Press Release                                                           

Sunflower Health Network earns national recognition

(May 19, 2011) – The Sunflower Health Network, Inc., was recently recognized by the National Cooperative of Health Networks Association (NCHN) as the 2011 Outstanding Health Network of the Year.

The Outstanding Health Network of the Year Award recognizes a network that has improved access to health services in its service area and has improved the coordination of resources for members using particularly innovative and comprehensive approaches. Heather Fuller, Executive Director of the Sunflower Health Network, recently accepted the award at the 17th annual NCHN conference in Scottsdale, Arizona.

”The Sunflower Health Network received one of the highest honors possible when selected by its peers as the Outstanding Health Network of 2011,” said Rebecca J. Davis, Ph.D., Executive Director of the NCHN. “This award is reserved for the health network organization that exemplifies excellence in organizational management and coordination of resources for its members in support of outstanding health care services within the network’s area. In addition, it was wonderful to see a founding organizational member of NCHN – the Sunflower Health Network – receive this year’s award. On behalf of the NCHN Board of Directors and staff, I offer congratulations to both Heather for her outstanding leadership and to the members of the Sunflower Health Network.”

The Sunflower Health Network is comprised of 16 member hospitals primarily serving north central Kansas, including Clay County Medical Center, Cloud County Health Center, Ellsworth County Medical Center, Herington Municipal Hospital, Jewell County Hospital, Lincoln County Hospital, Lindsborg Community Hospital, Memorial Health System – Abilene, Mitchell County Hospital-Health Systems, Osborne County Memorial Hospital, Ottawa County Health Center, Republic County Hospital, Salina Regional Health Center, Smith County Memorial Hospital and Anthony Medical Center.

The organization was founded in 1994 to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of health care delivery in the region. The 16 member hospitals, in conjunction with their medical staffs developed the network to foster cooperation and coordination in order to enhance the integration of health related services among member communities while respecting local autonomy. The organization works to enhance the cost effectiveness of member hospitals and providers by sharing services and/or expertise in such areas as clinical services, support services, administration and education.

 Current Sunflower Health Network initiatives include:

• Improving access to specialty physician care throughout the region

• Reducing hospital vulnerability to changes in Medicare reimbursement

• Sustaining adequate numbers of nurses and other key professionals

• Optimizing patient care quality within each hospital

• Improving the capacity to share electronic patient care information

• Facilitating leadership development

“This award is a great honor and validates how important collaboration is between hospitals serving the region,” said David Dick, administrator at Mitchell County Hospital-Health Systems and current board chair of the organization. “The fact that we have a strong network with active members will certainly make transition to the coming changes in health care easier in the future and the outcomes better.”

Press Release

Kansas Academy of Family Physicians recently released the following article:

The Kansas Patient Centered Medical Home Initiative (PCMHI) announces the selection of 8 physician-led practices to participate in the Kansas PCMHI Pilot Project as part of the larger PCMH Initiative. With the official launch scheduled to kick off July 1, 2011, the 24-month Pilot Project will serve as a focal point for health care transformation in the state of Kansas. The selected practices include:

American Medical Practice of Winfield / Augusta Family Practice, PA, Winfield; Cheyenne County Clinic, Cheyenne County Hospital, St. Francis; Ellsworth County Medical Center and Rural Health Clinic, Ellsworth; Mindi S. Garner, D.O., Chartered, Pittsburg; Great Plains of Sabetha, Inc. dba Sabetha Family Practice, Sabetha; Internal Medicine Group, PA, Lawrence; KU Wichita Adult Medicine, University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita, Medical Practice Association, Wichita; Plainville Medical Clinic, Plainville.

The PCMH health care delivery model can best be described as a patient-centered model designed for patients to receive the right care at the right time, lowering health care costs and improving the health care consumer's overall health across the health care system. For health care providers it can mean improved collaboration, communication, and improved patient outcomes. This PCMH model was developed in response to the Future of Family Medicine Project in early 2000. The goal was to develop a solution in response to recognized discontent among family physicians, frustrated in their ability to provide the highest quality care for their patients, in the context of a health care delivery system that did not facilitate their primary health care role. In June 2006, the innovative National Demonstration Project (NDP) rigorously tested this new model of flexible, patient-centered care.

The Kansas PCMH Initiative kicked off January 1, 2011 under the collaborative leadership of the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians, Kansas Association of Osteopathic Medicine, Kansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Kansas Chapter of the American College of Physicians, and the Kansas Medical Society. In April of 2011, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas pledged payer support for the 8 selected pilots. "Blue Cross is committed to exploring the patient-centered medical home model as we believe this model of care could well be the wave of the future for primary care," said Michael D. Atwood, M.D., chief medical officer for BCBS Kansas and family physician. "If this pilot proves successful, it may provide a model for possible expansion to a wider group of primary care physicians in the near future."