It didn’t take long for Kathryn Buchanan to notice that the Pawnee Valley Community Hospital (PVCH) team is “patient-oriented with a real sense of community spirit.”
Buchanan is the new family nurse practitioner at PVCH Family Medicine, 713 W. 11th in Larned. She began seeing patients Dec. 11.
“I specialize in family medicine and look forward to meeting my new patients in the coming weeks and months,” Buchanan said. “I will care for and treat patients with acute and chronic diseases and conditions from age 2 and older.”
Buchanan, an Ellinwood resident, noted she is “impressed with the wide variety of PVCH services and up-to-date equipment. This illustrates to me that one of the hospital’s priorities is offering as much quality healthcare as possible close to home.
“In addition, from day one, the environment here has been welcoming. There is a genuine sense of community among staff members who are always willing to help patients and their colleagues. This is important to me.”
Buchanan, who is originally from Mississippi, earned an associate’s degree in nursing in 2019 and bachelor’s degree in nursing the following year. Both degrees were awarded by Mississippi University for Women.
Next came her master’s in nursing/family nurse practitioner earlier this year at The University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Buchanan’s professional background includes serving the Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Department as a registered nurse at North Mississippi Medical Center; registered nurse at Mississippi HomeCare; and med-surg nurse at The University of Kansas Health System.
Melanie Urban, PVCH administrator, noted that “in the brief time Kathryn has been here, she is already demonstrating her practitioner skills, as well as her compassion towards her patients. Kathryn’s talents mesh well with our mission to provide high-quality healthcare right here at home.”
Over the next few months, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital will be working together with other area community leaders to update the Pawnee County, KS 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). Today, we are requesting Pawnee County community members’ input regarding current healthcare delivery and unmet resident needs.
The goal of this assessment update is to understand progress from past community health needs assessments conducted in 2021, 2018, and 2015, while collecting up-to-date community health perceptions and ideas. VVV Consultants LLC, an independent research firm from Olathe, KS, has been retained to conduct this countywide research.
A brief community survey has been developed to accomplish this work. <Note: The CHNA survey link can be accessed by visiting the Pawnee Valley Hospital website and/or Facebook page. You may also utilize the QR code below for quick access.
All community residents and business leaders are encouraged to complete this online survey by January 19th, 2024. In addition, a CHNA Town Hall meeting to discuss the survey findings and identify unmet needs will be held on Thursday, February 22nd, 2024, for lunch from 11 am-1:30 pm. More info to come soon! Thank you in advance for your time and support!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CHNA2024_PawneeValley_OnlineSurvey
If you have any questions regarding CHNA activities, please call 620-285-8842
On November 16, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital (PVCH) in Larned was recognized with a 2023 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in Quality. This recognition is PVCH’s third consecutive year to receive the national quality recognition.
Compiled by the Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Awards honor top quartile performance (i.e., 75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals across our Nation.
“Our hospital’s history is rooted in rural healthcare, and our future is committed to ensuring our community has access to high-quality care,” said Melanie Urban, Administrator. “Living in a rural community should never mean that our residents are sacrificing quality health care. Every member of our Pawnee Valley team is devoted to providing high-quality care. This recognition validates their efforts and drive as high-quality care is a commitment we prioritize.”
The Performance Leadership Awards are based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®, the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance across several areas impacting hospital operations and finance.
As a state-of-the-art critical access hospital dedicated to healthcare excellence in the local community, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital has a long history of caring for patients in Pawnee County and the surrounding areas. They pride themselves on providing the best possible clinical care, and through their strong personal connections to the people they serve, the hospital and its family medicine clinic are the go-to guides for better health.
Dr. Arlo Reimer’s recent appointment as Pawnee Valley Community Hospital’s new Chief of Staff marks a significant and promising milestone for our healthcare institution. With a distinguished medical career and a proven track record of innovation and patient-centered care, Dr. Reimer brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this key leadership role. His commitment to advancing medical practices and improving patient outcomes is truly inspiring. We anticipate that under Dr. Reimer’s guidance, our institution will continue to excel in delivering high-quality healthcare services, embracing cutting-edge technologies, and fostering a culture of compassion and excellence. We look forward to the positive impact his leadership will have here at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital and the well-being of our patients.
Pawnee Valley Community Hospital Family Medicine is proud to offer a new monthly chronic care management program for eligible Medicare and Medicaid patients called “ChartSpan”. Between regular office visits, patients in this chronic care management program will have access to a care team 24/7, including a nurse line, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – year-round. Patients can call with any medical questions or concerns they may have. In addition to the 24/7 nurse line, patients will receive benefits such as assistance with scheduling their healthcare appointments, support with filling their prescriptions in a timely and convenient manner, and a monthly review of their progress toward achieving their personalized health goals. The patient care team focuses on keeping you healthy and assists in preventing any conditions from worsening, as well as ER visits or unnecessary hospital stays. The patient care team then reports all updates to your primary care provider within the PVCH-Family Medicine. Medicare and Medicaid patients ready to take advantage of these great program benefits are encouraged to call Pawnee Valley Community Hospital Family Medicine at 855-773-1611 to see if they qualify and get started.
About Pawnee Valley Community Hospital
Pawnee Valley Community Hospital is a 25-bed facility offering emergency care (24/7), surgery, hightech imaging and laboratory tests, rehabilitation, a sleep and diagnostic center, acute, skilled, and specialized nursing, wound care, and more. Pawnee Valley Community Hospital Family Medicine provides a full range of primary care services for all ages, as well as women’s health services.
For specialty care and to ensure a full continuum of care, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital is a HaysMed partner, and its hospital and family medicine physicians collaborate closely with HaysMed specialists.
When Julie Robben was offered the best of two worlds at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, she jumped at the chance to fill the dual role.
Robben, a Russell native, is the new director of the PVCH Imaging Department where she is part of the leadership team, while also providing direct care to patients.
“Being able to care for patients alongside this amazing team is a real bonus,” Robben said. “They always have the patients’ best interests at heart.
“The hospital’s state-of-the-art equipment allows us to provide most of the services that are available at larger facilities,” she continued. “In addition, it is great having HaysMed as a resource when needed.”
Services offered at the Pat Young Imaging Center include: general x-ray; computed tomography (CT); magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); nuclear medicine; ultrasound; mammography; bone densitometry; and pain clinic.
The center is staffed by registered radiology technologists who are licensed by the state of Kansas. The staff is cross-trained in different modalities and they are all willing to further their education by working toward advanced credentials, Robben noted.
Nuclear medicine and ultrasound services are staffed by HaysMed professionals.
Robben graduated in May 2006 with a bachelor of science in Medical Diagnostic Imaging. She also earned an associate of science in Radiologic Technology.
She is working on her Master of Professional Studies in Medical Imaging, emphasizing administration.
Robben started working at HaysMed in 2005 as a secretary in the Radiology Department, while attending the Diagnostic Imaging Program at Fort Hays State University. She worked part-time in x-ray and CT for several years at HaysMed while working full-time in imaging at Russell Regional Hospital.
“In 2008, I accepted a full-time job at HaysMed where I provided imaging services for the past 15 years,” she said. “I also cross-trained in the Cardiac Cath Lab for two years, performing interventional procedures with the cardiologists.”
Imaging is staffed from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays; an on-call technologist is available from 5:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. for emergencies.
“Our technologists work diligently to meet patients’ needs in a timely manner,” she said. “They offer the highest quality service possible.”
Robben also noted that even though October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is almost over, it is never too late to schedule a mammogram.
Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, 923 Carroll in Larned, is a 25-bed facility, offering many services not typically available in a smaller facility. Included are 24/7 emergency care; acute, skilled and specialized nursing; surgery; high-tech imaging and laboratory tests; wound care; rehabilitation; and sleep and diagnostic center. PVCH Family Medicine, 713 W. 11th, provides the full range of family-medicine services; physician-assisted weight loss; and women’s health services. The hospital’s number is 620-285-3161; the clinic’s number is 620-804-6007.
Larned, KS – Leonard Herrman, Human Resources Director at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, recently graduated from the Kansas Hospital Association (KHA) Leadership Institute. The Kansas Hospital Association Leadership Institute graduated its 21st class of 30 students on Sept. 7 at the KHA Annual Convention and Trade Show in Wichita, Kansas. Their hospital’s CEO nominated students to be part of this select group. They represent the future leaders of Kansas hospitals.
Helping to build future healthcare leaders is essential to the Kansas Hospital Association. “We are committed to strengthening and promoting the leadership capacity of hospital employees in Kansas,” said Chad Austin, president and CEO of the Kansas Hospital Association. The KHA Leadership Institute was established to help hospitals provide professional development opportunities that accentuate the personal skills and abilities needed to facilitate positive change and innovation in Kansas hospitals.
The 2023 Leadership Institute class was diverse. They represented a wide geographic distribution of Kansas hospitals from St. Francis to Dighton and Pittsburg to Leavenworth – there was representation from all parts of the state. Students had experience in health care from as little as a year to more than 20 years. Several students have been in management positions, while others were new managers. Some students also supervise other staff, from a few to more than 50 employees.
Notably, the students nominated to participate in this program were not selected because they needed to learn “management skills.” They were nominated because their CEO recognized their potential to be future leaders and wanted to help cultivate that development. Each of these students made a personal and professional commitment to expand their skills by attending all six courses of the Leadership Institute.
The curriculum was structured to enhance each student’s leadership abilities. Course #1 focused on explaining the difference between leadership and management, identifying organizational values, and creating a positive organizational climate. Course #2 focused on enhancing communication skills and grassroots advocacy. Course #3 focused on team building – including how to lead and be part of a team- and Course # 4 examined conflict and conflict management. Course #5 was at the KHA Annual Convention and Trade Show. Students learned about the challenges facing health care.
Pawnee Valley Community Hospital would like to recognize Callie Baize, Emergency Department Nurse, as our new Associate of the Quarter. Callie is passionate about ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous (IV) access, a tool used on patients with hard-to-stick veins. She excels with the ultrasound machine, making the experience more pleasant for her patients. Callie wanted to improve her skills and help others learn, so she suggested developing a training session for other Registered Nurses. After showing this push for excellence, the PVCH Auxiliary department purchased the required equipment for Callie to teach others. She held her first class on May 23rd, 2023, which was a success! 3 Registered Nurses passed her first class, demonstrating competency with the new equipment. Callie received praise from the Director of Nursing, Cindy Burton, “Thank you, Callie, for growing in our nursing team and helping others grow. PVCH is honored to have you.”
Each quarter, our Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) determines the recipient based on the many amazing peer nominations received.
