Provider story

Starting in late summer, patients will be able to see an oncologist at Community HealthCare System in Onaga. Dr. Adrian Caracioni from The University of Kansas Cancer Center at St. Francis Campus will see patients one day a month in Onaga starting in early September.

Dr. Caracioni (pronounced ka-ROCH-e-oh-nee) has practiced for more than 25 years and treats patients with blood disorders such as anemia or hemophilia as well as blood cancers and other cancers in patients age 16 and over.

Merica...

by Dr. Kendra Reith

Summer is here, and families are hitting the road for vacations and enjoying time outdoors. Taking a moment to review a few best practices and tips can help you keep your youngest family members safe this summer.

Heading out on a road trip? Take a close look at your child’s car seat. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, road injuries are the leading cause of preventable deaths and injuries to U.S. children, and when correctly used, child...

By Dr. Nancy Zidek

A recent study about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, has made news headlines. The study was published in the journal eBioMedicine and stated that the biochemical marker for the cause for SIDS was discovered. This is exciting news, but the big headline is not completely accurate. The study was based in Australia. The group analyzed blood samples taken at birth from 600 newborns. The researchers then found that babies who died from SIDS had a lower level...

Community HealthCare System is pleased to welcome Dr. Kendra Reith to its medical staff. She will begin seeing patients in January 2022.

Dr. Reith (pronounced “right”) graduated from Kansas State University and the University of Kansas School of Medicine. She finished her residency at Smoky Hill Family Medicine in Salina earlier this year. At Smoky Hill, Dr. Reith gained extensive hands-on experience in family practice along with obstetrical care, or OB,...

CHCS provides a number of specialty clinics each month in our Onaga, Holton, and St. Marys locations. Dr. Kenneth Hobbs, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, or DPM, is our specialty clinic provider of the month.

Podiatry is the medical and surgical treatment for foot disorders. Dr. Hobbs said his interest in podiatry stems from his college days when he was an avid jogger. “I get great satisfaction when I can help my patients maintain their mobility,” he said.

Some...

They care for clinic patients, they help cover weekends and nights at the hospital and emergency room, and they keep up with the latest developments in patient care and the COVID-19 pandemic. Now three Community HealthCare System physicians add County Medical Director to their list of responsibilities.

Dr. Nick Cahoj, Dr. Nancy Zidek, and Dr. David Allen are all serving in the capacity of Medical Director for Pottawatomie, Marshall, and Jackson Counties, respectively. The position entails...

CHCS provides a number of specialty clinics each month in our Onaga, Holton, and St. Marys locations. Dr. John P. Devine, urologist, is our October Specialty Clinic Provider of the month.

Dr. Devine provides general urology care for adults and children in Onaga two days each month. Dr. Devine assists patients in managing diseases of the urinary tract, including the kidneys and adrenal glands, bladder, ureters, the prostate in men, and more. He manages all aspects of...

By Dr. Nancy Zidek, CHCS Chief of Medical Staff

Community HealthCare System has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases in our area in recent weeks. We want to make sure our patients know that early testing combined with effective treatment of COVID-19 can prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and other poor outcomes.

If you or a loved one develop any of the symptoms of COVID-19 and have ANY of the risk factors, you should get tested as soon as possible. Community...

CHCS provides an array of specialty clinics in several of our locations each month. Tiffany Engelken, APRN, is our September Specialty Clinic Provider of the Month. Tiffany is a Dermatology Certified Nurse Practitioner with 18 years of experience, and she offers an array of services from skin cancer screenings to cosmetics.

Tiffany recently took time to answer a few questions.

What services do you offer?

I offer skin...

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,...