March 2019 – Pawnee Valley Campus

Dr. Moser informs PVC on Telebehavioral health services

Last week Dr. Robert Moser from The University of Kansas Health System Care Collaborative team, informed the community on Telebehavioral health services now available at PVC. Pawnee Valley Campus is one of the 10 members that will be a provider the network.

Patients with chronic medical conditions can hurdle a variety of challenges that make it difficult for treatment. Expense, travel, and schedules are just some of the top reasons patients do not seek treatment for mental health. According to a report from the Kansas Health Institute, more than 53% of Kansas’ adults choose not to receive treatment. Kansas ranks 32nd in the nation for access to behavioral health services across the lifespan.

Moser not only recognizes this need, but has advocated for ways to provide convenient, confidential and continued care for rural patients. A video conferencing solution can treat patients with a range of general behavioral concerns. The device allows patients to consult with specialists using a high quality cameras, video and audio to transfer information between the patient and the specialist. At this time services for emergent, crisis situations, high-acuity, severe and persistent mental illness are not available.

The Kansas University of Telemedicine and Telehealth also uses peripherals to further advance video conferencing. Digital stethoscopes transmit heart and lung sounds, an otoscope camera transmits clear images of the ear, nose and throat, a dermoscope camera transmits close details of the skin and an intra-oral scope transmits teeth, tonsils, throat and oral structures for viewing.

Pawnee Valley Campus is excited to bring you advancements in technology. For more information, please contact The University of Kansas Health System Pawnee Valley Campus @620-285-3161.

New technology benefits patients of The University of Kansas Health System Pawnee Valley Campus

Special nursing services lead, Jeannie Kolb, RN, received valuable training to perform PICC insertions for patients at The University of Kansas Health System Pawnee Valley Campus. PICC lines are thin tubes, or catheters, used for long-term IV treatments such as antibiotics, nutrition and blood draws. Professionals from The University of Kansas Health System locations in Hays and Kansas City, Kansas provided the training.

Kolb welcomes the opportunity to provide this service to her patients. For those who need to have a PICC line placed in their upper extremity, Kolb uses an advanced ultrasound guidance technology that precisely confirms the tip of the catheter is safely in place. The traditional technique used a chest X-ray for insertion of the PICC line.

This service provides an even higher level of safe, comfortable and timely patient care. PICC lines placed with this technology also result in fewer complications.

As has always been the case, the care team that oversees PICC lines closely monitors patients for follow-up care to greatly reduce the risk of infection.

Safe, high-quality care is always the goal at Pawnee Valley Campus. And Kolb has the skills and training to meet that goal. “You need good critical thinking and, perhaps most important, the focus and commitment to avoid mistakes and protect our patients,” she said.

This technology was made possible in part by the Pawnee Valley Community Hospital Auxiliary, the PVCH Foundation and memorial gifts to the PVCH Foundation on behalf of Marty Turner and Keith Patterson. It’s another healthcare advancement that helps keep patients of Pawnee County close to home.

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Dr. Moser informs PVC on Telebehavioral health services

New technology benefits patients of The University of Kansas Health System Pawnee Valley Campus