Southeast Kansas responds to deadly Joplin tornado Incident Command System put into effect

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1 c o n n e c t i o n s Rural Health Education and Services Vol. 20 No. 1 Summer 2011 What s Inside... Page 3 Cancer survivorship study focuses on rural Kansas Page 4 Pilot program selects eight practices Page 5 KansasWorks Health Care Workforce Partnership Page 6 Google project provides rural health opportunities Page 7 Kansas Recruitment Center job listings Page 15 Experience Kansas cuisine Page 16 Rural health care provider spotlight - Dennis Kepka, MD Page 18 Labette Health expands wound care services Southeast Kansas responds to deadly Joplin tornado Incident Command System put into effect Late in the afternoon on May 22, the weather was so ominous in southeast Kansas that a code gray was called at Labette Health in Parsons, and staff began taking tornado precautions. We were watching the storm and saw rotational clouds behind the hospital, said Sonya Culver, DO, who was on duty in Labette s ER. The storm dropped massive hail as it passed through. The staff knew it was a bad storm, but didn t realize how serious until they saw television footage from 50 miles away in Joplin, Mo. Dr. Culver contacted the Labette ER nurse director and they enacted the Hospital Incident Command System, the protocol hospitals use when a medical surge is expected. We came together to see if we had supplies, enough personnel, and how many patients we could take, Dr. Culver said. Labette received a call from Joplin asking if they could send a team there, including ambulances. Labette s EMS was already on alert because of the storm in Parsons, and two ambulances were immediately sent to Joplin. Some of the physician and nursing staff got in their own vehicles and went, Dr. Culver said. Marlene Willis (right), Director of Volunteer Services, debriefs with staff in the Incident Command Center at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg. But we also knew we d need personnel here when they started sending us patients. Personnel who weren t scheduled to work that Sunday night started arriving. I was truly impressed, every single field was here, she said. Extra nurses not on the clock were volunteering, and the cleaning staff came in because they knew we d need continuous cleaning. Clergy came in. They came in just to volunteer because they knew we d be in overload. Everybody came together to make sure everyone Continued on page 19

2 From The Director... Joyce Grayson Kansas Connections is published three times a year by the University of Kansas Medical Center, Rural Health Education and Services, Kansas City and Wichita. KUMC is an AA/EO/Title IX Institution. This publication is available in alternate formats upon request. Contact Jenifer Yuza (316) Kansas Relay Number DIRECTOR Joyce Grayson ADVISOR Lorene Valentine EDITOR /GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jenifer Yuza CONTRIBUTING WRITER Cindy Mines KU faculty and staff take whirlwind tour of Kansas More than 40 University of Kansas faculty and staff participated in the 2011 Wheat State Whirlwind Tour in late May. The five-day, 1,400-plus mile trek across Kansas gave participants a new look at the state s history, economy, geography and culture. This year the tour included stops in nearly 30 communities including Barnes, Marysville, Salina, Lucas, Palco, WaKeeney, Quinter, Scott City, Inman and Wichita. Some of the highlights of this year s tour included visits to Smoky Hills Wind Farm near Salina, a historic African- Kevin Dobbs, project coordinator at the Kansas Biological Survey, looks at the concrete sculptures at the Garden of Eden in Lucas on day two of the tour. American settlement in Nicodemus, a tour of Wichita s Cessna plant and a ride with the buffalo in Scott City. The annual tour was started in 1997 by then-chancellor Robert Hemenway as a way to take faculty and staff, many new to Kansas, throughout the state to gain a better understanding of where many of their students come from and learn more about the state they serve. Participants in the tour include deans, faculty and staff members from the Lawrence campus, KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., and KU School of Medicine-Wichita. For more information on the Wheat State Whirlwind Tour, visit 2 Kansas connections KU School of Allied Health to celebrate name change During a celebration on Thursday, August 25, the University of Kansas School of Allied Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) will officially change its name to the University of Kansas School of Health Professions. The KU School of Allied Health was established in 1974, bringing together various health programs. The name change was prompted to bring opportunities for greater public understanding about the many fields of health professions education available at KUMC. Exciting new changes at 2011 Kansas Career Opportunities Rural Health Education and Services (RHES) would like to announce exciting new changes for the 2011 Kansas Career Opportunities (KCO) events. RHES will host its annual career fair from noon to 2 p.m., October 13 in Kansas City at the University of Kansas Medical Center. KCO is expanding in Wichita, and will hold the career fair November 10 at an exciting new venue the Wichita Boathouse. A daytime event will feature exhibits from noon to 2 p.m. with special guest presentations from 2 to 2:45 p.m. Exhibits will reopen for an Continued on back cover

3 Cancer survivorship study focuses on rural Kansas Breast cancer survivors bond during study research project focusing on the A health of rural Kansas breast cancer survivors has produced a lot more than data: participants lost weight and camaraderie has flourished among the women who became acquainted during conference-call sessions. Obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer recurrence, and 35 women from Hays, Pittsburg, and Salina who participated in a preliminary study lost an average of 25.2 pounds, or 12.7% of their starting weight. Rural women are also considered to be at a higher risk for obesity and to have less access to health care. Their dedication and commitment make them amazing women to work with, said Christie Befort, PhD, study director and KU Medical Center Preventive Medicine assistant professor. The average weight loss has been higher than we expected. A counseling psychologist by training, Dr. Befort combined her early clinical training work with cancer patients with a focus on researching obesity and developing behavioral interventions she has had since joining KU Medical Center. The two interests evolved into research on weight management among breast cancer survivors. A $3 million grant from the National Cancer Institute will enable Dr. Befort to expand her study statewide and include 208 breast cancer survivors in rural areas across Kansas. The two-year weight-loss maintenance intervention program began Aug. 1. Our retention in this study was 90 percent, and almost all of them were really super-engaged in supporting one another, Dr. Befort said. They bond because they have all gone through the process of being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer and are working on lifestyle changes to improve survival. There is a bond there that happens that s even greater than when we do weightloss intervention with the general public. The intervention addresses weight management and survivorship/quality of life with weekly group phone meetings for six months, then bi-weekly follow-up for another 12 months. The new study will be for two years to study maintenance since maximum weight loss tends to occur at six months and then weight is regained, according to Dr. Befort. Most people know obesity is a risk factor for developing breast cancer in post-menopausal women, but it s also a factor in recurrence, she said. Weight as well as physical activity is huge. Women who are obese at breast cancer diagnosis have a 1.5 to 2.5 increased risk of recurrence and death compared to their normal weight counterparts, Dr. Befort said. In addition, weight gain and decreased physical activity are common after diagnosis, which increases the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence and death. Women who live in the most rural counties also have the highest prevalence of obesity compared to urban women. At the same time, (rural women) have less access to professional support services, and are more likely to have unmet support needs surrounding both cancer and weight management, she said. Rural women also tend to be diagnosed later and at more advanced stages Christie Befort, PhD of breast cancer and are less likely to receive radiation and breast-conserving surgery. There is also a greater time between surgery and beginning chemotherapy. Dr. Befort s first study tested the delivery mechanism. How were we going to get this intervention to rural women who can t come in? We found using conference calls so women could get feedback and support from each other was more effective than individual calls, she said. Groups were used for efficiency, but we were also interested in how the group dynamic can improve outcomes. More weight loss occurred in the group. We re going to help them with sustaining a lifestyle change, she said. We ve all been impressed by the women. It makes the work fun and exciting and worthwhile. To be eligible to participate in the study, women must be within three months to 10 years of breast cancer Our retention in this study was 90 percent, and almost all of them were really super-engaged in supporting one another. Dr. Befort, study director and KU Medical Center Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine treatment, have a BMI between 25 and 45, and live in designated rural ZIP codes. Women interested in participating in the study should contact Heather Austin, MS, RD, at haustin@kumc.edu or

4 Pilot program selects eight practices Eight Kansas practices have been selected to participate in a twoyear pilot project for the Kansas Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) initiative, which began Jan. 1. We had 21 practices apply and every single one was phenomenal, said Lisa Roberts, initiative coordinator. They were literally all over the board geographically, and ranged from a singlepractice osteopath in Pittsburg to a hospital-owned group in western Kansas with five full-time physicians. The Kansas Academy of Family Physicians announced the eight physician-led practices in mid-june: American Medical Practice of Winfield/Augusta Family Practice, PA Cheyenne County Clinic, St. Francis Ellsworth County Medical Center and Rural Health Clinic, Ellsworth Mindi S. Garner, D.O., Chartered, Pittsburg Sabetha Family Practice, Sabetha Internal Medicine Group, PA, Lawrence KU Wichita Adult Medicine/ Medical Practice Association, Wichita Plainville Medical Clinic, Plainville It s exciting we ll have so many rural practices to work with, Roberts said. It ll provide us an opportunity to learn about PCMH in rural health settings. Most studies done so far have been in urban areas. The practices reasons for applying varied, she said. They ranged from this was already on our radar to they saw an opportunity to get some help because it is a daunting task. We had quite a few that had already implemented several quality initiatives and needed help with the next step. Tina Davis, director of the Ellsworth County Medical Center and Rural Health Clinic, had experience with a patient-centered environment while working with Kaiser Permanente for 25 years. Over the past few years, our clinic has focused on disease management and community awareness so when the opportunity to participate presented itself, It s exciting we ll have so many rural practices to work with. Lisa Roberts, Initiative Coordinator Ellsworth County Medical Center is one of eight physician-led practices chosen for the pilot project. we eagerly and happily applied as we felt the project would help us achieve true quality care for our patients, she said. Prior to the project s July 1 start, the practices began internal assessments, Roberts said. It s very much a teambased approach. It s up to them how to structure their teams internally. The process includes a group meeting in July, on-site visits in August, a medical home summit in the fall, and oneon-one base coaching, Roberts said. The group will also have a social network to facilitate peer-to-peer learning. The transformation going on in health care is going to continue we don t know what it will look like but we do know it will constantly be changing, she said. The goal is to help these teams learn more about themselves so no matter what changes they face they can survive those changes. We want to give them the strength and tools to be sustainable. This PCMH model was developed in response to the 2000 Future of Family Medicine, and the goal was to develop a solution in response to recognized discontent among family physicians, who were frustrated in their ability to provide the highest quality care for their patients in a delivery system that did not facilitate their primary health care role. In June 2006 the National Demonstration Project tested this new model 4 Kansas connections Continued on page 17

5 KansasWorks Health Care Workforce Partnership Collaboration to increase primary health care workers in Kansas The Health Care Workforce Partnership (HCWP) a statewide coalition of state government, health care educational institutions, hospitals, nursing homes, safety net clinics and health departments has met since December to develop a plan to increase the number of primary health care workers in Kansas by 10 percent to 25 percent by HCPW is a subcommittee of the Department of Commerce s Kansas- Works board. We are a working coalition committed to discovering how we might increase our primary health care workforce in Kansas, said Carla Deckert, the HCWP s planning consultant. At our first meeting in December, members approved an aggressive timeline to meet six performance benchmarks along with a work plan that targeted three subgroups: data, resources, and education. Each workgroup focused on different aspects of health care workforce career pathways in Kansas. Coalition members reviewed data showing that while Kansas has 177 rural health clinics, 37 state-funded community-based clinics, and 14 federally qualified health centers, 96 of the state s 105 counties are federally designated as being medically underserved, meaning they lack primary care providers, and have high infant mortality, high poverty and/or a high elderly population. Members also looked at recruitment and retention as well as examining what educational pathways exist in the state s 384 high schools for students to become a practicing physician, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse. More than 60 Kansans from across the state took part in a symposium sponsored by the HCWP in April. Representatives from economic development, hospitals, health clinics, education, workforce, state regulatory agencies, advocacy groups, county health services and foundations came together to learn, think, discuss, and strategize, Deckert said. Participants received a notebook filled with facts and figures detailing specific information about Kansas primary health care providers physicians, advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, and dentists. Also included was the current supply and demand, barriers to increasing the number of providers who are willing to practice in the underserved areas, and the available recruitment and retention services. If you are interested in joining the coalition, contact Deckert at cdeckert@ kansascommerce.com or

6 Google project provides rural health opportunities Not long after Kansas City, Kan., was chosen from 1,100 community applicants to be the first Google Fiber network in the country, various groups affiliated with the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) discussed what innovations might be possible with the new ultra high-speed service, which is expected to provide connectivity up to one hundred times faster than what most Americans have now. With fiber, the transition will be as dramatic as it was from dial-up to broadband, said Jenna Wandres, Google Policy Communications Associate. With ultra-high speed you will be able to do unpredictable innovations. The plan is for Google to supply the fiber network and organizations such as KUMC to provide the innovation, she said. We re really excited to be in Kansas City and working with organizations like KU Medical Center, Wandres said. When you give people this kind of high-fidelity connection they are going to innovate. Google s agreement with Kansas City, is to connect schools, some government buildings, and hospitals to the fiber network for free, she said. Google will begin installation in the fourth quarter of this year with service launched in In early 2010, Google announced plans to build an experimental ultra high-speed broadband network, and 1,100 communities responded with ardent invitations to come to their city. Topeka even went so far as to change its name to Google for an entire month in Eventually, Kansas City, Kan., was selected as the site for the new super-fast network, which a Google blog says will 6 Kansas connections have speeds 100 times faster than most Americans have access to. In announcing the winner, Google issued a statement: In selecting a city, our goal was to find a location where we could build efficiently, make an impact on the community, and develop relationships with local government and community organizations. We ve found this in Kansas City. We ll be working closely with local organizations including the Kauffman Foundation, KCNext, and the University of Kansas Medical Center to help develop the gigabit applications of the future. Several groups on campus had been meeting to see how they could utilize the network, said Director of the KU Center for Telemedicine & Telehealth Ryan Spaulding, PhD. We re looking at the next generation of health care technologies, he said. The KU Center for Telemedicine & Telehealth already has the ability to connect to nearly 60 sites, including hospitals, clinics and schools, he said, but high-speed connection to homes will open up endless possibilities. In addition to consultations and classes, technology could be used to monitor breathing and heart rate in the home, he said. There are a lot of new video technologies that require higher During a town hall meeting in Kansas City, Gov. Sam Brownback said that the Google Fiber project will help boost the KU Cancer Center s bid to gain federal designation as a National Cancer Center. bandwidth amounts. We re trying to look down the road. While KU presently has a fast network, the fact that homes will have that kind of connectivity will provide many opportunities, he said. It will allow us to do a lot more in the home as opposed to (those in rural Kansas traveling to) health care centers. Some things we can do in KCK can eventually be done in rural areas. Ryan Spaulding, PhD, Director, KU Center for Telemedicine & Telehealth A gigabyte of connectivity is very unusual for a home. Obviously, that gives us more capability for telemedicine than before. Some things we can do in KCK can eventually be done in rural areas, he said. There is no doubt Kansas will benefit from Google s investment, he said. It s very significant that we ll be the only community in the U.S. to have different entities wired at this level, he said. It might also drive some businesses and research organizations to the area. Economically there is a lot of potential. Dr. Spaulding said his understanding was that Google would begin installa- Continued on page 15

7 KANSAS RECRUITMENT CENTER July 2011 The mission of the Kansas Recruitment Center (KRC) is to assist Kansas rural communities in recruiting and retaining physicians and other health care providers. KRC works with hospitals, private physician practices, community health centers, and other organizations recruiting physicians, nurses, physician assistants or other health care professionals. KRC is also a health care career service for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners and other allied health professionals. KRC assists candidates in finding a community and practice or career opportunity that meets their requirements. Services are provided to candidates at no charge. Candidates should refer to a position by number when they are calling about a specific opening. For more information, contact the University of Kansas Medical Center, Rural Health Education and Services, or , or visit the website at NORTH CENTRAL KRC Orthopedist group practice affiliated with a regional medical center serves a population of 60K; competitive salary; great benefits; H1-B Visa opportunity KRC C Family Physician 25-bed CAH and rural health clinic; current staffing includes 1 physician and 1 PA; call is 1:3; salary: $135,000- $150,000; full benefits KRC Family Physician w/o OB for 2-campus, 99-bed hospital w/ secondary campus 20 miles southwest; salary is $140,000 + production incentive + sign-on bonus; call is 1:2; full benefits KRC C OB/GYN join well-established, growing practice for regional acute care hospital, serving population of 60,000; approx 350 births annually, but expected to grow; current call is 1:2, with third provider, will be 1:3, salary range is $240,000 - $300,000; great benefits KRC Registered Nurse for 12- bed ICU; the 385-bed hospital focuses on career, community, and family; 125 physicians on staff; salary is competitive and negotiable; full benefits KRC Orthopaedic Surgeon successful group practice; opportunity for qualified residents to earn $1000/month while completing training; excellent salary; full benefits KRC Gastroenterologist large multispecialty group; Opportunity for qualified residents to earn $1000/month while completing training; competitive salary, negotiable; full benefits KRC Dermatologist BC/BE for Dermatological and Medical Aesthetics care in a well organized and growing private practice; mix of general dermatology, medical aesthetics, and surgical dermatology; aggressive compensation, fantastic bonus potential, full benefits, signing bonus, paid relocation expenses KRC Urologist two-campus, 99-bed, regional acute care hospital. New practice; call is negotiable and may be shared; able to develop the program; specialty is in very high demand; great salary; full benefits KRC Family Physician w/ OB for 25-bed hospital w/2 clinics. Currently on staff: 3 FPs, 1 GS; call coverage is 1:4 weekends and backup call during the week; negotiable salary, great benefits KRC Physician Assistant for well-established and busy family medicine practice; schedule is 4.5 days per week; currently on staff: 4 FPs and 1 PA/NP; no call coverage; salary is $60,000 - $70,000 + production bonus; great benefits KRC Nurse Practitioner for an experienced NP in a well-established, busy family medicine practice; schedule is 4.5 days/ week; currently 4 FPs and 1 PA/NP on staff; no call coverage; salary range is $60,000 - $70,000 + production bonus w/ one-year contract; excellent benefits KRC Emergency Medicine BC/ BE opportunity for 385-bed regional health care center; newly constructed Emergency Room has 26 beds and 27,000 visits annually; open 24 hours; physicians work 12 hour shifts with at least one physician on staff at all times; while they are working towards level III trauma designation, trauma team is formed and responding to trauma needs now; emergency air ambulance is available directly atop of the ER; for those residents and fellows who qualify, there is an opportunity to earn $1,000 per month while completing their last two years of training KRC General Surgeon BE/BC GS for 385-bed regional health care center; facility is a regional referral center for many specialties and is working to become accredited as a level III trauma center; looking for a physician leader to help improve accessibility and quality of trauma care to patients; great income potential and signing bonus KRC Neurological Surgery Physician BC/BE Neurosurgeon for large regional hospital to join neuro and trauma teams; strong surgical and interpersonal skills, desire to collaborate w/ other specialties in the delivery of trauma/neuro care to patients in region; state-ofthe-art imaging and technology capabilities;stipend of $1,000/month available to residents/fellows who qualify while finishing last two years of training KRC Neurologist 385-bed community-owned not-for-profit regional hospital seeks BE/ BC Neurologist to assist with in-patient & out-patient care; experience or training in EEG, EMG, Nerve Conduction, Botox, interest in movement disorders a plus; for those residents and fellows who qualify, there is an opportunity to earn $1,000 per month while completing their last two years of training; aggressive compensation, benefits package KRC Obstetrician/Gynecologist BC/BE OB/GYN physician for well established single specialty women s clinic; aggressive compensation, benefits package, opportunity for qualified residents/fellows to earn $1,000/month while completing their last two years of training; currently on staff are 2 fulltime OB/GYN physicians; call time is 1:3 Continued 7

8 KRC Nurse Practitioner KRC Physician Assistant to join 25-bed CAH & RHC; will see patients in clinic, rounding, & ER; salary range is $70,000-$80,000 w/ 2-3 year contract & RVU production bonuses; great benefits package KRC BC/BE Hospitalist Critical Care/Intensivist or appropriately trained Internal Medicine physician for 385-bed regional hospital; set schedule of 7 days on, 7 days off; aggressive compensation, benefits package, this health center serves as the regional hub for state-of-the-art medical services, newly completed patient tower and renovations, diverse medical staff of more than 130 physicians KRC BC/BE Pediatrician for pediatric clinic w/ 6 child-friendly themed exam rooms; aggressive compensation, benefits package, 1:4 call; privileges at the Regional Health Center NORTHEAST KRC C Family Physician join 2 physician at group practice clinic; salary is $140,000+; call coverage rotates; full benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Internist for multi-specialty group including 13 physicians w/various specialties; 4 PAs/NPs on staff; 4 satellite clinics; 120-bed admitting health center; call is 1:8; salary is competitive and negotiable; benefits KRC Family Physician with OB for a newly constructed hospital based clinic; office in a new hospital-based clinic; call is every 5-6 weeknights and 5th-6th weekend; salary range is $180,000 to $200,000; great benefits KRC Internal Medicine Physician KC Family Physician w/o OB, available at FQHC; currently on staff: 1 physician and 2 NPs; no current in-pt care, but will be 1-3 admissions/mo. Outstanding opportunity to make a difference in a community; salary is negotiable; salary: $135,000 to $185,000 with comprehensive benefits KRC Medicine Pediatrics w/o OB, at FQHC; currently on staff: 1 physician and 2 NPs; no current in-pt care, but will be 1-3 admissions/ mo. Outstanding opportunity to make a difference in a community; salary is negotiable; salary: $135,000 - $185,000 with comprehensive benefits KRC Emergency Medicine Physician BC/BE in EM or other primary care specialty with current EM experience for great hospital near Kansas City; single covered 12 hour shifts; salary$190,000+ benefits KRC Nursing Unit Manager for OR of 92-bed hospital; RNs in the OR are responsible for scheduling and coordination of surgeries in the OR, patients/physicians, and staff; hospital employed position offering a competitive salary; experienced RNs and new graduates are encouraged to apply; great benefits KRC Laboratory Director 24-bed CAH; currently on staff: 4 physicians, 1 PA/NP, 1 Med-Tech, 2 Med/Lab Techs, 1 phlebotomist/secretary; call shared equally among all staff; must have ASCP or equivalent; salary is negotiable and depending on experience; great benefits KRC Physical Therapist for 24-bed CAH; position is 50% outpatient, 20% peds, 15% inpatient, and 15% home health; rehab facility is brand new; currently on staff: 1 PT, 4 PTA s, and 1 OT; position hours are 8-4:30, flexibility offered, call time is 1 holiday weekend /year; salary is competitive and includes a great benefits package KRC Medical Lab Technologist KRC Medical Technologist for 24-bed CAH; currently 4 physicians and 1 NP on staff at the hospital; experienced and new graduates are encouraged to apply; must have ASCP or equivalent; salary is negotiable depending on experience, great benefits; day shift position 6a-3p, 8a-4:30, or 9:30-6p, call coverage is shared KRC BC/BE Gastroenterologist for multi-specialty group practice; group includes 13 physicians, also 4 PA/NPs on staff w/ 100 supporting staff members, four satellite clinics; admitting regional health center located within one half mile of practice; call coverage is shared with 2 other gastroenterologists in the community; salary is competitive and negotiable; great benefits KRC Family Medicine w/out OB KRC Internist for Not-for-Profit organization that provides health and dental care for the uninsured; physician will work 16 hours/week, Mon, Wed & Thurs evenings 5-9P & Sat 8A-noon; benefits, salary range of $53-$65/hour. KRC Clinical Laboratory Scientist for 24-bed CAH; experienced, new graduates are encouraged to apply; must have ASCP or equivalent; salary is negotiable depending on experience; day shift position 6a-3p, 8a-4:30p, or 9:30-6p, call coverage is shared KRC Dentist to join a expanding clinic providing dental care for the indigent/medicaid populations of the immediate county; dentist needed to diagnose, treat diseases as well as provide preventive dental services; position offers competitive salary with 1-3 year contract and an annual performance based bonus; attractive benefits package 8 Kansas Continued connections KRC LPN to join a thriving FQHC w/ over 170 employees; position will focus on primary care, family planning, immunizations, must be licensed in Kansas, certified in CPR, & possess valid driver s license; no nights, weekends, or call time for LPNs; full-time opportunity w/ steady clinic hours 8-5 & 10-7 (Tuesdays only); great benefits KRC Family Physician KRC Internal Medicine clinics is seeking full-time medical director to provide direct primary care services & administrative oversight of medical care & providers at our two clinics in Kansas; clinics are not-for-profits that provide health care services to low-income individuals w/out health insurance; experience is preferred, must be BC & eligible for licensure in Kansas as an FP/IM physician; benefits are negotiable KRC Pediatrician BC Pediatrician, KS medical license, practices general pediatrics, position schedule is negotiable; clinic is open Mon -Fri 8-5, Wed & Thurs until 8P & Sat 8A-12 noon, clinic is a 501(c)3 Safety-Net Clinic and will be applying for NCQA recognition; great benefits, salary is $80,000 - $120,000 KRC Nurse Practitioner w/ focus on pediatrics needed to join safety-net clinic serving approx 4,000 patients/year; position schedule is negotiable, clinic is open Mon - Fri 8A-5P, Wed and Thurs until 8P & Sat 8A-12noon; competitive salary, benefits KRC Registered Nurse w/ focus on pediatrics to join safety-net clinic serving approx 4,000 patients/year; RN s must have a valid Kansas license, CPR, 2+ years of pediatrics experience, good written/verbal English & Spanish skills, position schedule is negotiable; salary range is $30,000- $50,000, benefits KRC Nurse Practitioner to join safety net, primary care clinic; NP must have experience working with patients whose income is below 200% of the federal poverty level, flexibility in assigned working hours is needed; ARNPs will lead the care team (as applicable) and ensure the highest standards of care are provided for the patients; salary range is $65,000-$70,000 and is based on a full-time 40-hour work week, great benefits KRC Community Health Center Division Manager must have Kansas RN license, 5 years direct patient nursing care, 2 years supervisory experience in a medical office, hospital, clinical health care setting or program oversight, CPR Certification, & valid driver s license, position consists of 35% supervisory duties, 35% program development, 20% program analysis, and 10% community collaboration KRC Family Physician

9 KRC Internal Medicine Physician KRC Pediatrician for a Kansas Safety Net Primary Care clinic, physician will be the sole physician in the clinic, physician will participate in an on-call system; must have a license to practice medicine in the State of Kansas, Board Eligible/ Certified; ability to speak a foreign language helpful, $110, ,000 DOE & skill range; benefits package available including student loan repayment program NORTHWEST KRC Orthopedist 2 positions available for group practice; 190+ bed state-of-the-art medical center with an in-clinic MRI and wellness facility; 90 physicians on active medical staff; salary negotiable; benefits; H1-B and J-1 opportunity KRC Gastroenterologist 190+ bed state-of-the-art medical center w/new wellness facility; 90 physicians on active medical staff; salary negotiable; full benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Family Physician with OB, prefer c-section certified; 25-bed CAH; currently 3 physicians and 1 PA/NP; call is 1:4 as secondary to ARNP (primary ER call); salary includes base + productivity incentive, approximately $150,000+ depending on OB and procedures; full benefits; H-1B opportunity KRC Internist 190+ bed, state of the art medical center and wellness facility; currently 90 physicians on staff; call is 1:5; salary is negotiable; benefits; an outstanding hospital in a positive and progressive environment; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC C Family Physician 25-bed CAH; OB preferred; rural health clinic on-site (4-day schedule); current staff: 3 FPs, 1 general surgeon, 1 PA/NP; call is 1:5 ER and 1:3 OB; salary is $140,000-$150,000 + incentives; full benefits; J-1 and H-1B opportunity KRC C Family Physician 25-bed CAH with a 33-bed long term care unit attached; 2 clinics - one in town, and one 15 miles away; out of town clinic has a physician half day/week and FT NP; new FP will work in the clinic 4.5 days and will perform rounds on long term care patients and their patients in the hospital; OB preferred, but not required; no high-risk OB; current staff: 1 physician (does OB), 1 NP, and 2 PAs; call is 1:4 with second call backup for the PAs; salary is $150,000-$165,000; full benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC C Family Physician w/o OB for health center that operates a 24-bed CAH, 2 RHC s, 8 specialty clinics, and retirement community; to see patients in rural health clinic and long-term care, and participate in the admission and delivery of inpatient care; call is no more than 1:3-5; currently 3 full-time providers on staff; salary is $150,000-$170,000; excellent benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC C Internist for health center that operates a 24-bed CAH, 2 rural health clinics, 8 specialty clinics, and a retirement community; to see patients in a rural health clinic setting and long-term care, to participate in the admission and delivery of inpatient care; call is 1:3½ or less; currently 3 fulltime providers on staff; salary is $150,000-$170,000; excellent benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Pulmonologist/Critical Care Physician for 2 physician team, practice attached to hospital; the 190+ bed state-of-the-art medical center has 90 physicians on staff; call is 1:3; salary is competitive and negotiable; full benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Family Physician w/ or w/o OB for group practice in 24-bed CAH and 36-bed long term care unit; current staff: 3 FPs and 1 NP on staff; to work in clinic w/in walking distance of hospital; call is 1:4; 1 satellite facility; salary: $130,000-$150,000; loan repayment and relocation; H1-B and J-1 opportunity KRC Internist group practice in 24-bed CAH and 36-bed long term care unit; current staff: 3 FPs and 1 NP; Internist will work in clinic w/ in walking distance of hospital; call is 1:4; 1 satellite facility; salary: $130,000-$150,000; loan repayment and relocation; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Registered Nurse 16-bed newly remodeled CAH; experience and new grads encouraged to apply; the hospital offers well-rounded experience and mentoring; very strong staff w/ low turnover; ADN or BSN welcome; very aggressive with educational opportunities: NALS, PALS, ACLS, TNCC, and advanced burn; salary is competitive; strong benefits KRC Registered Nurse w/ extensive labor, delivery and post-partum nursing experience for 16-bed newly remodeled CAH; will work with DON and medical staff to coordinate nursing care in OB dept; strong staff w/ low turnover; ADN or BSN; very aggressive with educational opportunities: NALS, PALS, ACLS, TNCC, and advanced burn; salary is competitive; strong benefits KRC Hospitalist for 190+ bed, state of the art medical center and wellness facility; currently 90 physicians on staff, will be 6 hospitalists providing care; current 12 hr shift is 7on, 7 off; evening coverage every 6th week; salary is competitive and negotiable; benefits KRC Physical Therapist 190+ bed medical center; rehabilitation center just underwent a $17 million expansion. Experienced therapists and new grads encouraged to apply; KS licensure and BLS certification must complete within first 2 weeks. Salary: $55,000-$58,000 for new grads, based upon experience for experienced therapists; full benefits KRC Occupational Therapist 270-bed, state-of-the-art medical center and wellness facility; rehabilitation center just underwent a $17 million expansion; acute care/inpatient hospital setting; salary: $68,000 and based upon experience; full benefits KRC Occupational Therapist 25-bed CAH that includes a 2 physician hospitalbased clinic and a 68 bed long term care facility. Will work with another OT and handle 5-8 patients per day; emphasis on hand therapy preferred but not required. Salary depends on experience; range: $46,600 - $75,000; full benefits KRC Occupational Therapist NEW facility; 20-bed CAH; experienced therapists and new graduates encouraged to apply; salary is negotiable and depends upon experience; great benefits KRC Physical Therapist NEW facility; 20-bed CAH; the hospital also supports 4 satellite clinics; experienced therapists and new graduates are encouraged to apply. Salary is negotiable; fantastic benefits KRC Medical Technologist Manager 16-bed progressive hospital; will oversee technical procedures and personnel; salary is $30,000-$40,000; excellent benefits KRC C Family Physician with OB for newly remodeled RHC, on campus of 25-bed CAH; call is 1-4; to perform C-sections. Prefer interest in pediatrics, elder care, and women s health and commitment to the medical home concept; Great patient mix and enhanced reimbursement through the RHC. Salary: $170,000 - $190,000; great benefits KRC Family Physician w/ or w/o OB for 18-bed CAH; patient population is pediatric thru geriatric in variety of settings; currently 1 physician and 2 ARNP s on staff; call is secondary; 1:4, ARNP s take primary call; salary is $175,000- $185,000 plus a production bonus, a sign-on bonus, and ARNP supervision pay with a three-year contract; full benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Medicine-Pediatrics 18-bed CAH; patient population is pediatric thru geriatric in variety of settings; currently 1 physician and 2 ARNP s on staff; call is secondary; 1:4, ARNP s take primary call; salary is $175,000-$185,000 plus production bonus, sign-on bonus, and ARNP supervision pay with a three-year contract; full benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity Continued 9

10 KRC Physician Assistant schedule Mon.-Fri. 8a-5p in the ER and RHC; no weekends or holiday work typically involved; no weekend or night call; top salary and benefits staff; currently on staff: 2 physician, 2.2 NPs, 1DDS, 1RDH; to provide care to all ages, under the direction of the Medical Director; great benefits, 5 weeks PTO; salary range of $140,000- $160,000 involve traveling to outreach clinics; PA will see own patients in clinic; average number of patients: 30/ day; PA will be on the same outreach/call schedule as their provider; salary is highly competitive, benefits KRC Medicine-Pediatrics 25-bed CAH; currently on staff: three other physicians and three PA/NPs; must have Kansas licensure; salary and benefits negotiable and competitive; J-1 and H-1B opportunity KRC Orthopedist 190+ bed, state of the art medical center and wellness facility. Currently 90 physicians and their active medical staff. Salary is negotiable; paid vacation; benefits; CME allowance; relocation costs; four satellites; H-1B and J1 Visa opportunity KRC Otolaryngologist 25-bed CAH; currently on staff: 3 other physicians and 3 PA/ NPs; must have Kansas licensure or be eligible. Salary and benefits are negotiable and competitive; J-1 visa opportunity KRC Physician Assistant 25-bed CAH w/ HPSA designation; call is 1:4; currently on staff: 2 physicians and 1 PA; salary is $75,000- $80,000 + production bonus; great benefits, J-1 visa opportunity KRC Internal Medicine 25-bed CAH; currently on staff: 3 physicians and 2 PA/NPs; must have Kansas licensure or be eligible; salary and benefits are negotiable and competitive KRC Nurse Practitioner 25-bed CAH, HPSA designation, call is 1:4; currently on staff: 2 physicians, 1 PA; salary range is $75,000- $80,000 + production bonus, great benefits KRC Family Physician w/o OB for thriving family medicine clinic looking to expand; currently on staff: 6 physicians, 2 PA/NPs, 7 RNs plus support staff; call is 1:6; salary is negotiable, full benefits KRC Dentist needed to build practice in a great community, current dentists not able to take new patients; great need for new dentist to provide oral health services; several nearby communities willing to assist in setting up practice and creating established patient base; salary starting at $125,000, benefits negotiable and include relocation costs KRC Anesthesiologist to join group with five other anesthesiologists; excellent reputation for quality and stability; group has exclusive agreement with 207-bed hospital; salary is negotiable, comprehensive benefits package; J-1 and H-1B visa opportunity KRC Family Medicine w/o OB for FQHC; great opportunity to join wonderful KRC Family Physician w/o OB for family medicine clinic looking to expand; current staff includes 6 physicians, 2 PA/NPs, 7 RNs plus support staff; call is 1:6; salary is negotiable; full benefit package offered, including paid vacation, CME allowance, relocation costs and possible loan repayment KRC Nurse Practitioner to join newly formed hospital owned clinic with several specialty physicians; great opportunity for experienced clinician or new graduate; ER coverage will be shared, call time will be 10 days/month, only one on a weekend; lab and x-ray done in the same building; salary is $90,000, it is negotiable, includes a 1 year contract, outstanding benefits package KRC Registered Nurse 25-bed CAH & clinic; currently on staff: 2 physicians, 1 PA; salary is competitive and negotiable; hospital is in a HPSA designated area & participates in NHSC loan repayment program; great benefits KRC Registered Nurse to join busy OR in a 25-bed CAH; full-time position with 6a-2p shift and rotating call schedule; circulating nurse position with some pre and post op coverage; salary range is $42,000-$64,700 & based on experience; benefits KRC ARNP progressive cardiology practice seeks Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner to join our team; position works directly with a cardiologist 1:1; call coverage is 1:4, average 35 patients a month; position is predominately acute care hospital-based; new grads encouraged to apply; competitive salary range, benefits KRC Family Physician w/out OB KRC Internal Medicine KRC Med/Ped position available to oversee care of RHC, acute, swing, long term care, and ER patients; 1 PA currently on staff; 8-5 schedule, call coverage: 8 days/28 day cycle; benefits, salary range is negotiable as is contract duration, bonus structure KRC Nurse Practitioner to join new comprehensive Breast Center; work closely with breast cancer specialists, see patients independently under supervision; Mon-Fri 8a-5p, no call coverage; 3-5 years of nursing experience preferred; understanding of breast diseases & breast cancer; light travel; salary range is $78,000 - $98,000, benefits KRC Physician Assistant to join orthopedic practice; new PA will join 4 surgeons, 1 DO, and 4 PA s; schedule is Mon-Fri, 8a-5p & will 10 Kansas Continued connections KRC Physical Therapist Supervisor to join 24-bed CAH to manage PT dept; responsible for coordinating patient care of dept, also provides direct patient care; position schedule is 7:30a-4:30p; currently on staff: 1 PTA, and 1 additional PTA is being hired; salary range is $52,000- $56,500; benefits package KRC Physician Assistant to join hospital & RHCs; 4 days in the clinic (Mon-Fri & 1 Sat morning /mo.) & two on call days/week; the hospital is in the process of hiring 2 physicians and a PA; new graduates encouraged to apply; salary is competitive & based on experience w/ 3-year contract (w/ renewal option); excellent benefits KRC Physical Therapist for 25-bed CAH; rehab dept fully renovated, new equipment; current staff includes 2 PT, 4 PTAs, 2 OT, 1 COTA; need a well rounded therapist: flexible, knowledgeable; must have great customer service and patient education skills; new graduates, experienced therapists are encouraged to apply; must have current Kansas license or be eligible; salary range is $72,800- $93,600, excellent benefits; call time is none/very minimal; hours are Mon-Fri 8a-5p KRC Physician Assistant KRC Nurse Practitioner opportunity w/out OB for 24-bed CAH, NP/PA will be under the supervision of a physician and provides direct patient care, practice focused on FM/PC; salary is $85,000-95,000 and based on experience, excellent benefits package; completion of NP/PA program, certification, and state licensure is required KRC Nurse Practitioner KRC Physician Assistant for an 18-bed CAH; full time position Mon- Fri 7-4p or 8-5p, call schedule 1:4; salary is $80,000 + incentive program, 3 year contract; comprehensive KRC Dentist to join progressive safety-net clinic; schedule is Mon-Fri 8a-5p; salary range is $115,000-$125,000 w/ 2 year contract; comprehensive benefits package KRC C Nurse Practitioner for 25-bed CAH & health clinic, newly remodeled and utilizes EMR; candidates must have emergency room experience; salary range is approximate $100,000+potential bonuses and a RVU production incentive, great benefits; approx 36 hours/week & 25% monthly call coverage KRC Family physician w/o OB for clinic, hospital, and emergency department patients; call currently 1:4, this may decrease in the

11 future; clinic is newly remodeled uses EMR; salary range of $180,000-$210,000 if bonuses attained, sign on bonus & RVU production incentive, great benefits KRC Family Physician w/o OB KRC Internist RHC w/ updated equipment & facilities, attached to a 20-bed CAH; physician clinic includes oversight of NPs & oversight of patients/residents with ER call throughout the month; excellent benefits, salary is $150,000+ SOUTH CENTRAL KRC Family Physician without OB for hospital-based RHC; varying call schedule models; salary range: $145,000-$160,000; great benefits; currently 1 FP and 3 PAs on staff KRC C Internist KRC C Family Physician w/o OB for 25-bed CAH; call is 1 evening/wk and 1:5 weekends; salary: $150,000-$160,000 w/ up to a 2 year contract; full benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Family Physician with OB for rural health clinic; currently 3 physicians and 2 PAs/NPs on staff; phone call is 1:4; 4 days/week schedule; nearby 80-bed hospital; salary is competitive and negotiable; full benefits KRC Internist group located within a 69-bed acute care facility; also, a 51-bed short-term and long-term care facility, home health agency, rural health clinics, and specialty physician clinics; currently 3 internists and 1 gastroenterologist KRC Speech Language Pathologist 103-bed newly renovated/updated medical center; PRN, Monday-Friday during the day. Patients range from pediatric to geriatric; competitive pay; great benefits KRC Urologist option to be hospital employed or in a solo practice; no other urologists on staff; call is negotiable. Benefits are comprehensive; excellent salary KRC Pediatrician group practice with suburban and rural patients in clinic and hospital, covering a level II nursery; complete clinical EMR/HER; currently1 full time pediatrician and part-time MDs on staff; cover deliveries at OB request; call is 1:4 nights and weekends; salary range is $140,000 to $155,000 + possible bonuses; benefits KRC Family Physician community health clinic with 3 satellite clinics; w/ or w/o OB depending; Call 1:5; salary range is competitive based on experience; loan repayment, CME allowance; great benefits KRC Laboratory Director (ASCP or equivalent); friendly RHC and 25-bed CAH; will oversee 3-4 med techs, 1 lab assistant; shared call time of 1-2 nights per week and a weekend rotation every 3rd; great salary and benefits package KRC C Family Physician w/ OB, family practice clinic with a four day work week. Current staff: 5 physicians and 2 PAs. Call Coverage will be shared with an eight physician rotation. Salary is $160,000 with great benefits KRC Family Physician w/o OB; will work in a FQHC, care for children and adults in a family practice setting, some supervisory duties of NPs/ PAs and hospital care. New facility with new equipment; shared call coverage; salary range is $161,000 - $178,000; excellent benefits KRC Nurse Practitioner CHC with 3 satellite clinics; patients: birth to geriatric; hours are Mon-Fri 8a-5p, call rotation 1:5; pediatric experience preferred; excellent salary and benefits KRC Family Medicine community health center; w/ or w/o OB; benefits include medical, dental, 10 paid vacation days, loan repayment availability, CME allowance and a negotiable salary KRC Orthopedist BC/BE certified, for 65 physician multispecialty group; fee for service group, excellent benefits and partnership after 18 mo.; practice includes a full spectrum of care; earning potential for this position is way above average KRC Orthopedist BC/BE certified, with a focus on the Spine, for a 65 physician multispecialty group; fee for service group that offers excellent benefits and partnership after 18 mo.; practice includes a full spectrum of care; earning potential for this position is way above average KRC Allergy and Immunologist BC/BE certified, for a 65 physician multispecialty group; fee for service group that offers excellent benefits and partnership after 18 mo.; practice includes a full spectrum of care; earning potential for this position is way above average KRC Occupational Therapist for newly remodeled therapy department, new therapy pool; currently on staff: 1 PT, 2 PTAs, PRN COTA, and SLP staff. Great benefits, competitive salary KRC Gastroenterologist BC/BE for 65 physician multispecialty group, located near 200-bed hospital; fee for service opportunity w/ excellent benefits + signing bonus, partnership after 18 months KRC Medicine-Pediatrics 22-bed CAH with RHC, long-term care center, and home care agency, expansion and renovation project planned; call coverage 2 days/week; salary $145,000 - $165,000 + sign on and retention bonus; full benefits KRC Physical Therapist 103-bed facility w/ about 60 physicians of all specialties; salary is $52,000 - $65,000 and depends on experience; excellent benefits KRC Internal Medicine 22-bed CAH w/ attached RHC, 32-bed long-term care center, and home care agency; new renovation and expansion project planned; Call coverage is 2 days/ week, no weekends or holidays that fall on a Monday or Friday; currently on staff: 1 physician, 1 PA, 2 nurses and 2 support staff; salary is $145, ,000; full benefits KRC C Family Medicine w/ or w/ out OB; join existing practice w/ 2 physicians; call coverage shared w/ 8 physician rotation; salary is $160,000-$180,000/ year w/ first year guarantee and option for year two KRC Internist KRC Medicine Pediatrics KRC Family Physician w/o OB - for 22-bed CAH w/ attached rural health clinic, 32-bed long-term care center, and home care agency; renovation and expansion project planned; call coverage is 2 day/ week; no weekends or holidays that fall on a Monday or Friday; $205,000 + sign on and retention bonus, great benefits KRC Family Physician for growing health center, OB is preferred, but negotiable; very supportive medical community, great working environment, currently one internist, Peds, ARNP and 8 volunteer physicians on staff; great benefits and negotiable salary KRC Nurse Manager for nonprofit urban primary health care institution to participate in development of clinical areas of strategic and operational plans; ideal candidate would have KS RN license and special interest in community medicine; salary range is $45,000 - $52,000; H1-B opportunity KRC Dentist self-motivated dentist needed to join caring and supportive safety net clinic; must have strong desire to meet needs of patients, ability to function well in a team; clinic takes handson approach to prevention for their clients; salary is $85,000-$100,000 and may be eligible for bonus KRC Endocrinologist for solo practice located within the hospital; hospital prefers generalist that is able to do a wide range of ENT procedures; competitive salary, full benefits KRC General Surgeon to join expanding practice; new, hospital employed position, joining one full-time GS and 1 part-time orthopedic surgeon; general surgeon should be familiar with laparoscopic and bariatric surgery; clinic space and staff are provided in-house and shared with the other surgeon; facility averages 90+ surgeries per month; Continued 11

12 salary range is around $220,000 + incentive bonus; excellent benefits package KRC OB/GYN needed to join a thriving CHC with 3 satellite clinics; the OB GYN would focus on women s health and providing pre and post natal care, outpatient only; currently on staff are 6 physicians and 6 PA/NPs; call coverage will be 1:5 phone triage; salary is competitive and based on experience, great benefits KRC Registered Nurse for family focused, 25-bed CAH & adjoining RHC, RN needed to assist physicians in the family practice; currently 1 Physician and 3 PA/NPs on staff, hospital is open to experienced RN s and new graduates; salary range is negotiable, competitive, and based on experience; great benefits package, position may offer loan repayment, relocation costs, and a CME allowance KRC Internal Medicine physician for full time, traditional IM clinic w/ inpatient/ outpatient mix; call coverage is shared and would be one in five weekends; excellent benefits; salary: $175,000-$200,000 range with a 1-2 year guarantee as well as a sign-on bonus KRC OB/GYN for family-oriented, small-town practice; call is 1:2 for one hospital, which provides one-on-one nursing for laboring patients; excellent benefits, salary is in the $175,000- $200,000 range w/ one to two year guarantee + sign-on bonus KRC Physician Assistant KRC Nurse Practitioner for RHC & cover the ER of a 25-bed CAH; must be willing to cover the hospital s ER 1 night/week & 1 weekend every 5 weeks.; schedule is 4 days/week in the RHC and the ER call schedule; position can include OB if desired; salary range is based on experience & provider requirements w/ 2 year contract, great KRC C Family Medicine physician w/o OB to take over two clinic solo practices w/ current patient base; position is located in a desirable area in South Central, KS; physician able to follow patients in local hospitals; experienced physicians and recent graduates encouraged to apply; benefits, salary is $120-$140,000 KRC Family Physician KRC Internist KRC Pediatrician for a 73 physician multi-specialty group; benefit highlights include malpractice, CME, vacation, salary is negotiable and DOE SOUTHEAST KRC Internist multi-specialty group with 4 satellite clinics; staff includes: 6 FPs, 1 pediatrician, 2 internists, 2 general surgeons, 1 urologist; the clinic offers a full spectrum of care; salary is negotiable; full benefits KRC C Pulmonologist 148-bed licensed, 105-bed operating medical center; not a hospital employee, salary guarantee; benefits KRC C Otolaryngologist 148-bed licensed, 105-bed operating medical center; not a hospital employee, salary guarantee; benefits practice; 105-bed admitting medical center; the medical center offers practice establishment assistance and marketing; first year guarantee; benefits; H-1B opportunity KRC C Orthopedic Surgeon for solo practice; 105-bed admitting medical center; one ortho surgeon currently on staff; the medical center offers practice establishment assistance and first year guarantee; benefits; H-1B opportunity KRC Anesthesiologist for solo practice; 105-bed admitting medical center; salary is competitive and based on experience; possible loan repayment and CME allowance available; H-1B opportunity KRC C Otolaryngologist medical center; salary $340,000 with a 2 year contract. Relocation costs and loan repayment are available as well as CME allowance; excellent benefits package for hospital employed physician KRC C Endocrinologist hospitalist program at a 109-bed medical center. Salary is $220,000 with a 2 year contract; relocation costs and loan repayment are available, CME allowance; excellent benefits KRC Occupational Therapy 109-bed acute, intensive and skilled care hospital; position is ortho/neuro based and treats 5-6 patients per day; experienced candidates and recent graduates encouraged to apply; great salary and benefits KRC Family Physician KRC Internal Medicine Physician for FQHC, position will be for chief medical officer; faith based non-profit clinic serving the indigent population; very convenient schedule Mon.-Fri. 8A 5P; full benefits, salary DOE KRC Nurse Practitioner KRC Physician Assistant to join faith-based FQHC look-alike; NP/PA will work in a primary care team w/ family practice physicians, NPs, PAs, & pediatricians; salary range is $65,000- $75,000 w/ annual contract; comprehensive benefits package KRC Family Physician for nonprofit CHC seeking a Physician/Medical Director; accommodating 8:30-5:00 schedule for this outpatient clinic; clinic is a multi cultural, fast paced, high patient volume environment with excellent providers and electronic health records; great benefits KRC C Family Physician busy rural health clinic; 1 FP, 1 NP, 1 administrator, and 1 office coordinator on staff; admitting 25-bed licensed inpatient acute care CAH directly across street; salary is competitive and negotiable; great benefits KRC C Internist 109-bed hospital serves a 6 county area; will serve in-patient and out-patient pop.; currently 37 physicians representing over 15 specialties on staff; salary is competitive and negotiable; full benefits if employed by the hospital KRC Urologist for solo practice; 190-bed admitting hospital; call minimum of 10 days/mo.; income guarantee of $400,000 plus RVUs; + benefits KRC C Internist multi-specialty group practice; 105-bed admitting medical center; this is a traditional inpatient/outpatient internal medicine primary care position; 1st year guarantee offered to solo practitioner; benefits KRC Family Physician w/ or w/o OB for multi-specialty group practice; 105-bed admitting medical center; 1st year guarantee offered to solo practitioner; benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC C General Surgeon for solo 12 Kansas Continued connections KRC Occupational Therapy Assistant 109-bed acute, intensive and skilled care hospital; position is ortho/neuro based and treats 5-6 patients per day; experienced candidates and recent graduates encouraged to apply; great salary and benefits KRC Physical Therapy 109-bed acute, intensive and skilled care hospital; position treats patients per day. Experienced candidates and recent graduates encouraged to apply. Salary: 73,000-94,000; excellent benefits KRC Speech-Language Pathologist 109-bed acute, intensive and skilled care hospital; position is an inpatient rehabilitation unit, acute care, and outpatient setting; salary: $70,000-$80,000; great benefits KRC Physical Therapy Assistant 109-bed acute, intensive and skilled care hospital; position treats 5-6 patients per day. Experienced candidates and recent graduates are encouraged to apply; salary DOE with great benefits KRC C Orthopedic Surgeon BC/ BE for very busy group practice with 3 other orthopedists; would prefer candidates to have an interest in spine, foot, or ankle specialties or any subspecialty

13 besides total joints; income guarantee for the first year is $350,000-$400,000; excellent benefits including sign on bonus KRC C Urologist hospital employed or independent. The hospital would like to have a new urologist onboard by Salary is $360,000 with a one year contract; excellent benefits package KRC C OB/GYN BC/BE for 105-bed hospital; several employment options, call coverage depends on employment model; excellent benefits; salary is negotiable and competitive KRC C Pathologist BC/BE for 105-bed hospital; several employment options, call coverage depends on employment model. Excellent benefits; H-1B opportunity; position available in 2011/2012 KRC Family Medicine for 25-bed CAH; new physician to work in RHC with 3 other physicians and 2 PA/NPs; shared call coverage, no ER coverage KRC Urologist for solo practice; the medical center offers practice establishment assistance as well as a first year guarantee, with relocation costs; possible loan repayment and CME allowance available KRC Pediatrician 109-bed hospital that is open to physician s practice needs, multiple employment options; salary depends on model chosen and can be market + RVU (based on MGMA standards); great benefits; H-1B visa opportunity KRC C Radiologist 109-bed medical center; call coverage is 1:2, one other Radiologist on staff; candidate must be skilled in muscular skeletal MRI and mammography; salary is $450,000 w/ partnership opportunity availability after 1 yr; full benefits KRC Internal Medicine for growing health center with total of 120 employees: 6 physicians, 5 NPs, satellite clinic, call is shared with 3 other physicians; excellent benefits, negotiable salary KRC Family Medicine w/ OB; for growing health center with total of 120 employees: 6 physicians, 5 NPs, satellite clinic, call is shared with 3 other physicians; excellent benefits, negotiable salary KRC Family Medicine w/o OB, for FP group that just accepted hospital employment; this practice is well-known and respected in the community; call coverage is 1:2 with the possibility of 1:4 in the future; Salary range of $140,000- $150,000 with RVU incentives, great benefits, up to 32 days off per year KRC Orthopedic Surgeon for growing multi-specialty group practice, one main clinic and four satellite clinics, clinic also sponsors surgical outreach; clinic has 10 providers covering six fields to better serve the communities needs; first year base salary is $500,000 + bonus + full benefits; partnership/practice ownership is offered after 1 year KRC OB/GYN needed to join a progressive and innovative non-profit CHC; needed to provide pre, post, perinatal care, perform deliveries, and women s health services; shared call; 4 day work week w/ flexible days/hours; excellent benefits; salary is highly competitive and negotiable; contract duration is negotiable KRC C Hospitalist program looking for multiple internists to meet goal of 4 Hospitalists on service; average patient load is 15/ day w/ a maximum of 20 patients/day; need to be proficient in EKG interpretation, Vent management, Central and Arterial lines, intubation; employed position, salary is $220,000 /year (no RVU) w/ $25,000 signing bonus; malpractice is paid plus benefits package KRC Psychiatrist to join outpatient community mental health center; psychiatrist will provide evaluation & monitoring of medications, will work in team capacity w/ therapists, case managers; the facility is currently progressing to an integrated care model; no call time, 4-day work-week is available w/ day time hours; salary range is $175,000- $185,000plus great benefits SOUTHWEST KRC Family Physician for federally qualified community health center w/ 3 satellites; FP can see OB patients up to delivery; no call; no weekends; salary negotiable; benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Endocrinologist multi-specialty group,25 physicians with 11 specialties; serves 24 counties; 2 satellite facilities; highly complex lab and radiology/nuclear medicine depts; call is 1:6; 100-bed hospital is 3 blocks away; salary is $180,000; full benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Rheumatologist multispecialty group,25 physicians in 11 specialties; large service area w/ many referrals; 2 satellites; highly complex lab and radiology/nuclear medicine depts; call is 1:6; 100-bed hospital 3 blocks away; salary:$180,000; full benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Pulmonologist multi-specialty group, 25 physicians with 11 specialties; large service area w/ many referrals; 2 satellites; highly complex lab and radiology/nuclear medicine depts; call is 1:6; 100-bed hospital is 3 blocks away; salary is $180,000; full benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Gastroenterologist multispecialty group, 25 physicians with 11 specialties; large service area w/ many referrals; 2 satellites; highly complex lab and radiology/nuclear medicine depts; call is 1:6; 100-bed hospital 3 blocks away; salary:$180,000; full benefits; H-1B, J-1 opportunity KRC Family Physician with or w/o OB for multi-specialty group w/ 23 physicians and 11 specialties; currently 2 physicians and 1 NP; call is 1:3; local 100-bed hospital is 3 blocks away; salary is competitive and negotiable, full benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Internist for multi-specialty group, 23 physicians from 11 specialties; large service area; satellite facility; 100-bed hospital 3 blocks away; 2 opportunities due to growth; 2 physicians and 1 NP on staff; call is 1:3; competitive and negotiable salary full benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Family Physician w/o OB for 12-bed CAH and rural health clinic; currently 1 physician and 1 PA/NP on staff; call is 1:4 or 5; salary: $170,000; great benefits; H-1B,J-1 opportunity KRC C Pulmonology/Critical Care Physician for 99-bed acute care facility services:fully staffed 24-hour ER; hospital employed or part of the 22 physician multi-specialty group; currently no pulmonologists on staff; salary is competitive and depends on experience; full benefits; J-1 opportunity KRC Physical Therpist newly renovated, 13-bed CAH; work in all areas but primary in outpatient orthopedics; experienced candidates preferred but new graduates are encouraged to apply; salary range: $71,000-$87,000; great benefits KRC Registered Nurse with OB, 18-bed CAH with a 32-bed long term care unit; recently remodeled hospital facility with state-of-theart computer systems; great salary; full benefits KRC Medical Laboratory Technician 25-bed CAH. currently 3 med techs on staff, including the department supervisor; call shared among 4 providers. Salary: $35,000-$50,000 depending on experience; comprehensive benefits KRC Family Physician w/o OB; 13-bed CAH; physician will provide care primarily for the RHC, but will see patients in the ER, in-patient care within the hospital and outpatient care for long-term care residents; shared call is 1:4; salary range is $170,000-$190,000 with full benefit packages; opportunity for J-1 visa KRC Registered Nurse for a newly renovated, 13-bed CAH; choice of working at the hospital and/or the long term care unit. no call for nursing staff. Shifts available include days, nights Continued 13

14 and weekends. Salary range: $43,680-$52,000 with a $3,000 sign-on bonus; excellent benefits KRC Nurse Practitioner CHC for primary care (including OB) ARNP; no call coverage; currently on staff: 2 physicians, 1 ARNP, 1 PA, 3 part-time ARNPs; salary is $70,000 - $80,000 with great benefits package; candidate with strong desire to work in public health is ideal KRC C Registered Nurses for Med/Surg and Pediatrics in 99-bed medical complex; salary is $41,600-$62,500, sign-on bonus w/ 2 year contract; great benefits KRC C Physical Therapist 99-bed medical complex; salary is $62,500-$76,900, sign-on bonus w/ 2 year contract; great benefits KRC Family Physician w/ or w/o OB for 20-bed CAH w/ rural health clinic; currently 2 physicians, 2 PAs, 1 ARNP on staff; shared call coverage 1:5; salary $200,000 + production bonuses + ER coverage pay; great benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Internal Medicine for 20- bed CAH w/ rural health clinic; currently 2 physicians, 2 PAs, 1 ARNP on staff; shared call coverage 1:5; salary $200,000 + production bonuses + ER coverage pay; great benefits; H-1B and J-1 opportunity KRC Family Medicine KRC Internal Medicine for brand new 16-bed CAH w/ on-site rural health clinic; some part-time assistance w/ call coverage; Providers staff 2 RHCs, cover ER and inpatients; current call is 1 day/week primary ER and 1 weekend/mo. Great benefits; salary in range of $150,000; J-1 and H-1 opportunity KRC Family Medicine w/ OB for 25-bed CAH; currently on staff: 3 physicians and 3 PA/NPs; must have Kansas licensure or be eligible; salary and benefits are negotiable, competitive; J-1 visa opportunity KRC Family Physician w/ OB for Rural Health Clinic to oversee PA, provide OB and various procedures; traditional call is shared with 2 other FP OB physicians; great teamwork with other providers in the area; salary is $165,000 - $180,000 w/ 1 year contract; great benefits KRC Registered Nurse(s) for 17- bed CAH with Rural Health Clinic and Long-term Care Unit; RNs needed in hospital and long-term care facility; RNs do take monthly scheduled call; new graduates and experienced nurses encouraged to apply; salary starts at $43,680 and increases DOE, contract duration of 3-5 years; full benefits; opportunity for H1-B candidates KRC Internal Medicine for 13- bed CAH with additional facilities, currently on staff: 2 physicians and 1 NP; call is shared among providers and is 1:4; salary range is $170,000 - $190,000+ incentives; full benefits KRC Family Medicine for rural clinic attached to 17-bed CAH; physician will work in clinic Mon-Fri with ER coverage also; excellent benefits, salary starts at $160,000- $180,000 + bonus, contract duration of 3 years KRC Physical Therapist for outpatient rehabilitation, 25-bed CAH; experienced therapists and new graduates are encouraged to apply; must have a KS license or be eligible; salary range is $65,000-$75,000 based on experience, excellent benefits KRC Director of Nursing 25-bed CAH; full-time, salaried position, works closely w/ Chief Clinical Officer; responsible for staff development and supervision of the nursing staff; the ideal candidate will have a Bachelor s degree or higher in Nursing, current KS RN license, 5+ years of clinical nursing experience and 2+ years of nursing management experience; candidates must be BLS certified, and willing to obtain certification in ACLS, PALS, NRP, and TNCC; position offers excellent benefits package KRC Dentist full time staff dentist position for FQHC; may be required to serve as the Site Director for all dental care delivery services at the particular site; must have KS license or a Federally Active license; bilingual Spanish/English candidates preferred; $105,000 - $115,000, great benefits KRC Nurse Practitioner KRC Physician Assistant to join 40-bed general medical and surgical care group; medical group practice operates 2 satellite clinics as well; call coverage is shared and is every 5th weekend (1:5) and 1 night per week; salary range is $80,000- $90,000 with a 3 year contract; excellent benefits, sick leave, vacation, holidays KRC Internist needed for RHC and to oversee/supervise PA, provide services, and various procedures; very favorable call schedule, weekend Call covered by PA/NPs (ER only), traditional call is shared with two other FP OB physicians (OB only); ; great benefits; $165k-$180k with one year contract KRC Internist for great group practice w/ 2 satellite clinics; call coverage is shared and is every 5th weekend (1:5) and 1 night per week; salary range is $180,000-$200,000; excellent benefits KRC Family Medicine Physician w/ OB KRC Internist to join excellent group; Board certification is necessary; negotiable and competitive salary, full benefits KRC Family Physician w/o OB for 25-bed CAH, RHC & 44-bed Long-Term Care; seeking MD/DO w/ desire to help lead/grow facility & community; site is currently designated as an underserved area & may be eligible for state/federal loan forgiveness; competitive base salary in the $160,000 range, full benefits KRC Director of Nursing to oversee operations of nursing home for healthcare center; DON will lead approx. 35 people; strong emphasis on the importance of international service work- the organization provides employees w/ extra PTO for service work; competitive salary & full benefits package; BSN is required; MSN & nursing home administrator s license is preferred KRC Physician Assistant for healthcare system in western Kansas; recently remodeled hospital facility; call coverage is 1:4; position will focus on family medicine; salary is $65,000-90,000 & depends on experience; includes a 1-year contract, great benefits KRC Family Practice Nurse Practitioner to join group practice in family-oriented community, Mon-Fri: hour work week, no call coverage; salary range is $63,000-$71,000, great benefits package KRC General Surgeon for a new surgical department in a 69,000 sq ft replacement hospital opening May 2012; new position, hospital employed, compensation includes a guaranteed competitive salary w/ opportunity for bonus & excellent benefits; candidates must be Board eligible (new grads) or Board Certified KRC Family Physician w/ or w/o OB for a progressive, energetic, recently remodeled hospital facility & clinics; salary of $150,000- $200,000 depending on experience; great benefits 14 Candidates looking for job opportunities in Kansas can access up-to-date listings by the KRC by visiting Kansas connections

15 Indulge in Kansas In an effort to help readers get to know Kansas better, in each issue of Kansas Connections we re providing information on the winners of one of the 8 Wonders categories. The 8 Wonders contest is sponsored by the Kansas Sampler Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving rural culture in the state. Learn more about these and other finalists by visiting 8wonders.org or ordering of a copy of the new 8 Wonders of Kansas Guidebook published by the Kansas Sampler Foundation. The Brookville Hotel in Abilene is one of the 8 Wonders of Cuisine. Photo courtesy of Harland Schuster. Getting to Know Kansas: 8 Wonders of Cuisine From a field of 24 finalists, the eight Kansas eateries garnering the most votes were: Bobo s Drive In, Topeka A throwback to the days of diners with car hop service Guy and Mae s Tavern, Williamsburg Has served drop-off-the-bone ribs wrapped in foil and newspapers since 1973 Brookville Hotel, Abilene Has served family-style fried chicken dinners since 1915 Cozy Inn, Salina Known for the legendary sliders it has served since 1922 Free State Brewing Co., Lawrence The first legal brewery in Kansas since 1880 when it opened in 1989 Hays House, Council Grove Founded in 1857 on the Santa Fe Trail, the oldest continuously operating restaurant west of the Mississippi River Crawford County Fried Chicken The county s reputation for fried chicken started with Chicken Annie s in 1934 and Chicken Mary s in the early 1940s and grew from there WheatFields Baker Cafe, Lawrence A nationally ranked artisan bakery Google CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 tion this fall at some schools, government buildings and hospitals, and that homes would be last. In an article in the Kansas City Business Journal, Dr. Roy Jensen, director of the KU Cancer Center, was quoted as saying the capabilities provided by the network would definitely be paradigmshifting. He agreed in-home services opened many opportunities. Being able to better monitor patients without having them come in (to the doctor s office or clinic) just wasn t possible with the Internet speeds available in the typical American household, he told the Business Journal. In May, when more than 150 scientists, government and civic leaders convened at the KU Medical Center for the Governor s Economic Summit on Life Sciences, on the agenda was a presentation by Vice President of Access Services for Google, Milo Medin. Medin told those assembled the high-speed network would bring results not yet even imagined. We believe speed is critical to innovation and competitiveness, he said. We believe we are in the early stages of a revolution. We want to invent the future with you. About 500 people attended Google s first town hall meeting in Kansas City the week after the announcement. Company officials attended to field questions about the Google Fiber project. Gov. Sam Brownback and other state leaders said it would boost the KU Cancer Center s bid to gain federal designation as a National Cancer Center. Matt Dunne, Google s Community Affairs Chief, responded to scores of questions from the larger-than-expected, standing-room-only crowd at the Reardon Civic Center. We re not in Kansas City, Kansas, by accident, Dunne told the group. We are here because of the extraordinary work that your leadership has done over the last several years to create a team that can move fast at Google speed that has demonstrated a willingness to think outside of the box. We don t know what it s going to bring, because it hasn t been done before. What we look forward to is working with you, whether it s people doing telemedicine at KU or it s people in the school system or it s individual groups that have ideas for ways of using this gigabyte of speed in a way that is innovative and groundbreaking. At least 130 local government offices including city and county offices, schools and libraries would receive the service at no cost, Dunne said. Pricing levels otherwise would not be determined until closer to the launch date. In mid-may Google announced it would expand the network to Kansas City, Mo., but no timetable was set. 15

16 Dennis Kepka M.D., Ellsworth County Editor s note: This is the eighth in a series of articles highlighting a rural health provider. If you know someone who would be an interesting subject, contact Andrea Ellis at aellis2@kumc.edu. The award for the 2011 Rural Health Practitioner of the Year went to a Kansas physician, Dennis Kepka, MD, who retired in December from practice in Ellsworth County. In addition, he recently was honored as the 2011 Contract Employee of the Year by the Kansas Department of Corrections for his work at the Ellsworth Correctional Facility and county jails. A native of Wilson, Dr. Kepka received the National Rural Health Association s Rural Health Practitioner Award on May 5 during the 34 th Annual Rural Health Conference in Austin, Texas. He has made tremendous strides to advance rural health care, and we re confident he will continue to improve the lives of rural Kansans, said Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association. While growing up in Ellsworth County, the future doctor s career plans were swayed by an uncle who was a general practitioner in Wilson. When Dr. Kepka returned to the area in 1989 to practice, he continued to make house calls just as his uncle had. Dr. Kepka has found that small communities are very appreciative of their physicians. I ve felt more closeness here, he said. In a larger city you don t have a chance to make as much of 16 Kansas connections a difference. After graduating from Fort Hays State University, he visited a friend in Italy and applied to the University of Bologna School of Medicine, which dates to the 11 th century. After he was accepted, he had two months to learn Italian before medical school started. All lectures were in Italian and all of our exams were oral exams in front of the class, he said. Many of the texts were American though and the practice of medicine was similar. It was a great experience. Would I do it again? Yes. It was more than going to medical school. It was Italy s whole culture, art, food. It was a great historical, cultural experience besides learning medicine. While there he became adept at Italian cuisine, and his expertise at Bolognese red sauce has proved invaluable for the Ellsworth County Medical Center s annual Auxiliary Spaghetti Supper, which since 1990 has raised nearly Kris Sparks, National Rural Health Association 2011 president with Dr. Kepka the 2011 Rural Health Practitioner of the Year. $70,000 for the local hospital. After a family practice residency in Pennsylvania, he accepted a position at Hutchinson Medical Center. He worked there for a decade before returning to his roots in Ellsworth County, where his great grandfather homesteaded in I always had the desire to go back home, he said. After serving as a family practice physician at Ellsworth County Medical Center from 1989 to 1992, he established Kepka Family Practice, which included private practice clinics in Holyrood, Wilson, and Lucas. In 2000 the practice was absorbed into the Ells- Continued on page 17

17 Provider Spotlight CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 worth County Medical Center Rural Health Clinic. During more than two decades of practice in Ellsworth County, Doc, as he prefers to be called, started three rural health clinics, provided training for more than 30 physician assistant students, and was the sole medical provider in Ellsworth County for 19 months, meaning he was on-call round-the-clock. He also mentored and housed medical students while they did clinical rotations. He counts among his accomplishments helping develop a more modern ambulance service by land or air that can get a patient to I ve felt more closeness here. In a larger city you don t have a chance to make as much of a difference. Dr. Dennis Kepka the nearest tertiary center 150 miles away in 38 minutes. It could take longer than that in a big city, he said. At first he shied away from prison work. When I started there I wasn t that interested in doing it but there was no one else so I agreed, he said. After a couple of years I found I kind of liked working with these individuals. It just kind of grows on you. It s an opportunity to diversify and get out of the family practice setting and think differently but arrive at a quality of medicine for them. He began as site physician at Ellsworth Correctional Facility (ECF) in 1989 and also served at Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility, and Saline and Barton county jails. As site physician for ECF he oversees on-site health care clinics, emergencies, infirmary care, and is always on-call. It s completely different from private practice, he said. You re dealing with individuals who have not taken care of themselves and have a larger drug and infectious disease history. And they sometimes are not very compliant and can be argumentative. They also are under a lot of stress. It s very challenging. He and his wife Jennifer are also active in the community and helped restore the historic Midland Hotel in Wilson where the movie Paper Moon was filmed. He was named Citizen of the Year for Ellsworth County in In December, he transitioned to semi-retirement, continuing to work for the prison system and in the ER in Ellsworth and Great Bend. His bucket list for retirement is lengthy: spend time with his children and six grandchildren, paint murals, travel to Italy and other places, build log furniture, write a memoir and Italian recipe book, raise bird dogs, restore a quail habitat, fish in the northwest Canadian territories, train his horse, and help cut cattle. One of his biggest projects is restoring and remodeling an 1872 barn for use as a family retreat. Pilot Program CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 of flexible, patient-centered care, and the Kansas initiative kicked off Jan. 1 under the collaborative leadership of the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians, Kansas Association of Osteopathic Medicine, Kansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Kansas Chapter of the American College of Physicians, and the Kansas Medical Society. In April, Blue Cross Blue Shield pledged payer support for the eight pilots. Blue Cross is committed to exploring the patient-centered medical home model as we believe this model of care could well be the wave of the future for primary care, said Michael D. Atwood, MD, chief medical officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas and a former family physician. Blue Cross donated $20,000 to cover the $2,500 per practice fee that pilot participants are required to pay. In addition, Blue Cross is developing modified reimbursement options for the eight participating provider practices that will include both fee-for-service payments and incentives to support successful transformation to a PCMH model. Major funding for the PCMH Initiative comes from United Methodist Health Ministry Fund; the Sunflower Foundation, and the Kansas Health Foundation, which are awarding grants totaling $534,576 to implement the initiative. 17

18 Labette Health expands wound care services Of the 30 certified wound specialists in Kansas, more are at Labette Health in Parsons than at any other medical facility in the state. When Kristen Friess, RN, BSN, recently completed the board certification requirements she became the fourth and final staff member at Labette Health s Wound and Skin Healing Center to be certified by the American Academy of Wound Management. We are the only fully certified wound care center in Kansas, said Carol Hale, RN, BSN, the center s program director. Other certified clinical staff members are Medical Director Sonya Culver, DO, and Linda Haddan, RN, BSN, CHRN. Certification is important, Dr. Culver said, because we need to make a commitment to be professional, for credibility, and to show we take this seriously. A short time after the center opened in 2006, it had 70 patients, Dr. Culver said. Our patient referrals and consensus have increased on an annual basis, she said. We didn t have a good grasp on how many paraplegic and quadriplegic patients we had in the area who weren t getting treatment. Each certified staff member brings a different set of skills to the center, Hale said. Dr. Culver brings years of service to our community with expertise in family practice, emergency medicine, hospice care, and long-term care patient management. Kristen Friess has a background in radiation oncology. 18 Kansas connections Linda Haddan is certified in palliative care and hospice with extensive long-term care and intensive care unit experience. My own background is more in diabetes and management. Certified Wound Specialists (CWS) can be physicians, podiatrists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical therapists, registered nurses or occupational therapists. Licensed health care professionals with bachelors, masters or doctoral degrees in a life sciences-related field with three years of clinical wound care experience are eligible to take the CWS examination. Other Kansas communities with certified wound specialists include Kansas City, Topeka, Wichita, Neodesha, Kingman, Hutchinson, Manhattan, Newton and Salina. The wound center has grown to almost 4,500 patient visits a year, and we anticipate that a number of those patients, as well as other new patients, would benefit from the service. Larry Goldsmith, Director of Marketing, Labette Health Since Labette Health s Wound and Skin Healing Center opened in 2006, the staff has treated 1,043 patients for diabetes foot management, pressure ulcers, peripheral vascular disease, burns, degenerative skin changes, and arterial and stasis ulcers, said Director of Marketing Larry Goldsmith. To further increase wound services, Labette plans to add one hyperbaric Labette Health Wound and Skin Healing Center team: Kristen Friess, Carol Hale, Dr. Sonya Culver, DO, CWS, Angela Porter (clinic coordinator) and Linda Haddan. chamber later this year and possibly a second one. Dr. Culver said she hopes it can be ready in time for the hospital s 50 th anniversary in September. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. The therapy is most commonly used to treat serious infections and wounds that won t heal as a result of diabetes or radiation injury. Haddan is the only hyperbaric-certified nurse in southeast Kansas, and one of only five in the state, Hale said. The wound center has grown to almost 4,500 patient visits a year, and we anticipate that a number of those patients, as well as other new patients, would benefit from the service, Goldsmith said. Currently the nearest hyperbaric oxygen facilities are in Neodesha at Wilson Medical Center and in Joplin, Mo., Goldsmith said. Since a treatment schedule can consist of 20 to 40 dives of 90 minutes each, our patients should see a lot of benefit from having something like this close to home. 5

19 Tornado CONTINUED FROM COVER was taken care of. At Via Christi Hospital Pittsburg, which is 30 miles northwest of Joplin, hospital workers also arrived before they were called. One hundred forty people who weren t on the clock volunteered to work that night when they heard what happened, said Director of Public Relations Michael Hayslip. The tornado hit at 5:41 p.m. and by 6 p.m. we had a good idea it was a critical situation. We prepared for a medical surge, but did not know how many patients we d receive because there were conflicting reports. Among the first patients to arrive in Pittsburg were nine who had been hospitalized at St. John s Regional Medical Center, which was devastated by the three-quarter mile wide tornado. Shortly after midnight, the Pittsburg hospital had received 46 patients with tornado-related injuries, Hayslip said. The hospital eventually received more than 100 people with injuries and admitted nearly 50 of those. The first of 31 critical patients with tornadorelated injuries arrived at Labette about 1:30 a.m., Dr. Culver said. Some of the patients came in with sticky-notes on their chests from triage sites in Joplin. At about 6:20 p.m. Sunday, an emergency plan that allows medical centers throughout southeast Kansas and the four-state region to assist each other in handling a disaster went into effect. In all, Kansas hospitals treated 126 and admitted 55 after the Joplin tornado, according to the Kansas Hospital Association. The EMS system in the state of Kansas worked quite well, said Dr. Culver, who has served on statewide The state is trying to implement a statewide trauma system and part of that is an alert that goes out to all hospitals in Kansas to see how many beds are open and how many surgical patients they can take. In my opinion, the system worked pretty well. Dr. Sonya Culver, Labette Health trauma committees. The state is trying to implement a statewide trauma system and part of that is an alert that goes out to all hospitals in Kansas to see how many beds are open and how many surgical patients they can take. In my opinion, the system worked pretty well. As former ER director, Dr. Culver had often talked about and conducted drills using Incident Command. I m glad we were prepared and were able to Emergency Department staff at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg await incoming patients from the May 22 tornado in Joplin, Mo. help, she said. Hayslip also said the Incident Command System worked well in Pittsburg. I felt that night the preparation paid off, he said. We had been through the exercises on what to do in the case of a medical surge, which is what we had May 22. You have to be flexible, you cannot set a plan in stone for an EF 5 tornado and expect it to go as planned, but it worked pretty well. The day after the tornado a father came to Labette looking for his wife and 13-year-old child, Dr. Culver recalled. The family s car had become air borne in the tornado. He went to get help and when he returned they were gone. He was so concerned about them he wasn t aware of the 10-inch laceration on his chest until hospital personnel noticed blood stains on his shirt. Two days after the tornado, Hayslip went to St. John s to help with a press conference. Though he had a background in news and had seen other tornado sites, he was not prepared for what he saw in Joplin. I ve been through it and seen what tornados do but there is nothing that compares to the damage an EF 5 tornado does when it hits a populated area, he said. A month later, all but two patients with tornado-related injuries had been released from the Pittsburg hospital. After having lunch with a patient, Hayslip was asked when that patient could go home. He paused before answering: It s kind of hard to know when there is no home to go to. About the same time, the National Weather Service (NWS) rose the death toll to 158 on the deadliest tornado to hit the country in more than half a century. The NWS had tracked the tornado 22 miles across Joplin, designating it the most violent possible tornado because it had developed into a multivortex with smaller more intense tornadoes orbiting the larger tornado. In addition to the human toll, an estimated 8,000 structures were damaged or destroyed by winds that reached up to 250 mph. 19

20 From the Director CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 evening event from 5 to 7 p.m. with wine and appetizers. KCO is designed to introduce resident physicians, medical, nursing, and allied health students and other health care professionals to rural communities seeking health care providers. Rural Kansas communities are invited to exhibit at the career fairs to discuss health care career opportunities in their areas. Please visit Rural Health s Kansas Career Opportunities page at ruralhealth.kumc.edu/krc/ kco.html for more information and to RSVP to exhibit or attend. Dr. Heidi Chumley receives promotion Congratulations to Heidi Chumley, MD, on her promotion to Associate Vice Chancellor for Educational Resources and Interprofessional Education. In addition to continuing in her current position as Senior Dean for Medical Education, Dr. Chumley will now also manage the library, teaching and learning technologies, cultural enhancement and diversity, and a new center for interprofessional education. Welcome medical students The time has finally arrived to welcome the inaugural 1 st -year class of medical students to the KU School of Medicine-Wichita and KU School of Medicine-Salina campuses. Each campus has eight 1 st -year students who began their four-year long medical school journey on July 25. Student group acknowledged The student body at the KU School of Medicine-Kansas City campus selected the Rural Medical Interest Group (RMIG) for Outstanding Student Interest Group during the last academic year. WEPAC charity Hoops for Hope weekend announced The third annual Hoops for Hope weekend will be held October in Ashland. The kick-off begins Thursday with an assembly at Ashland High School where several area high school students will hear messages about positive choices from five celebrity guest speakers. On Friday, event organizers expect another sold-out crowd as local, state and national celebrities take to the court for the charity women s basketball game. Celebrity guests for the weekend include Marion Jones, Jackie Stiles, Shanna Crossley, Katie Smith, Ticha Penicheiro, Edna Campbell and Chamique Holdsclaw. In 2009 five rural Kansas towns banded together to form the WEPAC Alliance, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing resources and education to encourage local women in Wilmore, Englewood, Protection, Ashland and Coldwater to take active responsibility for their health. More information on the WEPAC Hoops for Hope Weekend is available at To learn more about WEPAC check out their YouTube video at youtube. com, search word: WEPAC. Sign up to receive Kansas Connections online Kansas Connections is available online for viewing, in an easy-to-print format. If you would like to sign up to receive alerts, letting you know when the newest issue is available, please visit and click the Kansas Connections dropdown menu. Publication Schedule If you have an idea for an article in Kansas Connections, we welcome your input. Please send information to the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, 1010 N. Kansas, Wichita, KS, Ideas are also welcomed by telephone at ; fax, ; or , jyuza@kumc.edu.