Celebrate our past. Know US NOW. 100th Anniversary of Fitzgibbon Hospital

KNOW US NOW. Celebrate our past.

Please enjoy this commemorative magazine celebrating Fitzgibbon Hospital’s century of service to our community. Little did Irish immigrant John Fitzgibbon know what the next 100 years would bring when he left his estate to build a community hospital. Since the first patient was admitted on April 24, 1923, our hospital – and our world – has seen many changes. Therefore, your community hospital continues to change, grow and evolve.

We’ve developed new services and are using technologies that John Fitzgibbon and the people in 1923 could never imagine. We offer care not only in Marshall, Mo., at our 60-bed acute care hospital, but also via our clinics in Slater, Brunswick, Fayette and Pilot Grove, Mo.

Our hospital offers patients care in a number of medical specialties, ranging from comprehensive cancer care to obstetrics and gynecology to orthopedics, general surgery, mental health, hospice and even chiropractic. Fitzgibbon also operates a 99-bed, long-term skilled nursing facility, The Living Center, located a hallway away from the acute care hospital. The Living Center provides both skilled care for recovery and residential care. We are communicating with patients using the latest methods – text and email –and during our 100th year of operation, we introduced self-scheduling functionality within our patient portal, increasing access to care by allowing patients to schedule their own appointments in many clinics.

Through it all, our nurses, doctors and caregivers strive to provide compassionate, excellent care and put patients and families first. As you review this publication, I invite you to Celebrate our Past … Know us Now.

Sincerely,

Angy Litrell President and CEO

Board of Trustees

William L. Summers, President

Jan V. Stapleton, RN, Vice President

Scott Hartwig, Secretary/Treasurer

Jared Romney, DO, President of the Medical Staff

Mary Lou Porter

Editorial Staff

Amy Robinson Weber

Marketing Director

Richard DeFord

Marketing Coordinator

Cindy Eagle

Marketing Assistant/Graphic Designer Magazine Design

Celebrating 70 years of marriage and gratitude for Fitzgibbon

Only one-tenth of one percent of all married couples are able to celebrate 70 years of wedded bliss. But Tom and Mary Smith of Marshall did just that on July 12, 2023. They did so in a rather unusual way, but a fitting one, with Fitzgibbon Hospital right in the center of it all. In the morning, Mary underwent a CT scan at Fitzgibbon Hospital, and husband Tom had an appointment that same afternoon with Mary Drenon, nurse practitioner at Missouri Valley Physicians on the Fitzgibbon campus.

“We just feel fortunate that we were able to celebrate,” Mary, age 87, said cheerfully as she helped her husband check in at the clinic. “This is our second time here this week. He’s just here for a checkup.”

Mary and Tom, who turned 88 years old in April 2023, operated Smith Real Estate in Marshall for many years. The couple also built houses and constructed the commercial building near the entrance to Fitzgibbon Hospital on South Highway 65. It would house their real estate offices decades ago. The building is now home to the Saline County Career Center’s Adult Education Center and Practical Nursing Program.

After retiring from real estate, Tom went to work in the maintenance building at the former Marshall Habilitation Center.

“You name it, and we’ve done it,” chuckled Mary, who noted that the couple decided not to hold any sort of formal celebration for their 70th wedding anniversary after Tom lost his sister three months earlier and Mary’s sister suffered a stroke. “It just didn’t seem appropriate to do a lot of celebrating.”

Instead, on their special day the couple reminisced about their many years in Marshall, stating repeatedly that this had been “their home town” and that life had been good to them. They both agreed that they had confidence in their health care through Fitzgibbon Hospital and its clinics. Mary added that she delivered all three of her daughters at Fitzgibbon’s original building.

“Dixie Collins was my nurse for all three of them,” she said. Through their 70 years of marriage, the couple has seen so many changes, including a change in location and the construction of the current Fitzgibbon building, which opened in 1991.

“I told Dr. Papreck years ago that going to the hospital,” said Mary, gesturing toward Fitzgibbon’s current building, “is so nice that it was like going to a grand hotel.”

“The hospital is very, very clean,” concurred Tom. “We’re very fortunate to have it.” FH

Tom and Mary Smith

doctor

Mid-MO gal made good

A conversation with Dr. Kelly Ross

“Ihelped my Dad set a broken wrist when I was 8 years old, and I never wanted to do anything else,” says Kelly Ross, D.O., orthopedic surgeon at Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall. “My Dad would ask me, ‘What’s your backup plan?’ And I didn’t have one.”

Ross references her father, Marvin “Pete” Ross, age 84, who was a general practitioner in Carrollton, Mo., for 45 years until he retired in 2021. The younger Ross, who graduated Magna Cum Laude from medical school, started working at Fitzgibbon Hospital in 2005, shortly after finishing her residency in Orthopedic Surgery. Now nearly 19 years later, she says she can’t imagine working anywhere else.

“I just walked through the door here at Fitzgibbon, and … Well, I’m still going,” she declares in a confidently joking

manner, then erupting into laughter. “I think I’ve got another 10 to 15 years in me … I hope.”

Reclining back in her office chair, and, yes, with her feet up on her desk, she reviews X-rays and charts visible on the three different screens in front of her. You can tell she’s comfortable here.

“Nevermind the coats and clutter,” she says, gesturing to the pile of hoodies and sweatshirts stacked on the credenza behind her. “That’s all my stuff. That’s who I am.”

When asked how her patients would describe her, she answers, “I just had a patient tell me today, ‘You have a bedside manner like your father.’ I hope they would call me caring and compassionate; and easy to talk to.”

Dr. Ross is indeed easy to talk to. And during this Friday afternoon’s hour-long conversation, she touches on

everything from how she interacts with patients to the challenges she and her sister face as their parents grow older. But mostly, she talks about what she really loves about her career at Fitzgibbon Hospital and the life she’s made in rural, central Missouri.

“Small towns get in your blood. I appreciate it so much more the older I get than when I was younger, and I couldn’t wait to leave,” says the surgeon. “I ended up coming back here, and I didn’t think I was going to stay. In med school, I couldn’t imagine being back here, let alone practicing within 30 miles of where I grew up. I always thought I’d live in a city.”

But like her father, Dr. Ross prides herself in the fact that she’s a country doctor, albeit one who sets fractured bones and has the skills to successfully insert artificial joints in her patients, such as when she performs total knee replacement surgery.

When asked what she does in her spare time, she describes herself as an avid reader. She’s especially fond of science fiction.

“Reading is my ‘getaway time,’” she says, her voice rising ever so slightly, as if she’s imagining herself cracking open a book on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Oh, and she loves dogs – small dogs, big dogs. Mostly great BIG dogs.

“I’ve always had Great Danes, and I love Irish Wolfhounds. But I also have a little Schnauzer mix that I call my ‘ankle-biter,’” she chuckles.

She credits her dogs, really, for the reason she landed at Fitzgibbon Hospital.

“My mom was actually having some health problems, so I came back here, and I took my two Great Danes to be spayed and neutered at Tom Blumhorst’s veterinary clinic,” she recalls. “He called me later that night and told me he just had dinner with Dr. Roy Elfrink, and they’re looking for an orthopedic surgeon at Fitzgibbon and asked if I’d be interested. I literally would not be sitting here if it weren’t for Tom Blumhorst and Roy Elfrink … Oh, and I guess my dogs.”

When asked what she loves most about working at Fitzgibbon Hospital, she answers without hesitation.

“The people. It was really nice early in my career to work with my father and share patients. It’s neat to treat patients who have known me since I was in the third grade … treating, basically, people I grew up with and their children. It makes it special to me. And even people that I don’t know … they know this person, who knows that person. We’re all connected in this size of community.”

She also is sure to mention her team of scrub techs, nurses, receptionists and fellow physicians who have supported her and with whom she has shared a career for the last two decades.

“Deb Harvey and I were on the Pizza Hut softball team together in middle school,” she laughs, referencing

Fitzgibbon’s Director of Nursing Surgical Services Deb Harvey, R.N., whom she sees in the surgical suites nearly every time she has a case. “The physicians I’ve worked with all these years, Dr. Roy Elfrink, Dr. Jack Uhrig and Dr. Tim Ryan. They’ve worked here as long or longer than I have. And they’ve been great peers.”

When Dr. Ross started out, she chose a surgical specialty in which – at the time – fewer than 5 percent of the doctors were female. Today, women make up only around 6.5 percent of all orthopedic surgeons. It is the combination of that challenge and the “fun” factor that keep her going.

“I still have fun. I love what I do. And I love this hospital. I guess when I stop loving it is when I’ll stop, but my heart is here,” she said. “I started my career here, and my wish is to finish my career here.”

Dr. Ross spoke special words of gratitude for her team, who she fondly referred to as “spokes in her wheel”:

• Miles Romney, PA, who has been her physician assistant for 15 years

• Suzette Conder, surgical tech assisting Dr. Ross for nearly the entire 19 years

• Aubrie Cuda, LPN, who started with the office while still in high school

• Myra Blakely, receptionist for the orthopedic office for nearly two decades

Drumheller and her dog are a dynamic duo as new pet therapy is unveiled

forward to coming to work every day.

“My patients are more at ease when they come in, because they are excited to come and see him. They actually show up to more of their appointments, too,” said Drumheller. “He usually sits on the couch next to them and cuddles with them. And they are able to pet him while we do therapy and talk about their medications. He just kind of breaks the tension and makes it more ‘homey’ for sure.”

Taking that first step to seek help for mental health is often the largest challenge, as some may perceive a stigma associated with therapy. Encountering Cosmo provides an immediate relief, said Drumheller, as many new patients come to their first appointment.

“You can just see the relief that they experience – especially my brand new patients,” said Drumheller. “When they are sharing their stories and they are crying, Cosmo can tell they are upset; and he kisses and snuggles up with them. They can feel a sense that they are not being judged here. They are loved for who they are, and he doesn’t judge. He just loves everybody.”

Community members struggling with their mental health have a new “warm-and-fuzzy” face to greet them in the Fitzgibbon Mental Health Clinic. Cosmo, a young goldendoodle, has been joining owner Amber Drumheller, PMHNP-BC, in recent therapy sessions. Cosmo has been coming to work with his owner and interacting with patients and staff periodically for the last year as part of a unique pet therapy program.

The dynamic duo has had a tremendous impact on patients who may be dealing with anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges.

“Cosmo absolutely loves people and is one of the calmest dogs I have ever owned,” said Drumheller, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner at Fitzgibbon Mental Health. “I thought he was sick when he was a puppy because he didn’t play a lot. He was always cuddling and laying round, so I started thinking he’d be a great fit for my patients in some pet therapy.”

People have long known the benefits of cuddling or caressing a calming pet for their mental and physical health. But professionals are more frequently formalizing pet therapy, as these benefits clearly affect patient satisfaction, energy levels, self-esteem and mood, as well as providing a decrease in depression and anxiety, said the nurse practitioner.

“Pet therapy is good for the soul. It is used to decrease depression and anxiety, cholesterol and sugar levels,” said Drumheller. “It releases oxytocin, the ‘feel good’ hormone for love, which has many benefits for both physical and mental health.”

Cosmo does not really understand the powerful influence he has on patients, said his owner. However, his tail wagging shows how much he loves to be near people and how he truly looks

Cosmo also gets to interact with patients in the Behavioral Health Unit at Fitzgibbon Hospital. The Behavioral Health Unit is a 10-bed inpatient mental health unit where individuals receive assistance with psychiatric challenges requiring hospitalization. Plans are also in the works for the goldendoodle to visit residents at The Living Center skilled nursing facility.

“I also take Cosmo to our Behavioral Health Unit, and they absolutely love him. They are always excited to see him,” said Drumheller. “He is responsive to where the patient is, so if they are welcoming and show him attention, he will cuddle or climb up in bed with them. When someone doesn’t show an interest or attention, he just sits at my feet until it is time for us to go.”

Cosmo doesn’t just have an impact on patients. His presence also influences the staff as well as they try to put on a brave face for their patients, while they may be struggling with personal challenges themselves, according to Drumheller.

“I’ll have staff come over and love on him and they will tell me, ‘I needed that today,’” said Drumheller. “I just know that he is changing lives every day, and he is making a difference. I will have family members that come with my patients so that they can interact with him and they will say, ‘I feel like I should pay you for my time with him because it is helping me too.’”

To make an appointment to see Amber Drumheller, Cosmo and the rest of the staff at Fitzgibbon Mental Health, call (660) 886-7800, option 5. You can also book an appointment directly, online through the FitzChart Patient Portal. Drumheller sees patients 16 years old and older. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency or thoughts of self-harm, the staff in the Fitzgibbon Emergency Department can provide entry into the behavioral health unit, if needed, for further evaluation and treatment. FH

Passing the torch

The “Drs. T” … Son joins father to care for cancer patients at Fitzgibbon

Mark Tungesvik, M.D., has provided care to the patients of the Fitzgibbon Community Cancer Center through a partnership with the Missouri Cancer Associates since day one of the center’s opening in 2009. His care has been experienced by thousands of area residents, and many have commented about his wonderful bedside manner as they experienced the fight of their lives.

But “Dr. T,” as Fitzgibbon Community Cancer Center staff fondly call the elder, will be passing the torch to his son, Alexandre Tungesvik, M.D., who joined the staff in August 2023.

Dr. Alexandre Tungesvik says if he weren’t an oncologist, he would choose to work as a therapist or a counselor, believing the authentic conversations he has with his patients is akin to a type of therapy and is beneficial in the fight against cancer.

“My passion lies in both the privilege and responsibility of serving my patients, driven by a commitment to their well-being and their journey through cancer,” said the younger Dr. T. “I find fulfillment in fostering genuine connections and walking alongside them, providing support and personalized care that extends beyond medical experience.”

The younger Dr. T is board certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri – Columbia School of Medicine and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of South Florida. He completed a fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics. FH

Mark Tungesvik, M.D., and son Alexandre Tungesvik, M.D.

Jack Uhrig, M.D., visits patient Jonathan Awe

Labor of love: Delivery at Fitzgibbon Hospital is as convenient as 1-2-3

There are few times in life met with more anticipation than the arrival of a newborn baby. The physicians and nurses at Fitzgibbon Hospital’s Women’s Center help Moms through their labor of love in modern and spacious rooms, designed for labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care. These rooms have enough space for Dad or another support person to spend the night. The Women’s Center surrounds Mom and baby with home-like surroundings and the highest quality of medical care. Three area Moms share their birth experiences in the Women’s Center. One common thread is an experience full of compassion, convenience and personal attention.

Second delivery: Sami O’Connell

My birth experience was really good at Fitzgibbon. Dr. Bill Smith delivered my first baby at a different hospital and my second one here. I would say that my experience was super great, especially to feel just so comfortable to be so close to home … especially with another child there.

Before I delivered here, my water had been leaking for a while. I came in to the ER after calling Dr. Smith. I was two weeks early, and my amniotic fluid was leaking, so I had antibiotics and a low dose of (the labor-inducing drug) Pitocin. Really, I thought I had just been wetting my pants. But, after being seen in the ER, I went home for an hour to put five-year-old Hazen to

First delivery: Aubrie Evans, DDS

My entire birth experience at Fitzgibbon Hospital was truly amazing. I delivered my first child at Fitzgibbon in February 2022. As any mother knows, the idea of giving birth to your first child can be very overwhelming. This was my first pregnancy, and I had a lot of anxiety about what my birth experience would look like. As I neared my due date, I had a sense of peace knowing that my hospital was less than five minutes away.

On the day I delivered, I was blessed with a staff of nurses, midwives and doctors that made my experience exactly what I had hoped for. They created a relaxed environment where I felt safe and heard. All of my questions were answered, and my concerns were addressed. I delivered a beautiful, healthy baby girl who we named Rook, which was Mac’s grandmother’s name.

I would recommend Fitzgibbon Hospital to any expecting mother. I plan to use Fitzgibbon for any future pregnancies.

Aubrie, Mac and baby Rook Evans

Sami O’Connell holds her older son Hazen, while husband

bed before going back to the hospital to deliver. Everyone was so nice. When I first came in to OB, I had a nurse all to myself, which was nice. And Dr. Smith – he always goes above and beyond to make you feel comfortable. The room was very comfortable, too. The rooms are big and modern and nice, and I was in the same room the whole time, which is super rare. The last time I delivered, I had to move rooms.

After I had Stratten, the nurses were amazing. He was not a good sleeper, so they came to check on me and took him out of the room so I could rest. Everyone was very caring. I mean truly caring. Dr. Smith was incredible, and the nurses were equally great. I had a great experience. I would say my experience was equal to if not better than my first delivery. There’s just something super nice about being in your own town.

Third delivery: Andrea Barr

I received excellent care, from ultrasounds to labor-and-delivery to lactation support, and I’ve had three children at three different hospitals in two different states.

It’s important to have complete confidence in your nurses and doctors in your delivery room, because when you bring a child into the world, you’re in a vulnerable state. It’s super important that you trust them and feel confident that they would be able to handle any possible complication. They helped me feel confident that I could get through labor and delivery.

An ultrasound at 21 weeks caught Wyatt’s kidney problem. He was born with a kidney anomaly in that one of his kidneys was larger than the other. My other two children had it also. Two of my children had the problem corrected surgically, and the other self-corrected.

You’re not just a number at Fitzgibbon Hospital. I’ve had three children and delivered at three different hospitals. At Fitzgibbon I received, by far, the most personal, one-on-one care during my hospital stay. When I left the hospital, I felt like I wanted to be friends with all my nurses and my doctor. I didn’t really feel that one-on-one time with the nurses and doctors during my previous births. The staff here does everything in their power to give you the birthing experience you’re hoping to have.

I delivered on December 22, 2022 and really, really wanted to be home by Christmas Eve because we also had a four-year-old and two-year-old at home. Wyatt was born with jaundice, and the hospital staff weren’t sure if they would be able to get us home by Christmas Eve so we could all be together as a family. But the nurses and the doctors did everything possible to get us home on Christmas Eve. We were able to leave the hospital around 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and wake up at home on Christmas morning as a family of five.

I give all the credit to the doctors and the nurses at Fitzgibbon Hospital, because they made extra rounds to continue checking Wyatt’s jaundice. Even after they didn’t have to, they made extra rounds for him and put in extra time to ensure that we were able to safely go home on Christmas Eve. FH

husband Tim holds baby Stratten

The Barr family, Derek and Andrea Barr with baby Wyatt, son Emmett, age 3, and daughter Charlie, age 5

CELEBRATING A CENTURY OF GIVING

Foundation

Since 2005, the Fitzgibbon Hospital Foundation has raised more than $7 million.

Annual events

• The Fling, a gala held each spring that includes a high quality dinner experience along with live and silent auctions, raises funds for a special project identified by Fitzgibbon Hospital leadership. Replacement of the linear accelerator within the Fitzgibbon Community Cancer Center, remodel of the Behavioral Health Unit at Fitzgibbon Hospital along with expansion of mental health services, addition of Fast-Track ER services with an expansion of the Fitzgibbon Hospital Emergency Department are all recent projects that have been funded by The Fling.

• The Pete H. Rea Memorial Golf Tournament is held each summer at the Indian Foothills Golf Course. This tournament has been played for the last 32 years and is one of the area’s most anticipated tournaments.

• Pink Out events are held each October with the help of local schools and businesses as they raise funds for the Fitzgibbon Community Cancer Center. A secondary goal is to raise awareness of cancer signs and symptoms and encourage early detection through screening technologies available at Fitzgibbon Hospital.

Auxiliary Volunteers

Since the Fitzgibbon Hospital Auxiliary began, the organization has contributed nearly $1 million for use to offset equipment purchases and for educational enhancement for Fitzgibbon staff.

• Auxiliary Volunteers staff the Fitzgibbon Hospital Gift Shop, whose proceeds are returned to fund unmet needs at the hospital.

• The annual Holiday Bazaar which offers raffles, a space for vendors to sell their holiday gifts, a chili supper and more.

• Various events throughout the year include a rummage sale, bake sale, uniform sale, book sale and more.

• Membership in the Auxiliary Volunteers costs just $15 per year. FH

Photo © by Emily Smith

$39,020,899

$33.3 million Employee salaries & benefits

$1.23 million Capital investment including upgrades to Electronic Health Records

$378,678 Financial contributions and in-kind donations to support community organizations, healthy lifestyle programs, patient advocacy and community event sponsorships

$391,849

Continuing education and investment in our staff of physicians, nurses and other health care professionals

$3.65 million Medicare, Medicaid, Uncompensated Care and Charity Care

Fitzgibbon Hospital is an independent, not-for-profit 501c3 organization

Fitzgibbon launches Centennial Society

In the spring of 2023, the Fitzgibbon Hospital Board of Trustees approved the creation of a planned giving program called The Centennial Society and agreed the time was right to embark on such a program. Today’s financial and regulatory climate has created economic headwinds for hospitals like Fitzgibbon.

As both a not-for-profit and an independent organization, it is important to note that Fitzgibbon is located outside the service areas for both the Kansas City and St. Louis-based health care foundations. This means that Fitzgibbon does not qualify for any grant funding via these sources. The only source of revenues is for the services provided to patients – and from the generosity of our donors.

Commitments for the Centennial Society start at a minimum of $10,000. Due to the overwhelming

interest in the Centennial Society, various levels of giving have been designated in recognition of those choosing to contribute more than the minimum. These levels are:

• Diamond: $100,000 or above

• Emerald: $50,000 through $99,999

• Gold: $25,000 through $49,999 and

• Pearl: $10,000 through $24,999

As you are reading through this commemorative edition, thank you in advance for your interest in getting to know the Fitzgibbon organization better. And thank you for considering a donation to help ensure that we can continue to provide vital healthcare to our communities for the next century. For more information, call Andrea Barr, Foundation Director, at (660) 831-3850 or go to www.fitzgibbon.org/about-us/giving-back FH

Grief program teaches tools for healing

Grief and loss are emotions that every one of us experience at some point in our lives, whether that loss comes from the death or illness of a loved one, the dissolution of a marriage or the financial pressures that so many experience. While these types of grief and loss are frequently remembered, there are actually more than 40 types of grief and loss that people experience.

“Sometimes this life is hard to navigate when things change, whether the change was a choice we made, or a choice that was made for us,” says Richard DeFord, Board Certified Chaplain with Fitzgibbon Hospital. “We think of the big grief causes like death or divorce, but there are so many more. The loss of a pet, the loss of

GRIEF PROGRAM TESTIMONIALS

“I highly recommend this group. Richard DeFord is one of a kind in leading and teaching this class. It isn’t just a class or another course: it is a life-altering, life-saving opportunity that helps like nothing else can. I opened the suitcase that I had not touched since my mom died … I about lost it. Then, I remembered my grief completion letter … how all those memories and painful thoughts had been addressed already, and I’ve ended that grief, never to return back to those same reminders. It worked! I’ve processed it, addressed it, put it in the correct spot in my life. Now I can go forward!”

Pam Nichols

health. Even normally positive experiences like becoming newly married or graduating from school can provide a sense of loss because there are big changes from what had been to what is now. That is hard to get your mind around.”

The grief recovery program at Fitzgibbon Hospital lasts eight weeks and is repeated regularly throughout the year. Costs for the program are underwritten by memorial contributions to Fitzgibbon Home Health and Hospice.

To learn when the next grief group will begin, visit www.fitzgibbon.org/grief FH

“Thank you for providing the class, ‘When Children Grieve’. After attending your ‘Grief Support’ last summer, and acquiring many of the tools to deal with both my grief and the grief of others, knowing how to connect with children was very helpful. Furthermore, it opened my eyes to the many types of ‘losses’ children experience, most of which they cannot ‘see coming’ and can only play the role of ‘victim’ because of circumstances they have no control of. This is a great benefit to the community, and I will continue to encourage others to participate.”

Wayne Doolin Minister of Education & Music First Baptist Church, Marshall

“The grief recovery program helped me face the reality of my loss, feelings that I had refused to face for years, and the chance of forgiveness where I thought there was none. It was the first time I had contemplated what life without chronic emotional pain would look like and it gave me the courage to hope for a better and more fulfilling life. The material not only helped me personally, but also helped me know how to better respond to my family, my friends, and my clients who experience life loss and transitions.”

Anonymous

Watch our Centennial video

Fitzgibbon rises to the greatest health challenge of the century

While this publication is meant to celebrate the evolution of Fitzgibbon Hospital during its first 100 years of operation, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the challenges faced –and conquered – during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The first case of a new and deadly virus was reported to the World Health Organization from Wuhan, China, on Dec. 31, 2019, and it was declared as a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. At that same time, Fitzgibbon Hospital staff were mobilizing and preparing for the worst. While our nation and our world hunkered down and stayed home, Fitzgibbon Hospital staff came to work and prepared to care for those stricken with a deadly virus we knew little about.

We stood up 24/7 testing for the novel virus; we modified our facilities to ensure safety for both patients and staff; we altered our processes and rationed our resources to administer vaccines and care for the sick. As the accompanying infographic illustrates, Fitzgibbon Hospital was at the center of caring for our community and others across the state without taking a “day off.” We never shut our doors nor did we lay off any staff. While we mourn the 93 people in Saline County taken by Covid-19, we celebrate the resilience of our doctors, nurses, respiratory, housekeepers, laboratory, maintenance, dietary workers and administrative staff who rose above their fears and tackled their frustrations to care for the sick and comfort those who lost loved ones. The World Health Organization declared an end to the Covid-19 pandemic on May 5, 2023. FH

Covid by the numbers

508 individuals hospitalized at Fitzgibbon for Covid-19 complications since the pandemic began

15,831 vaccinations administered from our 7 primary care clinics through community events and normally scheduled appointments

Retained all staff

during the pandemic despite signficant economic headwinds

93 individuals died from Covid-19 in Saline County, Mo.

61,200+ Covid-19 screening tests have been performed on individuals from 45 states, 4 countries and 85 Missouri counties

One of a very few in Missouri offering 24/7 screenings

Next-generation patient access

Fitzgibbon enters second century of operation by unveiling new ways to communicate with patients

Fitzgibbon Hospital’s online patient portal, known as FitzChart, now has a feature that allows individuals to schedule their own appointments with their primary care provider from the comfort of home or even “on the fly” via their phones. The new feature is available for providers in Fitzgibbon Hospital-operated primary care clinics and chiropractic. Patients no longer need to wait until the clinic is open to make a phone call for appointment scheduling. Instead, the self-scheduling system is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, to those who log in to their online patient portal.

Patients also can provide details to their provider about why they are requesting a visit. All communications through the portal are secure. Patients also can choose if they want to receive follow-up notifications and reminders directly from the appointment scheduling screen. Implementing this feature helps people receive the care they need quicker, rather than waiting for a return phone call from the clinic or until their conditions may have deteriorated, which may require more advanced care or even hospitalization.

Once scheduled, patients also receive new automated appointment reminders via a newly implemented automated system. Reminders come either via text message, email or phone call, and patients are asked to confirm or reschedule via the same modality.

“We are so pleased the Fitzgibbon organization finally has the capacity to reach our patients in these new ways,” said Angy Littrell, president and CEO of Fitzgibbon Hospital. “This platform offers an important tool in communication to our patients. This brings many efficiencies to our operations and enhances our clinics’ ability to reach patients. And it’s important that our patients are aware this is occurring so they will respond in a timely manner.” FH

“The