Location(s): Onaga
Emergency Care
Our Emergency Department is staffed 24/7 and our trained staff are here when the unexpected happens. Patients receive emergency care in a safe environment from a team of skilled medical providers, nurses and staff who bring expertise and compassion, providing around-the-clock professional care, as well as diagnostic imaging assessments and lab testing.
We have been recertified as a Level IV Trauma Center by The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). Level IV Trauma Centers must meet rigorous requirements and verify adequate processes, protocols, training and resources in place to provide high quality, evidence-based trauma care for the best possible outcome. Designated trauma centers are evaluated every three years.
Onaga Community Hospital has also received accreditation from the American Heart Association as an Emergent Stroke Ready Hospital.
When time matters are Emergency Department is here for you.
Look for the following symptoms:
Chest pain
Stroke or stroke-like symptoms
Obvious fracture
Breathing difficulty
Uncontrollable bleeding
Sudden dizziness or weakness
Coughing or vomiting blood
Pregnancy complications
Severe abdominal pain
Severe lacerations
Vision changes
Loss of consciousness
You can trust that you will receive compassionate care at CHCS.
Level IV Trauma Center
When a traumatic injury occurs, designated trauma centers are prepared to provide a full range of emergency care, including assessment, resuscitation, and stabilization. Designated trauma centers must meet essential criteria that ensures trauma care capability and institutional performance as outlined by the American College of Surgeons and endorsed by the Kansas Advisory Committee on Trauma.
The goal of the Kansas Trauma System is to ensure each patient is properly triaged and matched to the hospital with the most appropriate resources as quickly as possible. Because patients with severe injuries require rapid, specialized treatment to ensure the best chance for recovery, a trauma system increases their chances for survival and reduces their chance of permanent disability.
Community HealthCare System’s Onaga Hospital is a Level IV Trauma Center, which means the hospital provides:
Around the clock coverage by doctors and nurses trained in advanced trauma life support (ATLS) protocols
24/7 laboratory and diagnostic imaging coverage
Close working relationships with local and regional EMTs to ensure patients are transported to the most appropriate facility when necessary
Trauma Team
When the trauma team is activated, patients are met by an emergency room doctor, lab and imaging staff. A thorough evaluation is performed along with any needed lifesaving interventions. On occasion, a higher level of care may be needed, and patients are transferred to a Level I, II or III trauma facility.
Trauma patients admitted to Community Hospital Onaga can count on continued support of their physical and emotional recovery. Patients have access to a full rehabilitation staff, social workers, and more.
Emergent Stroke Ready Hospital
If you or someone you know should experience symptoms of stroke, seek emergency help immediately–call 911–do not wait!
A stroke can be devastating for both patients and families.
Communty Hospital Onaga has met American Heart Association criteria to receive the Emergent Stroke Ready Hospital designation, including adherence to written emergency stroke protocols and the ability to provide around the clock:
Brain image testing (CT scans)
Blood coagulation studies
Thrombolytic therapy (tPA), used to break or dissolve blood clots
A transport plan with one or more hospitals that have neuro-interventional expertise
CHCS has developed this transport plan together with the University of Kansas Medical Center, Stormont-Vail HealthCare and Saint Luke’s Health System.
The University of Kansas Hospital was one of the first five healthcare facilities in the country, and the only one in the Midwest, to be recognized as an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC) by The Joint Commission
Because time is crucial to stroke care, our stroke team takes immediate action when paramedics notify the Emergency Department that a stroke patient is en route to Community Hospital Onaga. Patients are quickly evaluated and treated—rapid treatment offers the best chance for surviving a stroke—the third leading cause of death in the United States.
Remember the warning signs of stroke:
BE FAST!
B - Sudden loss of balance or coordination.
E - Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes.
F - Does the face look uneven, or droop on one side? Ask the person to smile.
A - Does one arm drift down? Ask the person to raise both arms.
S - Does their speech sound slurred or strange? Ask the person to repeat a phrase.
T – Time is critical. Every second brain cells die.
Call 911 at any sign of stroke and describe the symptoms to the emergency dispatcher.
Emergency Medical Transporation
Air Medical
Children's Mercy Critical Care Transport and LifeStar provide regional emergency air ambulance helicopter service that provides rapid transportation for critically ill and injured patients who need specialized care. Air medical transport can be airborne within minutes of a call, 24 hours a day, every day, traveling at speeds above 150 miles per hour. This significantly reduces the transport time of critically ill patients, either from a transferring hospital or from the scene of an emergency.
Children's Mercy Critical Care Transport and LifeStar service various locations throughout the region, including a predesignated landing zone at Community Hospital Onaga.
Ground Medical Transport
Pottawatomie County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is an advanced life support ground ambulance service that provides high-quality emergency medical care at the scene of traumatic or medical emergencies and during transport to and between medical facilities. EMS works closely with CHCS medical facilities throughout its service area to ensure advanced level transport options are available to the community.
EMS provides regional ground medical transport through four stations located in the cities of Onaga, St. Marys, Wamego and Westmoreland, with the Onaga and St. Marys ambulances and crews residing at Community Hospital Onaga and St. Marys Family Health Center, respectively.
Mission: Lifeline Kansas and Project 10/30
Communty Hospital Onaga participates in the American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline Kansas and Project 10/30.
Mission: Lifeline is the American Heart Association’s program establishing regional Systems of Care focused on ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), in which blood flow is completely blocked to a portion of the heart, and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation.
Through partnerships with area EMS, dispatchers, and transfering hospitals, CHCS establishes streamlined systems of care to improve the process and outcomes of cardiac emergencies.
Project 10/30 is designed to improve the speed of recognition to reperfusion for patients with STEMI. The “10” stands for the time goal of 10 minutes for door-to-EKG interpretation. This time goal has been established by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association for many years, and non-compliance of this time is still found to be a major cause of delay in patient treatment. Rapidly obtaining an EKG, and immediately showing that EKG to an experienced provider for interpretation is the most effective method of triage in a patient with signs or symptoms of ACS. The “30” of Project 10/30 is reflective of 2 other important time goals: 30 minutes Door-in-Door-Out (DIDO) and 30 minutes Door-to-Needle in patients who are determined eligible for thrombolytics.
As part of the Lifeline Kansas network, the team starts preparations the moment its notified that a heart attack patient is on the way.
This network identifies hospitals that participate in coordinated systems of care for STEMI and meet the following 24/7 standards:
Facilitation of immediate STEMI patient transfer to PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention)-capable receiving centers.
Expertise and equipment to treat STEMI patients with thrombolytic therapy, if appropriate and if prompt transfer is not an option.
Treatment of STEMI patients according to American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology guidelines.
Use of protocols for immediate treatment and transfer of STEMI patients.
Prompt transfer of patient data to receiving center hospital team.
Coordination of patient’s return to local community and follow-up care after discharge from receiving center.
Through its Mission Lifeline program, the American Heart Association hopes to significantly reduce cardiac death by teaching the public to recognize and react to early symptoms of heart attack, reduce the time it takes to receive lifesaving treatment and increase the accuracy and effectiveness of treatment administered.
For more information on the American Heart Association Mission: Lifeline Heart Attack Referral Center Accreditation, visit www.heart.org/missionlifeline or www.scpcp.org.
Bonnie McKinsey, APRN-C
Emergency Department
Location: Onaga
Position: Advanced Practitioner
Medical Service: Emergency Department
Bonnie McKinsey, APRN-C
Bonnie McKinsey, APRN, completed a bachelor of science in nursing degree at Washburn University and a master of science in nursing at Wichita State University. She as experience in a wide variety of healthcare settings, including the emergency department at Via Christi, the Riley County Health Department, and Lafene Student Health Center at Kansas State University. She has worked nights in the emergency department at Onaga since relocating here nearly six years ago. McKinsey is married to an Onaga native, and they made the decision to try small-town living at the time when their two youngest children were starting school and the oldest was off to college. They have found living, working, raising children, and enjoying life in a community where people truly care about their friends and neighbors to be a singularly wonderful experience. McKinsey feels blessed to have the opportunity to serve those in her community and neighboring communities alongside a remarkable healthcare team. McKinsey enjoys country outings with family and friends in our beautiful, bucolic setting.
Chance Williams, MD
Emergency Department
Location: Onaga
Position: Physician
Medical Services: Emergency Department, Family Medicine
John Meriwether, MD
Emergency Department, Family Medicine
Location: Onaga
Position: Physician
Medical Service: Emergency Department
John Meriwether, MD
Dr. Meriwether holds degrees from Kansas State University and McGill Faculty of Medicine in Montreal, Canada. He also completed his residency at McGill Faculty of Medicine.
Kay Cummins, APRN‐C
Family Medicine
Position: Advanced Practitioner
Medical Services: Emergency Department, Family Medicine
Marcy Evans, PA‐C
Emergency Department
Location: Onaga
Position: Advanced Practitioner
Medical Service: Emergency Department
Nancy Bosse, APRN‐C
Family Medicine
Locations: Onaga, Westmoreland
Position: Advanced Practitioner
Medical Services: Emergency Department, Youth Services, Diabetic Care, Men's Health, Senior Care, Family Medicine, Women's Health
Nancy Bosse, APRN‐C
Nancy Bosse, APRN-C, holds a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Washburn University and a master of science in nursing-family nurse practitioner degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Bosse worked in critical care, neurology, trauma, and general surgery for 20 years at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City. Her areas of clinical interest are women’s health, pediatrics, and geriatrics, and she loves family practice because it allows her to help patients while getting to know them and their entire family. Bosse says the most important thing patients can do is to “let us know if you are not getting better. Follow up so we can help you!” Bosse grew up in Onaga and now resides in Wamego with her husband and two children. When not at work, she enjoys attending kids’ activities, being outside, gardening, and helping at the farm.
Rebecca Simon, MD
Emergency Department
Location: Onaga
Position: Physician
Medical Service: Emergency Department
Sheila Talley, PA‐C
Emergency Department
Location: Onaga
Position: Advanced Practitioner
Medical Service: Emergency Department
Sheila Talley, PA‐C
Sheila Talley, PA-C, holds a bachelor of arts degree in human biology from the University of Kansas and a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from Wichita State University. Talley is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the Kansas Academy of Physician Assistants. Her areas of clinical interest include hospital and emergency medicine. She also regularly assists in surgery. Talley is originally from the Seneca area in Nemaha County. She lives south of Corning with her husband, Ross, and four children. She enjoys attending Centralia school sporting events and KU basketball games. Talley also enjoys exercising and spending quality time with friends and family.
Heather Myers, APRN‐C
Emergency Department
Location: Onaga
Position: Advanced Practitioner
Medical Service: Emergency Department
Heather Myers, APRN‐C
Heather Myers, APRN-C, holds a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Washburn University and a master of science in nursing from the University of Kansas as well as years of experience working in family practice. Myers worked a summer job while in high school at the “old” Onaga Clinic. “I remember admiring Betty Malone, RN, and decided to go to nursing school after graduating from Onaga High School,” she says. She enjoys working with people and helping all age groups with their health concerns, and she wants all patients to stay active and take time to take good care of themselves. Myers is married and has three children. Her oldest daughter is a Kansas State University graduate and lives in Wichita with her husband. Her second daughter is a graduate of the University of South Dakota, and her son is a senior in high school. When not at work, Heather enjoys reading, crocheting, and do-it-yourself household painting projects
Andrew Barnes, APRN‐C
Family Medicine
Location: Onaga
Position: Advanced Practitioner
Medical Services: Diabetic Care, Emergency Department, Men's Health, Youth Services, Senior Care, Family Medicine, Women's Health
Andrew Barnes, APRN‐C
Andrew Barnes, APRN, holds a bachelor of science in nursing from Baker University and a master of science in nursing from Washburn University. He is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and is a board-certified emergency nurse. He takes a special interest in emergency medicine, trauma, and acute care. Barnes was drawn to medicine through his father’s encounters with healthcare providers who always amazed him. He lives in Wheaton with his wife and three children, and he enjoys being outdoors with his family. They enjoy caring for cattle as well as dogs and barn cats.
Merica Surdez, APRN‐C
Family Medicine
Medical Services: Diabetic Care, Emergency Department, Men's Health, Youth Services, Senior Care, Family Medicine, Women's Health
Merica Surdez, APRN‐C
Merica Surdez, APRN-C, holds a bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Kansas Medical Center and a master of science in nursing-family nurse practitioner degree from Fort Hays State University. She maintains board certification with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and is also certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Advanced Trauma Life Support, and Neonatal Resuscitation. Surdez’s areas of clinical interest include women’s health, including contraception counseling; reproductive health; prenatal care; lactation support; and preventive care. Surdez enjoys helping others when they need it most, creating relationships, and watching families grow. When asked for advice to share with patients, she says, “We all take our health for granted. Sometimes it takes work to better yourself. Do it! You’ll never regret investing in your health.” Surdez was born and raised in Frankfort, Kansas, and lives there with her husband, Derek, plus their two sons, Bowen and Blake, and their daughter, Wren. Surdez does not like chocolate but does enjoy spending time with family and friends, creating memories with her children, playing volleyball, and membership in the Teams of Our Lady (TOOL) church group.
David Allen, MD
Family Medicine
Location: Holton
Position: Physician
Medical Services: Birth Center, Diabetic Care, Emergency Department, Family Medicine, Men's Health, Senior Care, Women's Health, Youth Services, Medical & Surgical Care
David Allen, MD
Friendly, thorough, and passionate about caring for families, Dr. David Allen brings decades of experience to Holton Family Health Center. He earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine after completing his undergraduate studies at Kansas State University, then trained in family medicine at Via Christi Regional Medical Center in Wichita. Dr. Allen provides comprehensive care for all ages, with special expertise in obstetrics (including C-sections), pediatric care, and gastrointestinal procedures.. Whether he's welcoming a new baby into the world or helping a patient manage chronic conditions, Dr. Allen is committed to building long-term relationships and improving lives through compassionate, whole-person care.
Collin Connor, MD
Family Medicine
Locations: Holton, St. Marys
Position: Physician
Medical Services: Birth Center, Diabetic Care, Emergency Department, Family Medicine, Men's Health, Senior Care, Women's Health, Youth Services
Collin Connor, MD
Dr. Collin Connor didn’t always dream of becoming a doctor — but a year of service through AmeriCorps changed everything. While volunteering at a free medical clinic in Providence, Rhode Island, he discovered how deeply his strengths in listening, teamwork, and problem-solving could serve others through medicine. “That experience helped me realize I could combine my love for science and learning with my desire to help people,” he said. “It truly felt like a calling from God — everything just fell into place.” A native Kansan, Dr. Connor earned his biochemistry degree from Emporia State University, then went on to study at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He completed his family medicine residency at Ascension Via Christi in Wichita. Dr. Connor enjoys caring for patients of all ages and building long-term, trusted relationships with the families he serves. Outside of work, he stays active with his wife and three sons, listens to music and podcasts, plays or watches just about any sport, and spends time in the garden. He’s also looking forward to exploring more of the great outdoors — starting with an elk hunting trip next year. Dr. Connor and his family are excited to call Onaga home and are proud to be part of the CHCS community.
Ben Harstine, MD, FMOB
Family Medicine
Locations: Centralia, Corning, Onaga
Position: Physician
Medical Services: Birth Center, Diabetic Care, Emergency Department, Family Medicine, Men's Health, Senior Care, Women's Health, Youth Services
Ben Harstine, MD, FMOB
Dr. Harstine earned his bachelor of science in Public Health Nutrition from Kansas State University and attended medical school at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He completed his family medicine residency and family medicine obstetrics fellowship at Waco Family Medicine in Waco, Texas. He recently received both his family medicine and family medicine obstetrics board certifications. Dr. Harstine always knew he had a strong desire to teach. In the years after college, while working in Manhattan, he realized he also wanted “to be in the trenches with folks discussing the events and on-goings of their daily lives.” “Medicine became a place where I could use a natural interest in the sciences and human well-being to do a little bit of both. I want to be an active listener and teach my patients the benefits of daily exercise and movement to improve overall health." As a native Kansan, Dr. Harstine has always dreamed of living and serving a rural Kansas community. “I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with CHCS as a medical student because my wife was from the area. I grew to love the hospital, staff, and community and I am glad to be joining an organization with such a long history of providing patient-centered care.” In his spare time, Dr. Harstine enjoys spending time with his wife Emily and their four children, working outside, exercising, reading and cooking. “Emily and I are excited to be back in rural Kansas, close to family, and are excited to make Onaga our home,” Dr. Harstine said.
Marcus Weiser, DO
Family Medicine
Location: Onaga
Position: Physician
Medical Services: Birth Center, Diabetic Care, Emergency Department, Family Medicine, Men's Health, Senior Care, Women's Health, Youth Services, Medical & Surgical Care
Marcus Weiser, DO
Dr. Marcus Weiser is passionate about the variety and connection that come with rural family medicine. A Bethany College graduate, he earned his medical degree from Kansas City University and completed his residency—serving as chief resident—at Via Christi in Wichita. Board-certified in family medicine, Dr. Weiser also performs C-sections, colonoscopies, EGDs, and obstetrics. He loves teaching future physicians and serves as a clinical assistant professor and preceptor for two medical schools. Originally from northwest Kansas, Dr. Weiser now lives in Onaga with his wife and five children. Outside of work, you’ll often find him with his family, coaching youth sports, or enjoying a round of golf.
Debra Rezac, APRN‐C
Family Medicine
Location: Onaga
Position: Advanced Practitioner
Medical Services: Diabetic Care, Emergency Department, Family Medicine, Men's Health, Senior Care, Women's Health, Youth Services
Debra Rezac, APRN‐C
Debra Rezac is a skilled family nurse practitioner who has been caring for patients of all ages at CHCS since 2007. She holds nursing degrees from Washburn University and the University of Southern Indiana and is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. With a background in ICU and pulmonary-critical care, Debra brings expertise in women’s health, preventive care, and cardiac and respiratory issues. She values the deep connections formed in rural healthcare, saying, “You get to walk with people through the best and worst times—and that’s something truly special.” Outside of work, Debra enjoys farm life south of Onaga, traveling with her husband Lance, and spending time with their grown children, grandchildren, and close friends.
Nancy J. Zidek, MD
Family Medicine
Locations: Frankfort, Onaga, Holton
Position: Physician
Medical Services: Birth Center, Diabetic Care, Emergency Department, Family Medicine, Men's Health, Senior Care, Women's Health, Youth Services
Nancy J. Zidek, MD
Compassionate, steady, and deeply rooted in Kansas, Dr. Nancy Zidek brings decades of experience and a personal touch to family medicine. A graduate of the University of Kansas with degrees in microbiology and medicine, she completed her residency at Wesley Family Practice in Wichita. As a second-generation physician, Dr. Zidek was inspired early on by her father’s 40-year career in rural medicine. She carries that same passion into her own work—especially in women’s health. Dr. Zidek loves getting to know families over time and finds great joy in watching her youngest patients grow up under her care. She and her husband, Paul and enjoy traveling when they can. Their daughter, Bethany, is following in her footsteps and currently completing her family medicine residency at Ascension Via Christi in Wichita. Their son, Elijah, is working in Kansas City. When she’s not in clinic, Dr. Zidek can often be found tending to her hummingbird feeders, doting on her two spoiled rescue dogs, or planning their next getaway.