By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Kansas oncologist serving on nationwide health-care committee
biz mlee fesen
Dr. Mark Fesen, Kansas medical oncologist, left, meets with U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas in Washington, D.C. Rep. Sessions invited Dr. Fesen to serve on a heath-care advisory committee. - photo by COURTESY PHOTO
Updated: Mar 22, 2014, 7:27 PM
Published: Mar 22, 2014, 7:29 PM


            When Mark Fesen, M.D., was invited to serve on a nationwide health-care advisory committee, he jumped at the chance. What better way to learn more about new health-care issues and share his real-world input with national lawmakers.

          Dr. Fesen is a medical oncologist at Salina-based Central Care Cancer Center. He treats patients at Heartland Cancer Center at Great Bend in partnership with St. Rose Ambulatory & Surgery Center, and Garden City in partnership with St. Catherine Hospital.

He also sees patients at the Central Care facility in Wichita.

          “I wanted to be part of this because there are so many changes affecting access to health care,” Dr. Fesen said. “These changes can be scary for everyone – patients, providers and health-care facilities.”

          The invitation to serve on the panel came from Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, who represents the 32ndDistrict in Texas. The approximately 35 physicians from around the country keep in contact on a regular basis and have met twice so far – in Dallas and Washington, D.C.

          A third meeting will be scheduled.

          “It is rare to get this sort of access to the congressional leadership,” Dr. Fesen said, noting he appreciates Sessions’ invitation. “Usually, the physicians advising politicians represent large medical societies or other entities.

          “And they are not necessarily practicing physicians,” Dr. Fesen continued. “I want this direct access so lawmakers understand our everyday challenges and patients understand the leadership’s challenges.”

          While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is bringing about many changes, access to treatment is a key concern.

          “A lot more of what happens is driven by treatment guidelines,” Dr. Fesen said. “We are trying to do what it takes to care for patients. Many are chronically ill and/or elderly, and maybe of modest means; they are not in the best position to advocate for themselves.

          “We must ensure everyone – no matter what walk of life they come from - has access to all types of health-care providers,” the oncologist added. “Our panel wants to be their voice.”

          There is a palpable “fear of the unknown,” Dr. Fesen noted. “People are wondering if Medicare will pay for this test or that test. The treatment could be delayed or not happen at all.”

          The approximately 20 congressmen who attended the Washington meeting are involved in writing legislation “with consideration for what they see as flaws of the ACA,” Dr. Fesen commented. “They are trying to ease the concerns and it was helpful for me to meet them. A lot of them are physicians, which gives them special insight.”

          As part of its advocacy, the committee is sharing information about cumbersome numeric codes used to inform insurance companies. For example, if a patient has knee pain, there could be up to 250 insurance codes involved.

          “It is a far bigger hassle for patients,” Dr. Fesen said. “And providers need more staff to handle the paperwork, while simultaneously, reimbursements are being cut. Every day is another hurdle.”

          Dr. Fesen noted that everyone wants a more streamlined health-care system that would control costs, and limit overuse and redundancy. Electronic medical records have been touted as one answer, he said, but there is an inherent problem.

          “You have this computer system and that computer system, and they don’t talk to one another,” he explained. “It is flaws like this we want to address. We need ease of use and information exchanges that help patients and protect their privacy.”

          For instance, if a patient has a CT scan today in Kansas but is later out-of-state when another scan is considered, the new physician needs quick, reliable access to the first scan. “We don’t want to repeat a scan because the first results cannot be located,” Dr. Fesen said.

          Two other Kansans attended the Washington meeting – Beloit’s Craig Concannon, M.D., and his wife, Susan, Kansas representative in the 107thDistrict. “It was great having the Concannons there,” Dr. Fesen said. “They brought a lot of expertise to the conversation.”
Pawnee Valley Community Hospital now offers proven PAD treatment
pvch-set-pad
Sayra Santacruz, respiratory therapist, and Dusty Thacker, director of Cardiopulmonary Services at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, demonstrate supervised exercise therapy for patients with peripheral artery disease.
Published: Apr 3, 2025, 1:50 PM

Anyone who has a diagnosis of peripheral artery disease (PAD) now has access to a “proven, effective treatment” at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital (PVCH), said Dusty Thacker, director of Cardiopulmonary Services.

The treatment is called supervised exercise therapy (SET) and is specifically tailored to PAD, a condition in which blood vessels to the legs and feet become narrowed or blocked. This is due to a build-up of fatty deposits inside the arteries that limits blood flow.

“SET is a structured workout program designed to help people improve their physical health under the guidance of a trained professional,” Thacker said. “Sessions are tailored to the person’s needs and focus on improving strength, endurance and mobility.

“The treatment also helps improve circulation, which can reduce or eliminate pain while walking.”

Exercise sessions typically involve a combination of aerobics, strength training and stretching. This includes walking on a treadmill at a moderate pace, with an incline, until the patient begins to feel mild to moderate leg pain.

The patient then rests until the pain subsides before resuming the exercise during up to 36 sessions with a registered respiratory therapist.

“SET is a key treatment approach that focuses on improving blood flow, reducing leg pain and enhancing overall mobility,” Thacker summarized.

Smoking and diabetes are the strongest risk factors for PAD, Thacker noted. Other factors include being over 75; high blood pressure and/or cholesterol; not enough physical activity; stress; diets high in saturated fats; obesity; chronic kidney disease; and family history.

“A few classic symptoms of PAD are pain, burning or cramping in your legs and feet during an activity that improve with rest,” Thacker said.

Others are leg and foot pain at night or while lying down, as well as coldness or numbness in the legs or feet. Additional possibilities are leg weakness or heaviness, slow-healing sores on feet or legs, discolored skin and leg-hair loss.

The therapist offers education about smoking cessation, a heart-healthy diet, weight management, blood pressure control and increasing physical activity.

“We are pleased that we now offer this important exercise therapy,” Thacker commented. “Many of our patients have benefited from our Cardiac Rehab and Pulmonary Rehab services by gaining control of their symptoms, improving their quality of life and reducing the risk of future hospitalizations.

“SET is a similar service. Patients with PAD now have a treatment that can help them manage symptoms and improve overall vascular health.

“We are excited to expand our cardiopulmonary services and incredibly fortunate to partner with HaysMed and the DeBakey Heart Institute. This collaboration connects our Larned community with any necessary advanced services and direct access to cardiologists. It allows us to offer specialized care close to home, significantly enhancing the quality of care and positively impacting our patients’ health and well-being.”


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 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.