2019 Cedar County Memorial Hospital highlights

Following is a glimpse back at 2019, with a summary of some of the activities, events and accomplishments at Cedar County Memorial Hospital.

Cedar County Memorial Hospital welcomed two new primary care providers in 2019.  Debbie Johnson, Family Nurse Practitioner, joined the Medical Mall Clinic in April.  Debbie, who has lived in Cedar County all of her adult life, loves seeing patients of all ages, especially those in her own community.  Andrew Wyant, M.D., began seeing patients at the Medical Mall Clinic in May.  Dr. Wyant also sees patients of all ages at the clinic and provides inpatient care at the Hospital.  He and his family—wife, Krystal, and children, Juliet, Jude, and Josie moved to El Dorado Springs from Kentucky.  Dr. Wyant loves “old fashioned medicine” and taking care of families.

Two other specialty providers joined the Cedar County Memorial Hospital medical staff in 2019.  Chetan Soni, M.D., M.S., MHA, is a board certified ophthalmologist.  Dr. Soni joined the hospital’s medical staff in February.  Les Landau, D.O., FACOS, FACs, is a board certified general surgeon who joined the Hospital’s medical staff in June.  Dr. Landau, who also has a law enforcement background, has been practicing medicine in the field of general surgery for over thirty years.

Five individuals were welcomed to the Cedar County Memorial Hospital management team in 2019.  Long-term employee, Jenean Ehlers, RN, assumed the duties of Community Services Manager for County Health in January.  Jennifer Mays, RN, also stepped into a manager role in January, assuming the duties of Surgery Manager.  Mary Larsen, accepted the position of Clinic Manager in June.  Mary oversees daily operations in the specialty clinics and at the Medical Mall Clinic.  LeeAnne Craven was promoted to the position of IT Manager in July; and in September, Larry Chadd was hired as the Plant Services Manager.

Capital equipment outlays were made for a hematology analyzer, a boiler vessel, a colonoscope, a bone density unit and patient beds in 2019.  The Horiba-ABX Pentra XL hematology analyzer was purchased for the laboratory in January, with partial funding from the 2018 Hospital fund raiser.  In February, a vessel replacement was purchased for a Hospital boiler.  A colonoscope was purchased for the Surgery Department in September.  A Hologic Discovery SL Bone Densitometer was purchased at the end of the year and put into service in early 2020 as a new Cedar County Memorial Hospital service.  This unit is used to diagnose osteoporosis and was almost entirely funded through proceeds from the 2019 Hospital fund raiser in September.  Four Hill-Rom 1000 medical surgical beds were also purchased in 2019—3 were purchased by the Hospital, and one was purchased by the Cedar County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.

The Cedar County Health Department added two new services in 2019.  Electronic finger printing services and Temporary Medicaid enrollment services for pregnant women are available in the El Dorado Springs office.  For the past three years, the Cedar County Health Department has been working to combat obesity in the county through various projects.  In the fall of 2019, the Health Department distributed 1,100 cookbooks titled, “Healthy To Go”, to every pre K-5th grade student in the Stockton and El Dorado Springs public schools and to every pre K-6th grade student in the El Dorado Springs Christian School.  The cookbook contains healthy recipes that can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen.  The cookbooks were funded through the Maternal and Child Health Services Program (DHSS and HRSA).

At their April 18 meeting, the Board of Directors of Cedar County Memorial Hospital adopted a resolution in support of the Reimagine Rural Health Care initiative in Missouri.  The Board went on record in support of strengthening rural health care in Missouri and Governor Parson’s focus on workforce, infrastructure and Medicaid payment reform.

Cedar County Memorial Hospital’s attendance at the April 18 Easter Egg Hunt held on the Hospital grounds was better than ever, with over 300 in attendance and around 3,192 eggs hidden!  Thank you, Easter Bunny!  Also in April, Diana Pyle, Human Resources Director, was invited to attend Career Day at the El Dorado Springs Public School where she handed out materials promoting the variety of career opportunities in the health care field.

Cedar County Memorial Hospital continued providing low cost lab screenings each month in 2019, with the location rotating between the Cedar County Health Department in Stockton and the Medical Mall Clinic in El Dorado Springs.  In the spring of 2019, FREE sports physicals were provided by Dr. Wyant at Northeast Vernon County and by Dr. Wyant; Dr. Torontow; Debbie Johnson, FNP; and Neil Linsenmeyer, D.C., at the El Dorado Springs Public School.  We really appreciated being invited to provide this service in the schools!

In May 2019, 417 Magazine printed its annual listing of “Top Doctors” in the 417 area code.  This listing included three physicians who practice at Cedar County Memorial Hospital—Jose DeHoyos, M.D. (cardiovascular disease); Chetan Soni, M.D. (ophthalmology); and David Smith, D.O. (emergency medicine).  Cedar County Memorial Hospital celebrated National Hospital Week May 12-18 with daily activities and a week-long food drive to benefit local food pantries.  Also in May, the American College of Radiology’s Committee on Mammography Accreditation granted our mammography services re-accreditation for three years.

Stephanie Mears, Director of the Cedar County Memorial Hospital Exercise Center in Stockton, organized a 5k/1mile fun run on the west side of the Stockton Dam on June 1 as a fund raiser for equipment at the Exercise Center.  Net proceeds were just over $1,400.  Thank you to Stephanie, her helpers and all those who participated!

July brought the El Dorado Springs Picnic, where Cedar County Memorial Hospital staffed a booth all three nights of the event to educate local residents on stroke risk factors, signs and symptoms and handed out fans for those that needed a little cooling off in the summer heat.

It was “back to school” time in August, and Cedar County Memorial Hospital was invited to participate in the Back to School Fair at the El Dorado Springs Baptist Church.  The event provided information and essential items to area families as they made preparations for the start of the school year.

Over 40 people attended the Auxiliary Luncheon held at the Hospital on September 10 to thank the Auxiliary members for all they do in support of Cedar County Memorial Hospital.  The Auxiliary members raise funds to support the Hospital with capital equipment purchases each year.  The Auxiliary’s Holiday Soup Bazaar fund raiser on November 22 sold out this year—that’s a testament to some really good cooking!  Since it’s inception in 1979, the Auxiliary has donated $267,538 in equipment to the Hospital.  We are so grateful for our Auxiliary!

The staff members of the Senior Life Solutions® program at Cedar County Memorial Hospital worked to raise awareness for suicide prevention in September.  A suicide awareness display was set up in the Hospital’s front lobby throughout the month; and on September 11, Cedar County Memorial Hospital Senior Life Solutions® program staff members joined with the VFW Ladies Auxiliary for a walk around the Hospital grounds to plant “Seeds of Hope” for suicide prevention and awareness.

The Annual Cedar County Memorial Hospital Fund Raiser was held on the Hospital grounds on September 26.  This year’s theme was, “Fall into Healthy Living”.  We appreciate all volunteers and everyone who attended this event to help us raise funds for the bone density unit that is now up and going at the Hospital.  Entertainment by “Rekoil” was a hit as always.  This year’s event raised just under $15,000!

Cedar County Memorial Hospital was presented with two great opportunities for collaboration in October.  About Our Kids (AOK), Inc., of Lamar received a HRSA grant to address the opioid crisis in Barton, Cedar and Dade Counties and invited us to participate in their coalition for Cedar County.  The West Central Missouri Community Action Agency (WCMCAA) received a HRSA grant to focus on non-emergency medical transportation in an area that includes Cedar County.  Cedar County Memorial Hospital was asked to have representation on this committee.

Also in October, Cedar County Memorial Hospital administrative staff attended the annual Spooktacular in the El Dorado Springs City Park, handing out animal crackers and health information to some pretty spooky little characters! On October 25, the El Dorado Springs Booster Club was in need of volunteers to man the concession stand at the Friday night football game.  Cedar County Memorial staff members from nursing and administration volunteered to fill this gap and had a great time in the process!

When November rolled around, it was time for the El Dorado Springs Christmas parade.  Cedar County Memorial Hospital participated with a float honoring the branches of the military.  The weather was just perfect!

Cedar County Memorial Hospital retained its Level 3 Stroke Center status through June 2022 following recertification in November of 2019.  The certification process is through Missouri’s Time Critical Diagnosis (TCD) System and requires an on-site review to assure compliance with TCD regulations and specific policies and protocols for staff education/training and coordination of the time critical care to be received by each stroke patient.  Missouri’s TCD system includes four levels of hospital designation.  As a Level 3 Stroke Center, Cedar County Memorial Hospital plays a vital role in providing access to vital stroke care, including the administration of clot dissolving agents when medically indicated.  Missouri’s designated Stroke Centers are integrated into a large coordinated system proven to save lives and function.  In the event of the onset of stroke symptoms, it is important to know the location of the nearest TCD Stroke Center. Cedar County Memorial Hospital is the only TCD designated Stroke Center in Cedar County.  There are currently no Missouri TCD designated Stroke Centers in any of the counties bordering Cedar County.   (Stroke symptoms include:  numbness or weakness in the face arms or legs; confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; vision trouble; and trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance.)

In December, Cedar County Memorial Hospital received notification that it had been chosen through a competitive application process to participate in The Center for Optimizing Rural Health (CORH) Year II cohort.  The purpose of the CORH initiative is to assist hospitals and their communities to address economic challenges, understand community needs and resources, and find ways to ensure hospitals and communities keep local access to health care services.  The Hospital will have access to technical experts through virtual mechanisms.  This project will be on-going in 2020.  During 2019, the Cedar County Memorial Hospital Board also accessed free technical assistance offered to Missouri’s Critical Access Hospitals by the Department of Health and Senior Services through governWellTM for a board self-assessment and follow-up education for board members.

Also in December, Cedar County Memorial Hospital held a warm clothing drive (for coats, hats, gloves, scarfs, etc.) for the local public schools.  Over 300 items were donated to help keep the kids in our community warm during the winter season!. Thanks to all who participated!

Cedar County Memorial Hospital is very proud to be a part of this wonderful community and appreciates the support and patronage of local residents.  It is our desire to continue providing essential medical services to our community and serving as a major “fuel source” for the local economy.