News

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...

Community HealthCare System will adjust available services in St. Marys effective June 4, 2021, at 8:00 a.m. Changes will include the closure of emergency department and inpatient hospital beds in St. Marys. The St. Marys Clinic will remain open, and other services such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy; X-ray; laboratory; and home health will remain available.

The Community HealthCare System, or CHCS, Board of Directors voted to close the St. Marys emergency department and...

One in five teens and young adults live with a mental health condition, and more than 64% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment. Unlike physical conditions, symptoms of mental health and substance use problems can be difficult to detect. Friends and family members often don’t know when or how to help. As a result, youth in need of mental health services often do not get them until it is too late.

Community HealthCare System, or CHCS, is offering...

Peggy Buessing, LPN and lead nurse at the Centralia Clinic, has announced that she will retire on June 30.

Buessing has worked for Community HealthCare System for 30 years. After joining CHCS in 1991, she worked part-time at the Centralia Clinic while filling in at other clinics when needed, plus she cared for patients at Onaga Hospital one weekend a month. As the Centralia Clinic grew, Buessing transitioned to working full-time there.

“One of the nice...

Pat Flentie, LPN and lead nurse at the Onaga Clinic, has announced that she will retire effective June 30. Flentie has worked at Community HealthCare System for more than 45 years. When she started working at Onaga Hospital on July 1, 1974, she knew instantly it was where she wanted to be.

Flentie looks back on many changes during her tenure at CHCS. When she first started, nurses worked 8-hour shifts 5 days a week and every other weekend and were paid once a month....

Community HealthCare System is pleased to announce that Tracy Ahlquist of rural Onaga has joined its Board of Directors.

Ahlquist retired from Jeffrey Energy Center in 2018 after a 37-year career in maintenance and control of plant electrical equipment. He recently returned to the plant as a temporary contract employee for a special project.

Ahlquist brings diverse skills and a commitment to community service to the board.

“I spent the first...

In June 2020, CHCS partially reopened its Fitness Centers after the initial COVID-19 shutdown. At that time, following a lengthy shutdown, CHCS tested the Onaga Rehabilitation and Fitness Center pool and discovered significant issues with the equipment. According to Todd Willert, CHCS CEO, "Despite COVID, we could not have re-opened the pool even if we wanted to." 

CHCS is pleased to announce that the Board of Directors, after significant investigation and public input,  has...

Dr. Tom Walsh, who moved back to Onaga in 1975 to practice medicine with his father, has announced that he plans to retire by the end of 2021.

“This is my hometown. I love the people here. I have enjoyed practicing here all these years, and it has been a blessing for myself and my family,” Dr. Walsh said.

Dr. Walsh was newly married to Marcia Walsh when he came back to Onaga, and they carried all of their possession in the back of a borrowed pickup truck. They raised...

Eastridge Skilled Nursing Facility has made an important change: All residents now have private rooms.

This change offers several advantages. First and foremost, it helps Eastridge maintain a more homelike atmosphere for residents. Residents are able to enjoy their own space and room for their belongings, which will make them more comfortable. Eastridge is also able to maintain the consistent staffing levels that are necessary to deliver the highest standard of care for residents....

UPDATE May 14, 2021: Our clinics can now vaccinate anyone age 12 and older. Please note the following.

Parental consent is required for those under age 18. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is the only type approved for ages 12-17. It requires a second dose 21 days after the first dose. The Pfizer vaccine is approved for administration with other vaccines.  Our clinics order weekly allocations of vaccine based on demand, so we can't typically...