April 22, 2021

Celebrating Lab Week and Health Information Professionals Week

Lab Week is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year! Medical laboratory professionals and pathologists play a vital role in health care. Lab staff are available 24/7 for patient needs and are all experienced clinicians. Our labs have a Certificate of Compliance by CMS and CLIA, the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment. Our Medical Director is Dr. Mark Synovec.   Thanks to our excellent lab team for doing a great job! See below for photos.

Health information professionals are trusted by patients and providers alike to protect, interpret, and transmit the most sensitive data that exists about a person, while making sure it is available where and when it is needed.  The Health Information Management department at CHCS handles a wide variety of systemwide responsibility, including coding, birth certificates, transcription, and release of information, as well as maintaining all medical records and scanning. The duties and responsibilities of the department have grown and evolved over the past several years with the transition to electronic health records. Thank you for your work! See below for photos.

Above: HIM staff, L to R, Jean Calkins, Suzanne Bernritter, Cheryl Shepherd, Betty Merriman, Linda Fordham, and Olenna Barnes. Not pictured: Alycea Lakin, interim manager. Right: Jessica Swart and Donna Bragg, certified professional coders, work remotely.

Below: Onaga lab staff. Back row, L to R: Medical lab technologists Eduardo Bertulfo, Tiffany Sanders, Tim Millner, and Madahi Mejia. Front row, L to R: Irene Gingoyon, medical lab technologist; Suzanne Booth, and Meghan Vernon, phlebotomists. Bottom left: St. Marys medical lab technologist Danica Paloma (not pictured: Kevin Flickinger). Bottom right: Holton Clinic phlebotomist Dallas Ruckman.

Kansas Hospital Association updates CHCS participates in conference calls hosted by the Kansas Hospital Association. The calls have been a valuable source of information as we have navigated the pandemic. This week's call featured Dr. Tim Williamson from the University of Kansas Health System. He delivered important information about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and the blood disorders that have been documented. He noted the following. The six reported episodes of a very specific blood disorder, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, or CVST, were made unusual by the associated condition of thrombocytopenia, or low blood platelet count, which is normally not found with CVST. The incidence of this condition is 0.00009. The occurrence with the J&J vaccine is less than the background rate (the expected incidence) of the condition in the population. The Centers for Disease Control Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet this Friday to assess data and make recommendations. Dr. Williamson anticipates that the committee will resume J&J vaccinations, perhaps with restrictions for certain populations, particularly females aged 20 to 50. 90 million doses of Pfizer vaccine have been administered with no reported clotting events. 85 million doses of Moderna vaccine have been administered with 3 reported clotting events, none of which had thrombocytopenia. Dr. Williamson also observed that COVID-19 variants are in Kansas and are affecting younger patients. He cautioned that COVID isn't over.

Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Lee Norman, MD, also provides regular updates during KHA calls. Here are a few topics he covered this week. Variants: These are showing up in Kansas, and the average age of hospitalized patients is now in the 40s. The UK, South African, Brazilian, and California variants have been found in our state. The good news is that vaccines are showing good coverage with all variants, and those who become sick despite vaccination are recovering faster. Vaccination rates have stalled in Kansas. The J&J vaccine issues has been damaging to the vaccine effort. We hope to avoid a situation similar to the one in Canada, where only 2% are vaccinated and ICUs are now being overrun. More primary care clinics are now accepting vaccine allocations, and many school districts are starting to hold vaccination clinics for high school students. Dr. Norman encouraged a push for younger people to be vaccinated. Ron Marshall, KHA director of preparedness and regulatory affairs, also delivered an update on masks. He noted that the Medicare COP (Conditions of Participation) for masks remains in effect. A hospital in Kansas was recently cited for immediate jeopardy because employees were not wearing masks.

CHCS Fitness Centers update hours CHCS Fitness Centers are happy to announce that they have expanded their hours. Please note the following changes. Onaga Fitness Center Monday-Friday: 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Saturday-Sunday: 24-hour access. Patrons should use North entrance only, with no entry allowed into the hospital except for employees. Centralia and Frankfort Fitness Centers 24-hour access, 7 days a week Interested in joining a Fitness Center? Contact Kelsey Edwards at ext. 5048 for Onaga or Lyndsi Morton at ext. 4701 for Frankfort and Centralia.

CHCS to offer Youth Mental Health First Aid

One in five teens and young adults live with a mental health condition, and more than 64% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment. Unlike physical conditions, symptoms of mental health and substance use problems can be difficult to detect. CHCS is offering Youth Mental Health First Aid to give adults who work with youth the skills they need to provide initial support to children and adolescents who may be developing mental health or substance use problems. An inaugural class will be available Thursday, May 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The course will be conducted virtually via Zoom, and participants are required to complete two hours of online education before the class begins. Cost is $40 per person. Click the flyer, above right, to expand/download, and please share with others who may be interested! CHCS instructors are Angie Sauvage, Licensed Master Social Worker, and Kelsey Edwards, Rehabilitation and Fitness Center Coordinator. Both recently became certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid; Sauvage was already certified in Mental Health First Aid for adults. Both Sauvage and Edwards have seen the need for more education and resources to help parents, teachers, coaches, and others feel prepared to help young people find appropriate care. Advance registration is required by May 13. To register or to ask questions, contact Kelsey Edwards at extension 5048 or by email at kelseyedwards@chcsks.org.

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Community Service Day

USD 322 Onaga students helped CHCS with several projects on Monday as part of their Community Service Day activities. Students helped prep our garden plot, refresh the mulch in our landscaping, and continue to make progress on our mural. We appreciate their efforts! Our staff was planning to paint some playground equipment in the park across the street, but we had to postpone because of cold temps and the coming moisture. Stayed tuned for more info soon!

CHCS Spirit Squad: Haiku contest winners

Thank you for the haiku entries! Three haiku were exemplary. All three authors will receive a prize!

Warmth permeates hills Green leaves blow in sea like waves Awakening spring --Christina Hasenkamp, RN, Employee Health

I see the sunrise Soar up before me blazing Renewed beginnings --Chantel Heinen, RN, Frankfort Clinic

Babies exploring Greener grass outside the fence Free, for the moment! -- Ellie Haverkamp, OT assistant, Onaga Nice work, all!

Mind Thief: The Story of Alzheimer's Alzheimer’s disease, a haunting and harrowing ailment, is one of the world’s most common causes of death. Alzheimer’s lingers for years, with patients’ outward appearance unaffected while their cognitive functions fade away. Patients lose the ability to work and live independently, to remember and recognize. There is still no proven way to treat Alzheimer’s because its causes remain unknown. Mind Thief is a comprehensive and engaging history of Alzheimer’s that demystifies efforts to understand the disease. Wide-ranging and accessible, Mind Thief is an important book for all readers interested in the challenge of Alzheimer’s. Beginning with the discovery of “presenile dementia” in the early twentieth century, K-State professor Han Yu examines over a century of research and controversy. She presents the leading hypotheses for what causes Alzheimer’s; discusses each hypothesis’s tangled origins, merits, and gaps; and details their successes and failures. Yu synthesizes a vast amount of medical literature, historical studies, and media interviews, telling the gripping stories of researchers’ struggles while situating science in its historical, social, and cultural contexts. Her chronicling of the trajectory of Alzheimer’s research deftly balances rich scientific detail with attention to the wider implications. This book is now available in the CHCS Gift Shop at a discounted price. (Cover price is $30; our price is $25 because we were able to purchase directly from the publisher at a discount.) CHCS is hoping to offer an event with the author in the future. Stay tuned!

Han Yu is a professor in the Department of English at Kansas State University, where she teaches technical communication, science writing, and engineering writing. She is the author of The Other Kind of Funnies: Comics in Technical Communication (2015) and Communicating Genetics: Visualizations and Representations (2017).

Logo watch Please help CHCS ensure that all of our materials and forms look uniform and professional! The logo on the upper right should appear on all official CHCS forms and documents, especially anything that goes to patients or to other medical facilities outside CHCS. Please note that if you see a logo that looks like the one below or uses the old font and wheat logo, you need to send the form to Sarah Hancock so we can update it. If you need updated logos for other uses, Sarah can supply those, too, along with guidelines for proper use as necessary.

Important reminders Adventure Time Child Care in Onaga has spots available for summer! The program is June 2 through August 12 for ages 6-11 and includes weekly themes, special activities, and field trips. To sign up or ask questions, call or text Madison Mars at 785-336-1795 or email adventuretimechildcare@outlook.com. View a flyer. We will celebrate Hospital Week May 10-14 with various activities and our annual recognition of associates who have reached service milestones. Look for more details in next week's E-Connection. Employee Assistance Program: All CHCS associates are eligible for three confidential counseling sessions per fiscal year (April 1-March 31). To schedule, contact Regina Gronewoller, LSCSW, at reginagronewoller@chcsks.org (preferred) or call 785-437-3734. Download and share a flyer.

Coffee Shop special April 26-30 Toffee Nut Latte English toffee and hazelnut 16 oz., $4 Hot, cold, or frappe

Celebrate Mother's Day! Mother's Day is Sunday, May 9. The Gift Shop is taking flower pre-orders through May 1 for pickup on Friday, May 7. Click on the flyer at left for details. (Note: We can deliver to Redbud, Eastridge, and St. Marys Manor!)

Flowers not her thing? Take a look at more options!

Above: Give Mom a Route Step Farm gift basket with soaps, lotion, and honey. These products are handmade by Carol Perry, Onaga Clinic LPN, and her sister. Learn more.

Above: Practical yet pretty notepads, oven mitts, and potholders make great gifts! Below: Stop in to find many other ideas or give us a call so we can help you!

CHCS menus: Onaga and Eastridge View menus for April 25-May 1 Note: St. Marys menus are available each morning through the Activities chronicle

Final funny

Did you miss your Connection? Important information is relayed every week in the E-Connection. If you miss it in your email, an archive is available on our website. Visit the For Associates page, then click E-Connection Archive.

Send items for the E-Connection or for sharing with our broader social media audience to sarahhancock@chcsks.org. Please send items by close of business on Tuesdays when possible. Ideas are welcome!

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