When Lisa Lovins started her new job as director of radiology at St. Rose Ambulatory & Surgery Center, she didn’t need a map to find the facility. Great Bend is her hometown and she is a 1977 graduate of Great Bend High School.
Technically, Lovins is the Radiology Director of CHI Kansas. CHI stands for Catholic Health Initiatives, which owns St. Rose.
"It is so good to be back in Great Bend," Lovins said. "It is a nice town and I have always liked Great Bend. I look forward to seeing some familiar faces and meeting other members of the community."
Lovins divides her responsibilities with St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, another CHI family member. For now, she is in Great Bend at least one day a week and that will increase to at least two days. She lives in Scott City.
St. Rose’s Radiology Department has state-of-the-art equipment and services, Lovins noted. Included are a 64-slice CT scanner, digital mammography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), dexa scan for bone-density tests, ultrasound and nuclear medicine.
"This is some of the best equipment anywhere," Lovins commented. "The 64-slice CT is cutting-edge equipment that can scan in just a few minutes. This is especially important if a young child or any other apprehensive patient is involved.
"A scan of the head or abdomen, for example, can be taken in three to five minutes, if that," she continued. "And the images are crystal clear."
One main goal in Radiology is to be even more accommodating to patients’ schedules. "We want to fit into their time frames, not ours," Lovins said.
The new director is working closely with Phil Kirmer, St. Rose Radiology supervisor.
"Phil is a great technologist and a true professional," Lovins said. "We are trying to learn all we can from one another, and from this great staff. All staff members here are able and willing to do whatever they can to continue offering the highest quality imaging services."
Lovins began her 30-year career as an X-ray technologist at St. Catherine Hospital. She was there for a while and returned eight years later; she stayed for five-and-a-half years and then went to Garden Medical Clinic, where she remained for 14 years as supervisor of Radiology. She has been director of radiology at St. Catherine Hospital since 2005.
Lovins’ parents are Ann Rodie of Russell and the late Norman Rodie.
Scott Taylor, president and chief executive officer of CHI Kansas, said Lovins is a good fit for this new position.
"Lisa’s love for both St. Catherine and St. Rose factored heavily into her decision to serve the ministries in a statewide leadership role," Taylor said. "She is a respected member of the St. Catherine leadership team, and will be able to serve her hometown of Great Bend in that same capacity."
