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Community HealthCare System Awarded $371,521 Grant for Portable Ultrasound Machines

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Posted On: September 30, 2025 by Community HealthCare System in: General, News

Community HealthCare System (CHCS) recently received a $371,521 grant from the Patterson Family Foundation to help purchase portable ultrasound machines for its Holton, St. Marys, and Centralia rural healthcare clinics. “We are extremely appreciative of the Patterson Family Foundation for these grant funds,” said John Fitzthum CHCS Chief Executive Officer. “These grants will help us improve prenatal outcomes, reduce maternal and infant mortality, and support equitable maternal healthcare access in rural Kansas.” The Patterson Family Foundation, based in Kansas City, Missouri, is a family-led foundation that extends the legacy of Neal and Jeanne Patterson. It was established to strengthen rural communities through healthcare, education, economic opportunity, and beyond. The foundation focuses on Kansas and western Missouri counties with fewer than 50,000 residents. CHCS Chief Nursing Officer Mindy Olberding added, “I could not be more excited to accept
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Recent Blog Posts

Grant News

Community HealthCare System Awarded $371,521 Grant for Portable Ultrasound Machines

September 30, 2025

Categories: General, News

Community HealthCare System (CHCS) recently received a $371,521 grant from the Patterson Family Foundation to help purchase portable ultrasound machines for its Holton, St. Marys, and Centralia rural healthcare clinics. “We are extremely appreciative of the Patterson Family Foundation for these grant funds,” said John Fitzthum CHCS Chief Executive Officer. “These grants will help us improve prenatal outcomes, reduce maternal and infant mortality, and support equitable maternal...
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Tags: Grant News, OB Care, Ultrasound

Transportation

CHCS Launches New Transportation Initiative to Better Serve Staff and Patients

September 10, 2025

Categories: General, News

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...
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Tags: Transportation Initiative, Transportation Services

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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...
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Tags: Damon's Purpose, Do It for Damon, Suicide awareness month, suicide prevention

Patient Story

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....
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Tags: 340B program, Story

Fall 2025 Health Fair

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...
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Tags: health fair, low-cost labs, Onaga Community Hospital

History-Drone

Kansas Completes First Long-Range Medical Drone Delivery

August 15, 2025

Categories: Events, News

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...
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Tags: Drone Fllight, Kelly Hills, Medical

Awards

Community HealthCare System Earns Five National Awards from American Heart Association for Dedication to Heart and Stroke Care

August 7, 2025

Categories: General, News

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...
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Tags: awards, Heart Care, stroke care

safety

 Community HealthCare System Earns OSHA SHARP Recognition for 23rd Consecutive Year

August 5, 2025

Categories: General, News

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...
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Tags: OSHA SHARP, safety

Dr. Beck

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...
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Tags: New Provider, Welcome

Patient Story

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...
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Tags: Confidence, pelvic floor therapy