MHS Employees Donate to Abilene Baseball Club |
Employees of Memorial Health System (MHS) wore blue jeans at work for another “Jeans Day” fundraiser on Fridays throughout the month of July. Employees make a donation, of at least $5, and are allowed to wear blue jeans at work. A total donation of $715 was presented to the Abilene Baseball Club (ABC). The Abilene Baseball Club oversees travel baseball teams, as Bandit Baseball Academy, from ages 7 & under to 18 & under. The money raised will help with operating expenses for the club for items such as scholarships (so kids can play), equipment, uniforms, umpire fees, and more. For more information on the Abilene Baseball Club, please visit the Abilene Baseball Club Facebook page. The monthly Jeans Day fundraiser is organized by the MHS Employer of Choice (EOC) committee. Pictured holding the check are Cy Taylor, ABC President (left) and Kevin Rogers, ABC Vice-President (right). They are shown with players from different teams of the Bandit Baseball Academy, including, from left: Heston Hoffman, Lane Hoekman, Cayne Taylor, Canyn Taylor, Crayton Taylor, Heath Hoekman,
Drew Hansen, Landyn Rogers, and Colin Trower.
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Taplin To Be New Surgery Department Director
Please join me in congratulating Melissa Taplin on her new position as Outpatient/Surgery Department Director! Melissa has been with our organization since she graduated nursing school, and we are excited to watch the department grow under her leadership. Melissa has been acting as interim manager, but will officially be over the department as of August 8th. She’s already jumped in with both feet and surgery is undergoing a flooring project over the next several days (early August) – so she’s been busy! The OPS team is a great group, and I’m excited for them to have Melissa there to support them.
Angie Johnson MSN RN
Chief Nursing Officer
Memorial Health System
MEDIA RELEASE:
Memorial Hospital Announces New OR Director, Melissa Taplin
With a bittersweet farewell, the Memorial Hospital Outpatient and Surgical Services Department wished Carol Ross good luck on her next journey into retirement, and welcomed the new OR Director, Melissa Taplin, with open arms.
On August 8, Melissa officially stepped into the role of OR Director for the Memorial Hospital Outpatient and Surgical Services Department. She had been filling in as the interim manager since July 1. Melissa has been a familiar face even before July, as she has worked for Memorial Hospital since the start of her nursing career in 2000 when she started as a Ward Clerk in the Inpatient/OB Unit. A Ward Clerk provides administration support and because it also requires a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license, this position can provide patient support as well. While Melissa was working as the Ward Clerk, she was also working toward her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Wichita State University, and doing her clinicals here at Memorial Hospital alongside Registered Nurse Teresa Hudson, another long-time employee of Memorial Health System and co-worker of Melissa, who she finds herself fortunate to work with after all these years.
Melissa obtained her BSN in 2001, and after a few short years made a move to the Outpatient and Surgical Services Department in 2004, but still continued to work in the Inpatient/OB unit for a shift every week. In 2010 Melissa put on another hat for Memorial Health System by adding some Employee Health Nurse duties to her job description. This included making sure employees were up-to-date with their vaccinations and also checking new-hire screenings. Melissa has taken care of employees up to the beginning of this year. “When COVID hit, employee health duties increased immensely, so the last couple of years have been very busy, and then the affiliation changed some processes that added even more to the duties of Employee Health Nurse. There was a definite need to hire a person who could take on the extra workload required,” Melissa explained. “When Carol announced that she would be retiring, I felt that it was the right time to grow in my career and apply for the open director position. It all just fell into place at the right time.”
Melissa is a Kansas native; originally from Oberlin, but came to call Abilene her home after meeting her husband Brant Taplin, who grew up in Abilene, and moving here to start their life together. They have two sons. The oldest is headed off to his first year of college, and the other one will be a sophomore in high school. Melissa and her family are vested community members, and it is encouraging for Memorial Hospital to have one of their leaders be connected in such a way that it carries over into the support of its organization; in this case the Outpatient and Surgical Services Department.
Melissa shared that there are a lot of positive things happening in the department right now, “With the arrival of Dr. Young last year our surgery numbers are up. We are also adding Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Reilly, to our list of visiting specialists that come to Abilene and he plans to start doing minor surgeries which we are excited about. The infusion numbers have steadily increased over the years including patients who have to travel quite a distance. We are privileged to be able to provide services to these patients.”
The Outpatient and Surgical Services Department at Memorial Hospital is full of accomplished staff members. “With over 350 combined years of experience, I feel very fortunate and blessed to lead a group of such talented people,” said Melissa, “and the goal for our department right now is to continue to build on all the great things we are already doing.”
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Sare Named New Emergency Room Director; Forbes Earns Degree
Please join me in congratulating Chris Sare, Emergency Room RN on her new role as ED Nurse Manager/Director! Chris has been Lead Nurse in the ED and has been with Memorial Health System for several years. Chris is a great asset to the ED, as she remains calm under pressure and is always willing to jump in and help where needed. Chris will officially take over on September 5th.
We can also take a moment to congratulate Erica Forbes for graduating from FHSU with her DNP degree! She will be orientating the new managers to her departments prior to beginning her Nurse Practitioner career (which I know we hope will be with us at MHS!).
Angie Johnson MSN RN
Chief Nursing Officer
Memorial Health System
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Central Kansas Free Fair Parade Photos - August 4th
THANK YOU to all who participated in the Central Kansas Free Fair Parade this year -- especially those of you who walked! Thank you also to the MHS Maintenance Department crew for having things ready to go and looking good. It is appreciated!
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Dear Heartland Health Care Clinic, Thank You For All That You Do! |
In honor of National Health Center Week, August 7-13, Memorial Health System (MHS) would like to recognize its amazing partner, Heartland Health Care Clinic (HHCC) in Abilene. If ever there was a question what this clinic was capable of, the last few years have certainly highlighted why they should be applauded.
HHCC is full of dedicated staff who have stepped up to meet the challenges required to continue giving quality care. The clinic is divided into four pods, normally in each pod you will find a physician, an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), and two other clinical staff members such as a registered nurse, medical assistant or licensed practical nurse. In recent times, teamwork has become essential and staff are moving around more to go where the help is needed. These healthcare workers support each other, no matter what, so that the patient’s needs are always top priority.
Telemedicine, although not implemented in the formal way HHCC would normally bring something new to patients, has proven to be a successful method of delivering care to patients when the appointment between provider and patient is mostly discussion based. When COVID ramped up, HHCC had to make quick changes to keep seeing patients, while providing quality care and safety. Although COVID is less severe than was two years ago, telemedicine is going strong and is here to stay as another option in care.
In October of 2021, the Walk-In Clinic expanded its hours to accommodate the growing need for immediate appointments during the hours of 7:00AM-11:00AM and 1:00PM-6:00PM. The convenient care provided through a walk in appointment includes acute illness or accidents such as the following: colds and flus, sore throat, ear infection, laceration repairs, muscle strains and pains, and other minor aches and pains. In January of 2021, the total number of walk in patients seen was 183. When the Walk-In Clinic opened for the full day in October, that number increased significantly. The total number of patients seen in October of 2021 was 521. The total number of patients seen for the whole year in 2021 was 1,580. So far, for 2022 that total number is 3,283. These numbers show just how important the Walk-In clinic is for the community.
As patient numbers continue to grow at HHCC, MHS is looking at ways to support that growth. Last year Dr. Kimmy Hinman, Family Physician, and Dr. Christopher Young, General Surgeon, joined the team. On September 1 of this year another Family Physician, Dr. Michael Ziegler will start. Also added recently was a new APRN, Laura Pape. Growing numbers means refiguring available space to make room for new staff and new patients. Very soon HHCC will undergo some construction that has an expected completion date of December. Included in the remodel will be a new registration area to improve efficiency and privacy, and more exam rooms.
The affiliation with Salina Regional Health Center changed some processes, and after getting through the initial growing pains that come with change, there are some definite improvements that are worth mentioning. One improvement is so very beneficial for the medical staff and patients, and that is the electronic medical records system (EMR). This increases efficiency for staff to access the most current information on a patient so they are given the best care possible, and also allows the patient to gain access to their own records through the patient portal. Not only can they see their records, but they can also send messages to their providers through the portal.
These are just some of the many ways Heartland Health Care Clinic is striving to always put patient care first. Innovation is key in healthcare. Angie Johnson, Chief Nursing Officer who oversees HHCC said, “We are continually looking for ways to expand or add services to meet healthcare needs in our community.” Couple that with the compassionate care that HHCC gives on a daily basis, and what you get is a team of healthcare champions. Memorial Health System thanks you Heartland Health Care Clinic!
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Memorial Health System Board Approves Integrated MHS and SRHC Obstetrics Program
Memorial Health System’s (MHS) Board of Directors approved a motion on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, to move forward with an Integrated MHS and SRHC Obstetrics Program that will allow MHS and Salina Regional Health Center (SRHC) to work in partnership for OB patients.
In April of this year, Memorial Hospital began working with an independent healthcare advisory firm to evaluate the future of obstetrics services at MHS.
The OB department is regularly at or below 40 deliveries a year, which is only 2-3 deliveries a month. The low volume makes it difficult to sustain a viable OB program at MHS, given the many requirements that include needing a full and consistent staff, including nine OB nurses and several family medicine physicians who support OB. Staff must also maintain their competencies, and the program must adhere to all guidelines and policies for maternity care standards, including guidelines for low-risk deliveries. In addition, there must be emergency backup care in place, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
To summarize the program, maternity care needs will be met by extending services beyond low-risk pregnancies. Abilene can preserve local access to women who prefer this integrated model which allows pre/post care with their family physician and virtual OB/GYN visits. Coordinated care in this plan means delivery will take place in Salina, and post-partum care will take place in Abilene.
MHS nurses can concentrate on other areas of nursing, and SRHC will continue to offer world class obstetrics services. This is especially important to promote the safety and quality measures that are needed to support an obstetrics program. Harold Courtois, CEO at Memorial Health System supports this program moving forward. He stated, “Healthcare is an ever changing landscape with resources and finances. Our desire is to provide a structure of quality and safety for both the mother and the baby.” There is an expected increase for virtual visits, but the opportunity to keep seeing OB patients in Abilene and maintain a relationship with the family physician allows MHS to keep their patients, along with the new baby, after a delivery at SRHC.
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Vermillion New Risk Director
Please join me in congratulating Cindy Vermillion on her new position as Risk Management Director! Cindy has been Director of Clinic Operations for HHCC for the last several years. She has done an amazing job with the clinic and will be leaving a well ran department for the next person. Over the years, Cindy has created all Policies and Procedures, implemented several new programs and streamlined processes, as well as prepare us for RHC surveys. She absolutely will be missed! I am excited for Cindy’s new role. She is excellent at remaining calm under pressure and dealing with difficult situations, her documentation is meticulous, and she is one of the most organized people I know! She will officially assume this role on September 5th.
Angie Johnson MSN RN
Chief Nursing Officer
Memorial Health System
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Younkman New Med/Surg Inpatient Nurse Director
Another exciting nurse leader announcement! Jessica Younkman, currently our Quality/Infection Prevention Nurse, has accepted the position of Med/Surg Inpatient Nurse Director! Jessica has been with us for a number of years. She’s been something of a rising star at MHS from working in the ED, to building a stellar Infection Prevention/Antibiotic Stewardship and Quality program, and will now be overseeing Med/Surg. Jessica is passionate about patient care, and wanted to be able to do more of that in her day to day role; and will begin doing so on September 5th. Erica has built a great team, and has initiated several projects that have really improved patient care and department teamwork. I know they will do amazing things under Jessica’s leadership and direction, and I am excited for them to have her guidance. Congratulations Jessica – and thanks for all you do for MHS!
Angie Johnson MSN RN
Chief Nursing Officer
Memorial Health System
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Schools Using Wet Bulb Globe Temperature Values to Make Outdoor Activity Modification Decisions |
Shown: Kestrel 5400 Heat Stress Tracker in use at the Abilene High School
football field.
Excessive heat, combined with high humidity, is always a dangerous combination this time of year in Kansas. This combination is closely monitored as school sports and activities get back underway for the fall season. Beginning this year, all schools now have a way to track weather conditions, for the safety of student-athletes.
School staff across the state will track how the temperature feels to the human body using Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) values instead of Heat Index values when making activity modification decisions. WBGT is a measure of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, sun angle, and cloud cover. In April of this year, the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) Sports Medicine Advisory Committee provided updates to the KSHSAA Recommended Activity Modification Policy during periods of elevated heat/humidity. The KSHSAA Executive Board unanimously approved the updates at their April 2022 meeting. The motivation for the policy change was the availability of a grant to provide member schools with a Kestrel 5400 Heat Stress Tracker. All 364-member high schools across the state of Kansas have been provided with one of these units.
In support of this endeavor, Kansas Athletic Trainers’ Society (KATS) members were instrumental in helping to get this initiative started at member schools. The KATS team produced a series of videos that explains the setup of the Kestrel unit using KSHSAA recommended values, along with proper rapid cooling options. Justin Clark, Athletic Trainer at Memorial Health System Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine and for Abilene High School, is the President-Elect for KATS, and sits in on the KSHSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. Clark was a part of the sub-committee for updating the earlier mentioned policy. Abilene High School has implemented a similar policy for the past several years; a Kestrel unit was purchased and practice modifications are based on the daily WBGT. Each school should have a policy in place for appropriate activity modification during periods of excessive heat and humidity.
Exertional Heat Illness (EHI) is a term for different conditions that may result from participation in environments of extreme temperature and/or humidity. Heat cramps, heat syncope, heat exhaustion, and exertional heat stroke (EHS) are all conditions that could result from prolonged participation in this type of environment. Exertional Heat Stroke (EHS) is a life-threatening condition and one of the leading causes of preventable death in high school activities. Students who do not properly acclimatize to the heat, do not hydrate properly, have a poor diet and/or are ill/recovering from an illness are more susceptible to all types of EHI. “The Kestrel unit provides technology to help athletic trainers, coaches, and administrators keep our student-athletes safe when the weather is hot and humid,” said Clark.
There are a number of heat illness risk factors that can contribute to problems for student-athletes. According to KSHSAA, schools are encouraged to make every reasonable effort to have an athletic trainer or other healthcare professional onsite during high risk athletic activities and activities taking place in conditions of extreme temperature and or humidity. Every school should have a written Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place for every activity and every venue where activities take place. This plan should include handling heat illness emergencies.
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HR Office Change
Alicia’s (Hoffman) office has moved upstairs on second floor (Memorial Hospital) where her previous office was (up the stairs and to the left through the locked door). However, her office that was on the first floor will be used for the HR Business Partners or Talent Acquisition when they come see us. If you have questions, and the doors are closed, please email/call and they will get back to you at their earliest convenience. Thank you!
Andrea Taylor, RHCEOC
Chief Operating Officer
Memorial Health System
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Email Usage
It is imperative that all staff check email. There may be staff that is not use to checking email, however, it is the primary source for communication. There will be employee engagement surveys sent out in the next month, and employees need to make sure they are comfortable checking emails on a daily basis (or at least on each scheduled shift). If you are having issues with your email, please do not hesitate to reach out to IT.
Department Directors, please make sure your staff is checking email and knows how to access it from a workstation. Thank you!
Andrea Taylor, RHCEOC
Chief Operating Officer
Memorial Health System
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Forbes to Join HHCC as Nurse Practitioner
This is one that has been in the works for a while, but we had to wait until ALL the papers were signed and official! I’m excited to announce that Erica Forbes, ED & Med/Surg Director, has accepted a position as Nurse Practitioner in our clinic! Erica has been at MHS for several years, and has made great strides in building unit teamwork and camaraderie, implementing new protocols and staffing plans, and increasing quality metric performance. It has been my privilege to have Erica on my leadership team and watch her grow over the years. While working towards her Doctorate of Nursing Practice at Fort Hays State University (during a pandemic!!), she still maintained such positive energy here at MHS. She somehow has this ability to remain diplomatic while being one of the most personable and genuine people I know. I feel we are leaving her departments in good hands with Jessica and Chris, and I know that Erica will be there to support them however she can. We are very blessed that Erica is MHS proud and I am excited for the HHCC staff as well. I know the patients that Erica takes care of will find comfort in her thorough approach and patient centered focus; and we will be glad we still get to see her here! Congratulations Erica on this next step in your career!
Many thanks to all of our employees as well. We’ve been announcing several position changes lately, and I think it says a lot when people want to stay here to work, but grow into new opportunities. Being good co-workers while taking care of our community has been a longtime goal of MHS – thanks for your commitment to that.
Angie Johnson MSN RN
Chief Nursing Officer
Memorial Health System
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Fight Against Breast Cancer to Happen in Abilene Again;
12th Annual Impact the Cure on Saturday, October First
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ABILENE—The 12th annual Impact the Cure event is Saturday, October 1st, and this year will have some changes from past events. For 2022, the event will be solely the 2MileFunWalk (no 5k run) and it will be held in Old Abilene Town as the kick-off to the community celebration of the 100th birthday for Memorial Hospital.
Impact the Cure is an annual Breast Cancer Awareness event in Abilene hosted by Impact Sports and Fitness of Abilene. The walk will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 1, starting and ending at Old Abilene Town, 201 SE. 5th Street, and is open to people of all ages and fitness levels. Walk day registration and packet pick-up will begin at 10:00 a.m., an informal ceremony at 10:15 a.m. will recognize cancer survivors as a group; survivors will receive a special gift (please note on the registration form if you are a cancer survivor), and then the 2MileFunWalk will begin at 10:30 a.m. This is a fun way for all ages to celebrate life and raise funds to help fight breast cancer in Dickinson County.
Pre-registration is $25 and includes an Impact the Cure long-sleeve t-shirt and a $5 food coupon to use at participating truck vendors beginning at noon. Couch Potato fee is $25 (unable to participate, but registering for a t-shirt and supporting a good cause). You can
pre-register at Impact Sports and Fitness, 418 N. Broadway, Abilene, or by visiting mhsks.org/impact-the-cure. Please note there is a fee of $0.75 for all online registrations. You may register on the day of the walk at 10:00 a.m. for $30, t-shirts are not guaranteed for same day registration. The fun walk is noncompetitive and will not have awards.
Proceeds raised by Impact the Cure will fund local breast health initiatives by providing free mammograms and mammography services to uninsured residents in Dickinson County and assist with the purchase of 3D mammography equipment at Memorial Hospital. Mammograms and mammography services are provided by Memorial Hospital’s Imaging and Radiology Department, 511 NE 10th Street, in Abilene.
This is a wonderful event for your friends and family to enjoy. So plan to attend, and contribute to the local fight against breast cancer. For more information on Impact the Cure, contact Impact Sports and Fitness at 785-263-3888 or visit mhsks.org/impact-the-cure.
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100th Birthday of Memorial Hospital to Be Celebrated
with Community
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HHCC Staff Supports Dickinson County Community Baby Shower |
Some of the staff from Heartland Health Care Clinic at Memorial Hospital in Abilene were at the Dickinson County Community Baby Shower today that was hosted by the Dickinson County Health Department. Thank you Niki Clem, Dr. Hinman, Jessica Dawson, Barb Karraker, and Dr. Brown.
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New Leader for Memorial Health Foundation
Friends,
Having been in my new position for almost a year now, I can say without a doubt that I still love my job! Several good things have happened in all the areas that I work in. The Foundation is moving forward at a steady rate, Marketing has made several improvements, (thankfully, I have a great teammate that has stuck by me as I work to implement changes in our department), and physician recruitment has kept me busy too, with not only physicians but APPs, as SRHC also includes APPs in their recruiting processes whereas MHS had a different approach.
All this to say, I will no longer be the Foundation Director. I am the type of person who wants to give 110% all the time to everything I do, and I am finding that to be a challenge when I am spread so thin. After voicing this concern to Harold, his never-ending support had him working rather quickly to reorganize some job duties that will come to benefit myself, the Foundation, and ultimately MHS as well (thank you Harold).
I am super excited to tell you that Jonee Crump, Harold’s Executive Assistant, will be the Foundation Manager, AND that I will be working alongside of her in whatever capacity she needs me to.
Jonee’ will do great things. She has experience with fundraising, event planning, community involvement, and so much more that will come to benefit the Foundation in great ways. And best of all, she is passionate about this and is excited to get to work!
Please help me welcome Jonee to this new position as Foundation Manager!!!!
P.S. Yes, she is still Harold’s Executive Assistant. She will no longer help Charlotte with credentialing, that task has been given to Jenny Stuck.
Haley Jones
Director of Development & Marketing
Memorial Health System
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First Set of Memorial Bricks Placed at Village Manor
If you are interested in getting a memorial brick at Village Manor, please call the office at 785-263-1431.
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Recent "On-the-Spot" Award Recipients |
These MHS employees recently received On-the-Spot Awards for going above and beyond, doing great things for MHS, and being rock star employees. |
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