Welcome to News in Brief
Welcome to the October issue of News in Brief. This newsletter is published bi-monthly to feature what is happening in Rural Health Education and Services at the KU Medical Center. For more information contact Lorene Valentine at lvalenti@kumc.edu.
Rural Health Education and Services Continues to Provide Temporary Coverage
Thus far this fiscal year, Kansas Locum Tenens (KLT) has filled 84% of service requests and 82% of days requested. The Kansas Locum Tenens program was established to provide temporary coverage for rural physician’s medical practice in family medicine, general internal medicine, and pediatrics.
Kansas Medical Resource (KMR) has provided over 40 days of coverage so far this fiscal year. KMR provides temporary medical coverage to physicians in rural communities for general surgery, psychiatry, radiation oncology, anesthesiology, obstetrics/gynecology, family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, and other health care specialties.
Would you like to get involved and earn extra money? If you’re looking to complete locum tenen coverage or looking for someone to cover for you, contact Andee Ellis at aellis2@kumc.edu.
Kansas Recruitment Center Makes Placements
The Kansas Recruitment Center is excited to announce the placement of four highly skilled health care professionals in rural Kansas. Chris Hayes, physician assistant, was placed with the Ark City Clinic, Ark City, Kan. Tatiana Kovtoun, MD, general surgeon, was placed with the Central Kansas Medical Center, Great Bend, Kan. Tim Koger, radiological technologist, was placed with Cheyenne County Hospital, St. Francis, Kan. Joy Leverton, radiological technologist, was placed with the Internal Medicine Associates, Emporia, Kan.
To date, the Kansas Recruitment Center has been integral in the placement of 58 health care professionals to rural Kansas. For more information about KRC, contact Joyce Tibbals, jtibbals@kumc.edu.
Save-the-Date for Kansas Career Opportunities
Kansas Career Opportunities will be held at the KU School of Medicine - Wichita on Oct. 30, 2008, and KU Medical Center in Kansas City on Nov. 6, 2008. Both career fairs are excellent opportunities for organizations to meet resident physicians, medical students, nursing students and allied health professionals who are seeking employment opportunities. The Wichita career fair is full for exhibitors, however there are still a few spots left for Kansas City. If you would like to exhibit at the Kansas City event, register at: ruralhealth.kumc.edu/krc/exhibitor08.html. If you would like to attend either event, register at: ruralhealth.kumc.edu/krc/participant08.html.
Kansas Bridging Plan Deadline Approaching
The December 31st deadline for first and second year residents to participate in the Kansas Bridging Plan is quickly approaching. Resident physicians in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, or med peds, can apply either in the Rural Health office or on the Rural Health Web site at ruralhealth.kumc.edu/kbp/residents.html. Loans will be awarded to applicants in the order in which the applications are received. For more information, contact Joyce Tibbals, jtibbals@kumc.edu.
Rural Health Attended KMGMA Conference
Rural Health staff exhibited at the Kansas Medical Group Management Association (KMGMA) conference in Overland Park, Kan., on September 18-19, 2008. Exhibiting to physician practice managers, this conference provided an opportunity to showcase programs and services offered through the Rural Health office. For more information, contact Andee Ellis, aellis2@kumc.edu.
Rural Health Continues Visiting Residency Programs
In an effort to keep residents informed on Rural Health Education and Services programs, Rural Health staff make annual visits to Kansas residency programs. The visits are designed to increase the residents' awareness and understanding of Rural Health programs designed to enhance health care in rural Kansas. In late August and September, Rural Health staff visited residents of the Orthopedic Residency Program, the Via Christi and Wesley Family Medicine Residency Programs, Wichita, Kan., the Wichita Internal Medicine and Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Programs, Wichita, Kan., the Wesley Pediatrics Residency Program, Wichita, Kan., and the Smoky Hill Family Medicine Residency Program, Salina, Kan. For additional information regarding residency visits, please contact Joyce Tibbals, jtibbals@kumc.edu.
2008 Rural Kansas Photography Contest Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the 2008 Rural Kansas Photography Contest, presented by the University of Kansas Medical Center, Rural Health Education and Services. Winning photos can be found on the Rural Health Web site: ruralhealth.kumc.edu/photocontest/.
Lunch with the Residency Coordinators
Kansas City residency coordinators were treated to an appreciation luncheon by the staff of Rural Health Education and Services on Sept. 25, 2008 for all their hard work. Twenty coordinators attended the appreciation luncheon at the KU Medical Center. Whether coordinators are scheduling a time for Rural Health staff to visit with residents or distributing materials, all their support of RHES is greatly appreciated.
Fort Hays State University Career Fair
Rural Health Education and Services staff exhibited at the Fort Hays State University Career Fair, Fort Hays, Kan., on Sept. 17, 2008. RHES staff visited with numerous nursing and allied health students interested in careers in rural communities. For more information, please contact Joyce Tibbals, jtibbals@kumc.edu.
KRC Exhibits at MINK
The Kansas Recruitment Center (KRC) has taken advantage of the Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas (MINK) Physician Recruitment and Retention Network membership, through exhibitions in Wichita, Kan and Omaha, Neb. Both career fairs provided staff with the opportunity to represent KRC clients for recruitment of physicians and was a great opportunity to highlight communities throughout the state. For more information about KRC, contact Joyce Tibbals, jtibbals@kumc.edu.
Rural Health Attends KSNA Convention
Rural Health staff exhibited at the Kansas State Nurses Association 2008 Annual Convention on Oct. 1-3, 2008 in Wichita. The Convention was titled “Nurses: Making a Difference Every Day.” The convention was a great opportunity for rural health staff to exhibit and visit with nurses across Kansas about RHES programs.
Rural Health Attends KPTA Conference
Rural Health staff exhibited at the Kansas Physical Therapy Association 2008 Fall Conference on Oct. 3-5, 2008 in Hutchinson. The conference gave rural health staff the opportunity of exhibit and visit with physical therapists across Kansas about RHES programs.
KRC Visits Central Kansas
KRC staff has been busy this fall traveling to Kansas communities in effort to gain a better understanding of the recruitment needs for the health care organizations in each area. These site visits will allow KRC to better match candidates’ needs with a clearer insight to the community and organization opportunities. For more information about the Kansas Recruitment Center, contact Joyce Tibbals, jtibbals@kumc.edu.
