If there is one thing Linda Farthing could shout from the rooftops, it would be this: Emergency services will remain the same when Central Kansas Medical Center’s name changes to St. Rose Ambulatory & Surgery Center in May.
As CKMC’s chief nursing officer, Farthing wants to reassure the community that emergency physicians and specially trained nurses will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week as they always have been. Patients transported by ambulance will continue to have a choice about where they will be treated.
"Everything will be the same," Farthing said. "We will still have all our high-tech equipment and 24/7 access to a complete pharmacy and one of the best labs anywhere.
"When a patient arrives for emergency care, the same procedures will be in place," Farthing continued. "Some will be treated and released, and others will be stabilized and transferred to the most appropriate facility."
St. Rose will not offer in-patient services, which entail spending the night.
Because of state law, if a facility is not labeled a "hospital," it cannot have an ER. It must be called "urgent care." CKMC’s status will change from a hospital to an ambulatory and surgery center on May 1.
"The only change will be in terminology so that we are in compliance with state law," Farthing said. "Everyone can be assured that this technical name change will not alter emergency treatment in any way."
Farthing noted that she understands why some in the community are concerned about this change. Urgent care centers have been springing up all over the country, offering only the most-basic services.
"Our urgent care at St. Rose will be drastically different," the chief nursing officer emphasized. "We should not be compared to the care provided in a drug store, doctor’s office or clinic.
"Those are for-profit ventures that have very limited staff and limited hours," she continued. "They are not manned by full-time emergency physicians like we are now and will be after the name change."
The same five emergency physicians will remain on staff. CKMC is the only facility in Barton County that has emergency-medicine physicians on-site 24 hours a day. It will be the same at St. Rose.
Dr. Greg Faimon, emergency medical director, noted that he has always been impressed with CKMC’s impressive longevity and its commitment to the entire central Kansas community.
"For 108 years, CKMC has provided healthcare for the right reasons – patients before profits," Dr. Faimon said. "They have given millions and millions of dollars in charity care over the years, and this non-profit status will not change. I hope everyone realizes the gem they have here.
"The community should also be comforted to know that the nursing staff here is as professional as any I have ever worked with. And I have worked with more than a few," added Dr. Faimon, who also works in the ER at Galichia Heart Hospital in Wichita.
One of those nurses is Mike Rios, who has worked at CKMC for seven years and is lead ER nurse. Many others have served for anywhere from 20 to 30 years at CKMC, for a combined 186 years of experience.
"People have come up to me recently and said, ‘Hey, you work in the ER. What’s going on?’" Rios commented. "I am always gratified to set the record straight and correct any misconceptions out there.
"Our emergency services and personnel are second to none, and will continue to be," Rios said. "A change in terminology cannot change that."
All CKMC emergency nurses are certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Advanced Pediatric Life Support. They also have special trauma training, which is required at CKMC.
In addition, a large majority of the emergency nurses have flight experience on various aircraft, and one nurse, Jody Cregger, provides nursing education all over the state.
"You can’t find a more qualified and compassionate group," Rios said. "I hope the community realizes it can count on us."
The other emergency specialists on Dr. Faimon’s team are John Whitehead, D.O., Wichita; Kim Janzen, M.D., McPherson; Tracy Tucker, M.D., Emporia; and Wolf Miggiani, M.D., of the Hutchinson area. Each averages six 24-hour shifts here per month.
Emergency care is not the only thing that will remain the same when the name changes to St. Rose. Other services will still include out-patient surgery, physicians’ clinics, high-tech imaging, a full line of lab services, out-patient therapies, home health and hospice, cancer treatment and a sleep lab.
Heartland Cancer Center and Golden Belt Home Health and Hospice will continue to provide complete services. They are owned and operated by CKMC.
The main change will be the discontinuation of: in-patient care, which entails spending the night in the hospital; obstetrics care; and in-patient rehab.
"More and more care is being provided on an out-patient basis so you don’t have to spend the night in the hospital," Mark Mingenback, director of business strategy and marketing, said earlier. "Almost nine out of 10 surgeries at CKMC today are performed on an out-patient basis. And a large majority of other services has been on an out-patient basis for many years. This will not change."
