If we have not yet met, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kristen DeHart. I am honored to represent the Excelsior Springs Hospital as your City Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer. This past year was an amazing one for our ESH family. Our focus on investing in the organization and our people continued to be a solid win for the hospital and our community that we are proud to serve. We have so many good things to share, including a very favorable State of the Hospital update, shared last week with our Department Leads and Executive Team members.
I am so proud of our team and their tenacity, flexibility and willingness to do whatever it takes to bring new providers to town, squeezing in new programs into already-tight schedules and for being able to work creatively to expand and build new service lines for our community. Excelsior Springs Hospital and its service lines have experienced another phenomenal year. Today, I want to highlight some of our top projects and wins.
ESH continues to Thrive in All Areas
- Our Primary Care offices, Emergency Department and Inpatient Care units continued to see more patients, with double digit growth in nearly every service area. The growth in these areas was successful due in great part to the support of our ancillary services offered 24 hours a day/ 7 days per week. The Cardiopulmonary, Laboratory and Radiology services teams are rockstars and also experienced phenomenal growth during the year. Pharmacy extended their services, by extending hours and staffing to support the clinics, specialty clinics and our own growing employee prescription programs.
- Recruitment of Medical Providers is always a top priority for hospital and clinic continuity. We hit the jackpot this year with so many amazing providers joining our team. Each and every one is an amazing addition to our community. I am honored that they have chosen to work with ESH and am excited that each provider is so engaged in our Community Health Strategies. Our past VISION newsletters have provided introductions to many of these new providers, so I will highlight names and specialties only at this time.
- Roshan Dasari, M.D., Psychiatrist and Medical Director for Psychiatric Services
- Joshua Umscheid, M.D., Pediatrician, Non-surgical Orthopedics, Fellowship
- Heather Wilson, D.O., Family Medicine
- Nolan Gartin, D.O., Family Medicine
- Megan DeSpain, D.O., Emergency Medicine
- Melanie Lively, M.D., Pediatrician
- Paul Lively, D.O., Pediatrician
- Megan Nickell, PMHNP (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner), Psychiatric Services
- Sonia Ike, PMHNP, Psychiatric Services
- Sean Wiest, PMHNP, Psychiatric Services
- The Specialty Clinics at ESH added Dermatology and Pediatric clinics and expanded services for Gastroenterology, Interventional Pain, Rheumatology, Orthopedics and Pulmonology. Our Specialty Clinic volumes increased in every service line. We continue to grow in our commitment to bring specialty services and quality care to our community.
- Our Lawson Primary Care Clinic prepared for, was surveyed and passed its accreditation survey, making it accredited as a Rural Health Clinic. This survey process was intense, and our team in Lawson made the survey process look easy. This certification will improve access to care and bring more service offerings to Lawson, Clay and Ray Counties.
- The Rehabilitation Staff at ESH provides phenomenal care for our community members- of all ages. From pediatrics, to our most experienced patients, seen in a variety of settings, this rehabilitation team, made up of Physical and Occupational Therapists, and Speech Language Pathologists have provided the supports for some of the most amazing, and life-changing recovery stories. The team has recently expanded on their pediatric knowledge to provide the very best therapy care for our future generation.
- The Excelsior Springs Home Health and Hospice teams continue to respond to the needs of our community with recruiting, hiring and deploying additional resources. As other agencies in the area struggle to stay open, our team is experiencing another record-breaking year, with award-winning service and customer reviews. This team continues to inspire not only our ESH team, but other health care organizations in the Northland want to know the secret to our success.
- The Hospital’s financial counseling team has provided amazing support and education this year. Over 60 individuals were offered financial counseling and nearly 40 of those were approved to date. Medicaid enrollments were also quite successful with nearly 60 patients approved and another 160 still pending approval from the state. This team participates in outreach services at the Excelsior Springs Community Center and the Good Samaritan Center, providing education to the local community members about healthcare funding options available.
Investing in our Future
While the hospital continues to exercise extreme caution with spending, the Board of Trustees has continued to provide incredible support and guidance over the year. Throughout 2022, we appreciate the ESH Board of Trustees support and approval of equipment, programs, and upgrades throughout the hospital. Upgrades to our physical plant, security, programming and equipment improved the operational efficiencies. These investments confirm the Board’s continued commitment to our community and our employees by investing in our future. Likewise, the Excelsior Springs Health Care Foundation provided amazing financial support this year with outstanding fundraisers and assistance with some very critical real estate transactions. My special thank you to the Board of Trustees and Foundation Boards, as these members are very special to this organization and committed to our future.
Community Partners
We value our Community Partners. Our engagements with Clay County Public Health, the City of Excelsior Springs, and new this year, The Clay County Children’s Services Fund bring amazing resources and conversations to the table. We enjoy the time spent with our State and Local leaders. Tina Cook, Clinical and Community Educator continues to expand on our educational opportunities for the communities that we service. Our partnership with North Kansas City Hospital continued to expand, and we appreciate the support and encouragement provided by the leaders of our affiliated hospital. We appreciate our connections with the Excelsior Springs SAFE, Excelsior Springs School District and our partnership with the ES Community Center, offering memberships to all of our ESH employees. These associations continue to strengthen our community health plans and we are excited to continue our work with all.
The Future of Rural Health meets Excelsior Springs Hospital- a Bigger Picture is our Picture
Hospitals and Health Centers across the country continue to struggle in the new year. Communities need hospitals to maintain the physical, emotional and economic well-being for Missourians. We recognize our importance as we take our place in community initiatives. With a growing national shortage of physicians and nurses, competition pulling at every opportunity to transport patients right down the highway and challenges affecting our hospital operations every day, how does our healthcare rate in Excelsior?
- Excelsior Springs has excellent health options right here, available to our community members without leaving the city limits. We have multiple providers in the community with diverse backgrounds, all very dedicated to our community and our needs. We are so fortunate to have access to our healthcare partners and the resources that are available right here or at a reach to the affiliate hospitals spanning into the Kansas City Metro and have built on those relationships throughout this year.
Our healthcare options are critical to the health and well-being of the community. Access to healthcare is important for our youth and aging population, but also a driving force for new families looking to live in Excelsior. Having access to immediate services cannot be argued when emergencies occur. Care that is closer to home is not only convenient, but improves quality of services, responses to treatments and a faster recovery time.
The future of healthcare continues with multiple challenges. I am confident that we will weather the storm and continue to build on our service offerings to Excelsior Springs and the surrounding communities. What sets us apart from others? Our employees. Our team is engaged, strong, resilient and ready to tackle any challenges that it faces. We appreciate the work of our Cheers for Peers and Rise to Shine Committees. The additional benefits for 2022 have shown our love, appreciation and commitment for the dedication that staff have shown and continue to demonstrate every single day.
I commit to our community the following for 2023:
- Your Excelsior Springs Hospital will continue to respond to the needs of our community. We have been a part of this great community for nearly 120 years. We continue to evolve, and welcome new approaches, technologies and ideas.
- Your ESH Emergency room is available 24/7 for emergency services, provided by board certified physicians that are local and committed to your care.
- Our hospital will continue to build on its partnerships, telehealth initiatives, discussions with executive leaders and physician specialists affiliated with Excelsior Springs Hospital, North Kansas City Hospital, Liberty Hospital, the University of Kansas Health System and others to offer the highest level of care.
- We will remain committed to being available and open to new patients and those in transition while working to add new insurance contracts and payment options.
Lastly, if you have thoughts about healthcare that you would like to discuss any of our services, I would like to hear your stories. I have no doubt that this ESH team is ready to meet any challenge, with eagerness, enthusiasm and compassion. Many stories I hear are so very positive and enlightening. Please feel free to contact my office at 816-629-2775. If you haven’t toured our hospital, I encourage you to stop by. We are proud of our community, our hospital and our services. We are committed to improving the health of Excelsior Springs and our surrounding communities.
~ Kristen T. DeHart,
Chief Executive Officer
Excelsior Springs Hospital
Excelsior Springs Hospital is a community-driven health system providing superior care through our team of passionate health professionals. We partner with our community to offer personalized, innovative health and wellness choices close to home.