a rural career was in her future. “I began my nursing career at Republic County Hospital in Belleville, Kan. and completed my three final rotations in rural settings.” She also emphasizes that the warm welcome she received from Scott County Hospital as well as the family feel of the community makes her very excited to begin her career in Scott City. Mark Burnett, President and CEO of Scott County Hospital, conveys that they are a very progressive community and hospital while still maintain a small town identity. Burnett states, “Johnson displays multiple and long term nursing background experience from trauma nursing to state surveyor. Her desire to practice rural medicine was icing on the cake.”

The Kansas Recruitment Center (KRC) is excited to have found a home for yet another candidate. After six successful years, 44 of the 105 Kansas counties have acquired health care professionals through the services of KRC. The 100 health care providers that have been placed in Kansas serve over 827,577 Kansans living in rural communities. “Serving the underserved in rural Kansas is a big challenge and KRC has been an excellent partner in helping us increase access to care and delineate health disparities in southeast Kansas,” Jason Wesco, COO, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas.

Each star represents a KRC placement

The Kansas Recruitment Center (KRC) has been serving rural and underserved Kansas since 2003, beginning with the leadership of Lorene R. Valentine and now currently under the leadership of Joyce Grayson, Director of Rural Health Education and Services. This not-for-profit program provides recruiting assistance to hospitals, private physician practices, community health centers, and other organizations across Kansas that are recruiting for physicians and other health care professionals. “Goodland Regional Medical Center is extremely pleased to be affiliated with the Kansas Recruitment Center and have had considerable success using their services. Their recruitment personnel are excellent to work with and always willing to go the extra mile to help with rural health recruitments,” Dale Schields, Director of Human Resources, Goodland Regional Medical Center, Goodland, Kan.

In addition, physicians and health care professionals utilize the KRC as a career service center and receive placement assistance and guidance in finding the right practice opportunity. “KRC was very helpful in my search for a practice location. They worked hard by contacting many locations throughout the state to see if they had a practice that matched what I was looking for, and helped me to find a practice that was a great fit!” Drew Miller, MD, Kearny County Hospital, Lakin, Kan.

The Kansas Recruitment Center would like to thank all of the health care employers and providers who have participated in our program and for allowing us to serve you! If you would like more information about Rural Health Education and Services and the Kansas Recruitment Center, please visit www.ruralhealth.kumc.edu. You can also find KRC on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RuralHealthKansas.

KU Medical Center receives $4.4 million to fight cancer in rural American Indian and Latino communities

2010-10-07T14:14:00.002-05:00

Oct 7, 2010

Researchers at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) have been awarded more than $4.4 million to improve prevention and the odds of surviving cancer for rural Latino and American Indian communities in Kansas.

A group of scientists at KU Medical Center has spent years establishing partnerships with Latino and American Indian communities throughout the state. This work has led to innovative, culturally appropriate initiatives such as All Nations Breath of Life, a smoking-cessation program for American Indians that recognizes the traditional use of tobacco for spiritual and cultural purposes, and the Touch to Screen project that uses Spanish-language computer kiosks to inform Latinos of medication, cancer screening and counseling resources in safety-net clinics. Also, over the last two years, the KUMC-based Midwest Cancer Alliance (MCA) has strengthened its network of health professionals leading the fight against cancer throughout Kansas, building a clinical trial infrastructure and support system for cancer patients from Kansas City, Mo., to Goodland, near the Colorado border.

With this new award from the National Institutes of Health, KUMC researchers will capitalize on these relationships to create the Kansas Community Cancer Health Disparities Network to address the needs of populations that are drastically underserved.

“It’s a big deal when you get diagnosed with cancer and have to drive a couple of hours for treatment,” says Allen Greiner, MD, associate professor of family medicine and the principal investigator on the project. “These people may not have oncologists within 200 miles. They may not have health insurance. And they’re seriously high risk, as our colon cancer screening research shows.” Greiner will lead a dozen researchers specializing in areas such as social psychology, public health, epidemiology, rural and primary care, telemedicine, medical anthropology, and biostatistics.

The Kansas Community Cancer Health Disparities Network includes an array of collaborating organizations, including the United Mexican American Ministries Clinic in Garden City, Kan., the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, the regional Coalition of Hispanic Women Against Cancer, and the Kansas Physicians Engaged in Prevention Research (KPEPR, a rural primary care practice-based research network), the Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved, and the KU Center for Telemedicine and Telehealth, among others.

“In partnership, we will develop an extensive and robust collaborative for developing cancer prevention, treatment, and research programs across our large, rural and increasingly diverse state,” Greiner says.

“We are very excited about the opportunity and the potential impact this network has to make on the community,” says Stephanie Waggoner, chief executive officer of the United Mexican American Ministries Clinic in Garden City. “Partnering with Dr. Greiner and his team will allow additional services and education to reach uninsured and underinsured populations in southwest Kansas. Many people don’t have the resources to obtain healthcare and don’t really know how to navigate the healthcare system, which contributes to health disparities. This program will assist with that and provide other services that currently aren’t available.”

Beyond funding the efforts to meet a crucial need for underserved Kansans, the new award strengthens The University of Kansas Cancer Center’s position as it seeks to earn National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation.

“Fewer than 3 percent of all adult cancer patients participate in clinical trials. Participation is even lower for patients from vulnerable populations,” says Roy A. Jensen, MD, director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center. “We have built outstanding relationships with communities across the state, and this approach holds great promise in increasing minority participation in cancer clinical trials.”

Greiner estimates that the majority of grants such as KUMC’s new award go to cancer centers that already have NCI designation. Though The University of Kansas Cancer Center is not yet NCI-designated – it will apply for designation in September 2011 – this award, Greiner says, “speaks to our increased community prevention effort.”

Funders wanted to see projects that were ambitious, Greiner says, and this project is far-reaching.

“Without dramatic changes in the direct involvement of community members, health disparities will keep festering in urban and rural neighborhoods all across the country,” he says. “Most people don’t think of Kansas as a highly diverse state. But it has significant pockets of diversity – and serious health disparities across large geographic regions, involving minorities, the poor, the elderly, the geographically isolated and others.” The good news, Greiner says, is that Kansas is highly networked, and a broad array of organizations can help inspire greater community participation in clinical research.

“We’re pulling in several underserved groups,” he says, “and trying to make things better for them.”

KUMC students show their stuff at the Kansas State Fair

2010-09-28T15:38:00.000-05:00

Students from the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) worked a booth at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson last weekend, giving free blood pressure and other screenings.

In this video, second-year medical student Aniesa Slack talks to Janet West of the Kiowa County Media Center about the Rural Medicine Interest Group. “Most of us who are in this organization want to go back and help rural communities,” Slack says. As she points out, many people who live in rural areas might not get to town to visit their physicians very often, so the fair provided a great place for a screening.

In this video, Allen Rawitch, PhD, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dean of Graduate Studies, talks to West about how KUMC is helping to educate the rural doctors of the future.

The Newest Advancement of 39th + Rainbow

2010-09-21T16:54:00.000-05:00

From the University of Kansas Medical Center
39th + Rainbow has brought us scores of fascinating stories on the amazing education, research, clinical care and community service endeavors going on at the KU Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health.

But as the scope and reputation of KU Medical Center has grown over the past several years, it was imperative that our flagship publication grow along with it.

With Kansas Medicine + Science, we plan to explore more deeply the innovative people and ideas that are making KU Medical Center one of the fastest rising academic medical centers in the country.

Read the first edition of Kansas Medicine + Science.

2010 Rural Kansas Photography Winners

2010-09-17T09:30:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the winners of the 2010 Rural Kansas Photography Contest, presented by the University of Kansas Medical Center, Rural Health Education and Services. All winning photos can be found on the Rural Health Web site: http://ruralhealth.kumc.edu/photocontest/2010winners.html.

Rural Landscape
1st place - Katie Miller
"Pure Country; Child overlooking the vastness of the Flint Hills"

Health Care
1st place - Becky Bates-Meyer
"Dr. Munson & Nurse Angela with pedi patient" - Kearny County Hospital

Community
1st place - Holly Parker
"friends at the fire station" – Wellington, KS

Recreation

1st place - Aaron Aday

"Smoke on the Water" – Lake Cheney

Sign Up to Attend Kansas Career Opportunities - Kansas City

2010-09-14T16:15:00.000-05:00

One Month Until KCO - Kansas City!

Kansas Career Opportunities is designed to introduce medical students, residents, and other health care professionals to rural communities seeking health care providers. Rural Kansas communities are invited to exhibit at the career fairs and discuss health care career opportunities in
their area.

Please join your colleagues for the Kansas Career Opportunities, Thursday, October 14, 2010 from noon - 2:00PM (stop by when you can!) in the Hixson Atrium. KCO is sponsored by Rural Health Education and Services.

Why should you attend?

Meet Potential/Future Employers!
Lunch Provided
Random Prize Drawing! - fine dining, entertainment, and much more

RSVP (or for more info) call Andee Ellis at 8-1228 or email at aellis2@kumc.edu.
No charge but please make your reservations early!

Agenda:
Noon to 1:00PM - Pick up Conference Packet from the Registration Desk and Lunch Buffet in the Hixson Atrium
Noon to 2:00PM - Walking tour of exhibits in Hixson Atrium
2:00PM to 2:15PM - Drawing for prizes in Hixson Atrium

Spotlight Community - McPherson

2010-09-08T08:11:00.000-05:00

Where is the top place to live if you are an active Western lifestyle enthusiast looking for a place to plant your feet and put down roots? We venture to say, the Southwest Kansas town of Johnson City, Kansas. Also known simply as Johnson, the town is defined by a flourish of trees in the midst of the wide expanse of prairie, open fields, and magnificent sunrises and sunsets.

As the seat of Stanton County, Johnson is located at Highway K-27 and US 160 Intersect. The quiet community has an excellent school system, beautiful golf course, airport, swimming pool, recreation center, new Senior Center and Assisted Living Facility. The community is situated just hours away from the Rocky Mountains where skiing and hiking can be enjoyed.

Stanton County Hospital provides quality healthcare with integrity, mutual respect, confidentiality and compassion. Stanton County Hospital is an 18 bed Critical Access Hospital, 26 bed Long Term Care Unit, and a Provider Based Physicians Clinic serving Stanton County Kansas and the surrounding area.

The hospital is in the middle of an exciting $12.7 million renovation and remodel project that includes the addition of a new state of the art Medical Office Building. Some of the many services offered include Acute Inpatient Care, Skilled Swing Bed, 24-hour Emergency Department, Laboratory Services, CT Scan, Digital Radiology with PACS, Outpatient Physical Therapy, and many other health care services.

For more information about Johnson City or other communities, visit Focus on Kansas.

Midlevel Providers Fill Primary Care Doctors' Shoes

2010-08-31T16:30:00.000-05:00

by Julie Rovner
NPR - read more
August 27, 2010

Increasingly, the doctor is not in when it comes to delivering primary care. But the nurse practitioner or physician assistant is often taking the doctor's place.

"We are ideally suited for it. And it's so cost-effective compared to any other form of medical provider," says Jim Love, a physician assistant from rural Pittsfield, Maine. "We need to be educating a lot more of us."

Michael McDonald, the primary care physician who supervises Love from 25 miles up the road in Dexter, Maine, agrees.

"You're going to see more nurse practitioners and physician assistants taking care of our primary care needs. That's going to be the reality of it," says McDonald, whose community health center, Sebasticook Family Doctors, counts among its providers MDs, doctors of osteopathy, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

Unlike physicians in primary care, the number of physician assistants and nurse practitioners are on the rise. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, there were 74,100 physician assistants in practice in 2008, the most recent census available. It's projected to be the second-fastest-growing health profession, after home health aides, in the coming decade. As of 2010, there are 135,000 practicing nurse practitioners, according to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, with an additional 8,000 being added to the ranks each year.

And nowhere are they needed more than in rural areas. According to the policy journal Health Affairs, 21 percent of the nation's population lives in rural America, but only 10 percent of the doctors practice there.

That's abundantly clear to Love, who's been practicing in Pittsfield — population around 4,200 — for more than 20 years.

A Typical Day

His day starts early — around 5 a.m. — when he gets up to tend to his dog, Nikita, and three cats. His wife has already left for her job at the nearby hospital.

Around 6 a.m., he hops on his recumbent bike for the 10-minute ride across town to Sebasticook's clinic up the hill, stopping to show his visitors the town's resident loon pair that's nesting at the foot of the local dam. Ever the caregiver, Love is worried because no eggs have hatched yet and it's pretty late in the season. "A chick — it's going to be hard to get raised and get out of here in time before cold weather," he says.

By the time he gets himself situated in his office it's about 6:30 a.m. He fires up the clinic's electronic medical record and sees what's already shaping up to be a busy day.

"So far today, we're booked for 22 patients, and the phone line hasn't opened up yet," he says.

One of the things that's making Love busier than usual this day is that the doctor who used to share this branch of Sebasticook Family Doctors with him quit the week before. So, many of that doctor's patients are now becoming his patients instead.

And most don't seem to mind that he's not, technically, a doctor.

"I think he's better than any medical doctor I've been to," says patient Robert Marshman, who's from nearby Exeter, Maine. "And I've said that to everybody I've talked to."

A Different Path

Love, who's 62, did originally plan to become a doctor. But he couldn't get into medical school out of college. He worked for several years as a registered nurse instead. When he decided to go back to school in the mid 1970s, he was urged to go to medical school. But even then, he was put off by the financial commitment — particularly since he had a wife and young child.

"It simply was not — in that stage of my life — feasible," he says. "I didn't have the money."

So he became a physician assistant instead. Physician assistants get training that's similar to what doctors get, just less of it. The average PA program lasts just over two years. And most states allow physician assistants — and nurse practitioners — to practice independently, write prescriptions and do many of the things doctors do.

In fact, one of the things that makes Love so good at his job is that he knows what his limits are. "I'm experienced and I'm confident, all that kind of good stuff," he says. But, "I'm not an internist. And I tell my patients that. ... I just don't bring the same sophistication that a really skilled internist [does], and I shouldn't. I couldn't."

Advantages Of Physician Assistants

Michael McDonald, Love's physician supervisor, says that's one of the things that have made him so comfortable working not just with Love but with the other physician assistants and nurse practitioners in his practice.

"They know their boundaries; they know when to say when," he says. "All the midlevels I deal with in this organization know exactly when they feel uncomfortable with a situation" and need to turn to one of the practice's doctors for help or advice.

But meanwhile, having the extra practitioners helps the practice serve some 8,000 patients over 20 towns in four counties in central Maine. "It works out well," McDonald says. "It helps our patients get access to care and provide good quality medicine."

One big advantage, says McDonald, is that it's been easier to recruit midlevel practitioners to the practice than doctors.

"It's been very difficult to get M.D.'s to come to the area," McDonald says. "And if they do, they don't stay for very long, and they leave. All of our nurse practitioners and PAs have been here almost since the beginning, since we've started."

Love, in fact, has lived in Pittsfield since 1986. And he says he has no intention of leaving. At least not until he retires. There's this sailboat he built that he'd like to spend more time with.

But, at least for now, he's content to just have sailing-themed pictures decorating his office. "I really am dedicated to this practice," he says. "And taking care of the people we take care of. I really want this to succeed."

Rural Health Welcomes Back Senior Coordinator

2010-08-25T13:12:00.001-05:00

Rural Health Education and Services would like to welcome back Tara Morrow as the new Senior Coordinator. Tara's primary responsibility will be coordinating the Kansas Bridging Plan. Combined with her education, Master of Science in Educational Policy and Leadership from the University of Kansas, her professional experiences will be a great asset to the Rural Health team. Tara is engaged in RHES' mission by being from a rural area and shares the passion of ensuring health care providers are available in those areas. Contact Tara directly at tmorrow@kumc.edu.

Welcome back to RHES, Tara!

KRC is Pleased to Announce Four New Placements

2010-08-12T09:28:00.001-05:00

Kristina Darnauer, MD, Family Medicine, will begin practice with The Medical Center PA in Sterling, Kan. in August 2010. (pictured left)

Jennifer Kreikmeier, Physician Assistant, will begin practice with Clay Center Family Physicians, Clay Center, Kan., in August 2010.

John Birky, MD, Family Medicine, will begin practice with Kearny County Hospital, Lakin, Kan., in the summer of 2011.

Drew Miller, MD, Family Medicine, will begin practice with Kearny County Hospital, Lakin, Kan., in August 2010. (pictured right)

KRC seeks to enhance the quality and quantity of health care professionals in rural Kansas. Rural health care organizations utilizing KRC receive placement assistance and job opportunity postings. KRC ensures that the hiring process proceeds smoothly and provides ongoing support and information about health care hiring trends to health care organizations.

In addition, health care professionals utilize KRC as a career service center and receive placement assistance with openings throughout the state. KRC assists candidates in finding the right practice or career opportunity, in making relocation as easy as possible, and in ensuring that health care professionals receive the support and assistance needed to enjoy life in Kansas.

To date, KRC has assisted in placing 98 health care providers in rural communities across the state. For more information about KRC, contact Tyler Doyle, tdoyle@kumc.edu.

The Summer 2010 Kansas Connections is Now Available.

2010-08-09T10:31:00.003-05:00

The Summer 2010 publication of Kansas Connections is now available. All issues of Kansas Connections are available online in an easy-to-view format at www.ruralhealth.kumc.edu.