Posted On: September 10, 2025 by Community HealthCare System in: General, News
Enrich
Learn more about Community HealthCare System here.
Community HealthCare System (CHCS) is excited to announce the launch of a new transportation initiative designed to make travel easier, safer, and more reliable for both staff and patients.
Beginning in September, CHCS will offer scheduled daily routes between three of our key locations: Holton, Onaga, and St. Marys. These routes will function much like “bus stops,” giving employees and patients a dependable option for transportation between CHCS campuses.
The daily route schedule will be:
8:10 a.m. – Leave Onaga
8:40 a.m. – Arrive in Holton
9:00 a.m. – Leave Holton
9:30 a.m. – Arrive in Onaga
10:00 a.m. – Leave Onaga
10:30 a.m. – Arrive in St. Marys
11:00 a.m. – Leave St. Marys
11:30 a.m. – Arrive in Onaga
12:30 p.m. – Leave Onaga
1:00 p.m. – Arrive in Holton
1:30 p.m. – Leave Holton
2:00 p.m. – Arrive in Onaga
2:30 p.m. – Leave Onaga
3:00 p.m. – Arrive
Read More
Recent Blog Posts
CHCS Launches New Transportation Initiative to Better Serve Staff and Patients
September 10, 2025
Community HealthCare System (CHCS) is excited to announce the launch of a new transportation initiative designed to make travel easier, safer, and more reliable for both staff and patients.
Beginning in September, CHCS will offer scheduled daily routes between three of our key locations: Holton, Onaga, and St. Marys. These routes will function much like “bus stops,” giving employees and patients a dependable option for transportation between CHCS campuses.
The daily route schedule...
Read More
Do It for Damon
September 8, 2025
Categories: General, News, Patient story
We can all look back on our lives and remember moments that changed the path we thought our lives were on. Sometimes those moments occurred after we made a big decision, but sometimes those moments happen when others make choices that change our lives forever.
On January 19, 2021 our 13 year old son, Damon, made the decision to end his life. That moment and many moments in the following days, weeks, and months truly changed the trajectory of my life. In those first few days, I remember saying...
Read More
Mason’s Story: How 340B Helped a Young Boy Thrive
August 28, 2025
Categories: Patient story
When Mason Helmerichs was just 18 months old, his family’s world changed. He was diagnosed with Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EOE), a chronic condition that causes inflammation in the esophagus. For Mason, this meant food getting stuck, vomiting, and poor weight gain. Food allergies cause this. His parents worked tirelessly to discover which foods triggered his condition, but the process was long and difficult—each answer only came through food trials and biopsies performed during surgery....
Read More
Community HealthCare System to Host Health Fair & Community Baby Shower
August 19, 2025
Categories: Community health news, News
Community HealthCare System (CHCS) invites the public to attend a Health Fair and Community Baby Shower on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the Onaga Community Hospital.
As a special part of the event, guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast and visit with CHCS CEO John Fitzthum and Board Chairman Justin Boswell. Breakfast will begin at 8:00 a.m. and is open to all attendees until the food runs out.
“This event is a celebration of health, family, and the relationships...
Read More
Kansas Completes First Long-Range Medical Drone Delivery
August 15, 2025
Community HealthCare System (CHCS) and Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems have made Kansas history with the state’s first long-range drone delivery of medical supplies.
On Tuesday, August 12, an unmanned aircraft departed Kelly Hills UAS Airfield in Seneca carrying an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and landed 30 minutes later at Charles E. Grutzmacher Municipal Airport in Onaga. The flight demonstrated how advanced drone technology can help bridge healthcare gaps for rural communities.
The...
Read More
Community HealthCare System Earns Five National Awards from American Heart Association for Dedication to Heart and Stroke Care
August 7, 2025
Recognition Highlights CHCS’s Commitment to Lifesaving, Evidence-Based Treatment in Rural Communities
Community HealthCare System (CHCS) has been nationally recognized by the American Heart Association with five “Get With The Guidelines®” achievement awards for excellence in the treatment of coronary artery disease and stroke.
These honors reflect CHCS’s strong commitment to using the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines to improve outcomes and save lives.
CHCS...
Read More
Community HealthCare System Earns OSHA SHARP Recognition for 23rd Consecutive Year
August 5, 2025
For the 23rd year in a row, Community HealthCare System (CHCS) has been nationally recognized for its outstanding commitment to workplace safety, earning recertification through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).
CHCS remains the only hospital in Kansas—and currently one of just two in the nation—to hold this prestigious designation, and has done so every year since 2002.
SHARP recognizes employers...
Read More
Community Healthcare System Welcomes Dr. Emma Beck to Medical Staff
August 1, 2025
Categories: Employee News, News
Community Healthcare System (CHCS) is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Emma Beck, a board-eligible Family Medicine physician with specialized training in obstetrics, to its medical staff.
Dr. Beck brings a passion for women’s health, obstetrics, international medicine, and point-of-care ultrasound. A Kansas native and graduate of KU Medical School, Dr. Beck completed her residency at Via Christi Family Medicine and is eligible to sit for the Family Medicine-Obstetrics boards. She...
Read More
Confidence Through Care: One Mom’s Journey with Pelvic Floor Therapy at CHCS
July 31, 2025
Categories: Patient story
When Jackson Heights preschool teacher and first-time mom Randee Holaday found out she was pregnant, she had no idea how transformative the journey would be—not just emotionally, but physically, too.
Living in Holton with her husband Garrett, Randee’s pregnancy came with the typical excitement—and some unexpected discomfort. She began to experience persistent hip and lower back pain, especially while working with her young students at Jackson Heights. But a conversation with...
Read More
A Feel-Good Moment at CHCS
July 22, 2025
Categories: Provider story
Over a recent weekend, Dr. Connor found out that one of our patients was celebrating his third birthday in a row at the hospital. Instead of letting the day quietly pass by, Dr. Connor made it special. He brought in a sweet treat—with sprinkles and a candle—thanks to a quick assist from his wife and kids, and led a heartwarming birthday celebration, complete with a chorus of “Happy Birthday” from the team.
You don’t find doctors like that just anywhere. We’re...
Read More