News

Community HealthCare System will offer orthopedic services starting in August. Dr. Heidi Smith of Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Center in Manhattan will take appointments in Onaga every other Wednesday each month starting August 11.

Dr. Smith provides care for a wide variety of general orthopedic complaints and injuries in patients of all ages and functional status. Her area of specialty is orthopedic surgery, and she has additional specialty training in sports medicine/arthroscopy,...

The COVID-19 pandemic spurred more interest in workplace safety, but emphasis on safety is nothing new at Community HealthCare System. CHCS’s longtime commitment to safety earned formal recognition recently when it received certification by a special program from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for the 19th year in a row.

Since 2002, CHCS has been recognized as the only hospital in Kansas and one of only a handful in the nation to uphold the highest standards...

Community HealthCare System has completed an imaging technology upgrade at St. Marys Family Health Center and Holton Family Health Center. X-ray machines are now fully digital, which means that clearer images are available much more quickly.

Jason McKinsey, CHCS radiology manager, said that the days of processing cassettes and films are over. A digitized process from x-ray exposure onward means the process is much faster and more efficient, and the upgrade has other significant advantages...

Community HealthCare System’s St. Marys Clinic will offer extended hours starting Tuesday, July 6.

The clinic will be open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Hours on Mondays and Fridays will remain 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

According to Merica Surdez, Community HealthCare System chief of provider and clinic operations, the extra two hours three nights per week will help busy families.

“We...

How do you find healthcare services in your community when a loved one needs recovery and rehabilitation? What kind of services are available? How can you best prepare for your future needs? How can you safeguard your health and quality of life?

Community HealthCare System will help answer these questions in a new event series at the Onaga Senior Center. All are welcome to join for CHCS Connect sessions each month. The presentations will start at 11:30 a.m.  The Senior Center serves...

Community HealthCare System invites the public to attend retirement receptions for lead nurses from Onaga Clinic and Centralia Clinic.

Peggy Buessing, LPN and lead nurse from Centralia Clinic (at left in photo, above), has worked at CHCS for 30 years. A reception will be held in her honor and open to the public on Tuesday, June 29 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the Centralia Clinic. Remarks at 2:00.  Pat Flentie, LPN and lead nurse...

For the past year, CHCS has worked to tackle the ever-changing challenges presented by COVID-19. Delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine has been one of those challenges.

As soon as the vaccine became available, CHCS collaborated with the public health departments from four different counties (Pottawatomie, Jackson, Marshall, and Nemaha) to ensure that our patients had equal access to the vaccine when we weren’t eligible to receive it directly. Each county handled the vaccine differently,...

From coordinating staffing and ordering supplies to attending meetings – all while caring for patients – clinic lead nurses take on many responsibilities to ensure that Community HealthCare System provides quality care. They keep things running smoothly, and they exhibit grace under pressure.

CHCS is proud to recognize two new lead nurses and one change in location. These changes come on the heels of retirement announcements from longtime Onaga Clinic and Centralia Clinic...

By Mindy Olberding, Chief Nursing Officer

Since 1988, the United States has recognized the month of May as Trauma Awareness Month. This year’s theme chosen by the American Trauma Society (ATS) and The Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) is Safe and Secure – Safety is a Choice, Prevention is the Key. 

During the pandemic, we learned that taking preventative measures to ensure our safety against COVID-19 was important, and the same is true with...

Below is a list of frequently asked questions about our recently announced changes to services in St. Marys. We will add to the list as necessary. 

Why did Community HealthCare System make the decision to close emergency services and acute beds in St. Marys?

Utilization of hospital and emergency services in St. Marys has declined for several years running. Low utilization has made it difficult to recruit staff, which has meant CHCS...