Volume 1
Summer 2023
Decatur Health
COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
Last Quarter at Decatur Health
- The Family Practice Clinic saw 59 school physicals in May, and will be providing another week of free sports physicals to USD 294 August 7th - 11th, 2023
- Our new & improved website launched on June 19th, 2023. You can now go in depth by department & find much more information about the services we provide.
- Alongside the website release, our IT team created a QR Code that can be scanned by a cellphone camera - this will bring you directly to our website! You can find the QR on most of our marketing materials!
- We've listened to the voices in our community and have worked to get our new billing system up and running. You may have noticed your statements look a little different - but don't worry, it's still from Decatur Health!
Hospital Week may 8th - 12th
Our Planned Activities Committee (PAC) team went above & beyond to ensure our Hospital Week events were packed full of fun. Between a taco truck, chair massages, and prize giveaways, it was an incredible week to be on the DH team!
Rural Healthcare News
Our very own Jennie Anderson, RN has been asked to sit on the Kansas Rural Healthcare Advisory Panel. This is huge – for both Decatur Health and Decatur County! She will be advising the KS Dept. of Health and being an advocate for rural Kansas health care issues. We are SO proud of her – and can’t wait to see what changes she will facilitate for us all.
Our Lab Passed Its CLIA Certification With zERO Deficiencies!
We are shouting CONGRATS from the rooftop! Our lab team passed it’s state inspection with flying colors. Thank you for all the time & effort you put in to keeping our lab working as seamlessly as it does! Job well done to Ed, Trina, Diana, Jerald, and Miranda!
On the 4th Thursday of every month, you will find us up at the Gateway! In April, Dr. Bartruff spoke about Blood Pressure management. May featured CEO Julie Smith as she discussed Stroke & FAST. June brought Dr. Bartruff back on the track again, and this time speaking about Alzheimer’s Disease
23rd Annual Decatur Health Robin Edgett Memorial Golf Tournament
All funds raised will go toward a new cardiac stress test system! This system is used to assist our providers and cardiologists in diagnosing heart blockages and the management of other heart diseases. These tests involve multiple departments including nursing, respiratory, radiology, and food services.
NEXT Quarter at Decatur Health
4th of July Festivities
We can’t wait to see everyone at the upcoming summer events! We have donated Decatur Health bottled water at the 4th of July Fundraiser Meal at the 4-H Building. If you’re attending the Coins for Kids event at the pool, be sure to look out for the new Decatur Health coin that will be used for a prize!
Dr. Bartruff's 50-Year Pinning!
Dr. Bartruff will be receiving his 50 year pin from the Nebraska Medical Association on August 18th & we cannot wait to celebrate him and his hard work! We will post a notice of a date & time for a celebration event.
Join us as we welcome Kristina Dreher DNP FNP-C to our team!
We are so excited that Kristina will be joining our Decatur Health medical staff! She is a recent Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate from Fort Hays State College – but you may recognize her from her time working here as a PRN Registered Nurse!
WE ARE DECATUR HEALTH
One team, One vision, One goal
Get to know our people!
JENNIE ANDERSON, RN
Risk Manager/Quality Coordinator & Compliance Officer
Jennie has been working with us since 2006! She enjoys listening to podcasts - true crime, health/wellness, parenting, self-help, faith based, & cooking. Outside of her workday, you will find her chasing after three very busy kids & one very busy farmer husband. A healthy habit that she loves is taking walks over her lunch breaks!
JENNIE’S TIPS FOR SETTING GOALS
Set goals surrounding your passions & make sure that they are achievable. Write them down and tell others about your goals. Focus on making one goal your priority, and visualize yourself accomplishing it. And when you accomplish that goal, make sure you reward yourself!
CHERISH SEIFERT, LBSW
Social Services
Cherish has been a part of the Decatur Health team since 2019! When she's not helping patients at the hospital, you can find her either outdoors or spending as much time as she can with her friends & family. She loves Netflix's Virgin River, jamming out to Stevie Nicks, and running around with (or chasing after) her 3 year old!
CHERISH’S TIPS ON SELF-CARE
Mental Health is health – teaching yourself how to practice self care is extremely important. Learn how to say no and create healthy boundaries for yourself. Take time to breathe deeply and give yourself permission to feel your emotions.
MJ WARD, LPN/C
Infection Prevention & Employee Health
MJ has been an integral member of our staff since October of 2020! If you catch her outside of work, there's a good chance you'll see her riding around in her slingshot or rocking out to music (pun intended, since rock is her favorite). She is a collector of vases from the 1960s-1970s and she has over 100. Something that you might not know - MJ is actually scared of Kangaroos!
MJ’S TIP ON INFECTION PREVENTION
One of the best ways to prevent infection is by practicing good hand hygiene! About 80% of infectious diseases are transmitted by unclean hands touching contaminated surfaces.
5 things you can do today to live a healthier lifestyle!
Swap your coffee for green tea! It can help reduce inflammation, has antioxidants that can help prevent cancer, promotes fat burning, and more.
Try riding your bike to the store! Even just 30 minutes on a bike can help build endurance and strengthen your heart.
Start to be more conscious about your posture while sitting at your desk or at the dinner table to better your posture throughout the day.
Doing a few simple stretches before hitting the hay will help you fall asleep faster, improve blood flow, and relieve muscle tension.
Develop a morning routine. Doing skincare, hydration, mindfulness, and a healthy/balanced breakfast into your mornings can have a huge impact on how the rest of your day will turn out.
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