bed Hays Medical Center is dedicated to meeting the current and future needs of the community. One way the organization is demonstrating that commitment is through its recent expansion. The $18.5 million project will add about 65,000 square feet of office and clinic space. The space will house Hays’ new cardiology unit and administrative offices. “We’re very highly engaged in the region,” Veach says. Expanding Footprints and Services Hays Medical Center is not the only area hospital that is expanding, adding new technologies or services, or providing state-of-the-art, highlevel medical care. Southwest Medical Center in Liberal is a regional medical center. To better serve its growing population, the Center is adding a $17 million facility that includes a medical office center. Western Plains Medical Complex in Dodge City is a 99-bed hospital that offers a range of services including diagnostic and interventional cardiology, a cardiac cath lab, and cardiac rehabilitation. In Scott County, voters approved funding three years ago that has been used to rebuild Scott County Hospital. The new $24 million hospital opened in 2012. The hospital added 23 new employees
in its first three months to meet the influx of patients. New Facilities One aspect of health care that appeared to be lacking until recently was access to specialists and specialty care, says Scott J. Taylor, president and CEO of St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City. “This region has not had access to specialists on a permanent basis in many areas,” Taylor says. Over the last five years, St. Catherine Hospital has spent a great deal of funds to recruit specialists so the community would have timely access to this type of care. St. Catherine also completed a $9.5 million project that added 64 new medical and surgical rooms in June 2011. At Russell Regional Hospital in Russell, care providers are also focusing on efforts to encourage physical activity as well as diagnostic imaging. The hospital recently installed a 128-slice low-dose computerized tomography scanner. “The scanner gives us early, fast and clear images,” says Shelley Boden, CEO. “CT virtual colonoscopy is available, CT lung screenings are now available and also CT cardiac scoring.” From new facilities to new technologies and programs, it is clear that western Kansas’ hospitals are committed to serving the residents’ health-care needs.
Clockwise from top left: St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City recently added a tower to its facility; A mural depicting scenes from western Kansas decorates the wall at the main entrance to St. Catherine Hospital; Russell Regional Hospital installed a 128-slice lowdose computerized tomography scanner that quickly gives physicians clear images.
Health Kids Challenge Western Kansas is home to a nationally recognized health promotion organization, Healthy Kids Challenge. Located in Dighton, HKC is a not-for-profit organization that helps school, community, business and health leaders take action for kids to eat better, move, and enjoy a healthy balance in their lives. Claudia Hohnbaum, who serves as assistant director of HKC, says the organization actually got its start as part of a community outreach project with Cooking Light magazine in 1998 and became a standalone entity in 2002. “We work with a lot of teachers, youth group leaders, and whole communities and schools,” Hohnbaum says. “We help them to provide an environment and opportunities for youth to be more active and make healthy choices.” One example of HKC’s successful programs is its after school reading program that takes place at libraries throughout the state. “It’s a program to develop opportunities through reading and activities connected to reading,” Hohnbaum says. To learn more about Healthy Kids Challenge, visit the organization’s website at healthykidschallenge.com.
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