Heartland listed in top 1 percent nationwide

The Commonwealth Fund, a healthcare quality improvement resource, has created a Web site, WhyNotTheBest.org. It is a free resource for healthcare professionals interested in tracking performance on various measures of healthcare quality. For all quality indicators combined, Heartland Regional Medical Center is listed in the top 1 percent nationally, number 19 of the 4,440 hospitals evaluated.

The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation working toward a high performance health system. It enables organizations to compare their performance against that of peer organizations against a range of benchmarks and over time. Case studies and improvement tools spotlight successful improvement strategies of the nation’s top performers.

Currently, the site includes measures of hospital quality that are publicly reported on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Web site, Hospital Compare. Specifically, it includes 23 Hospital Quality Alliance measures that report how often hospitals deliver recommended care processes for the following four conditions: heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care improvement. In addition, it includes 10 measures from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS), which reports hospital patients’ satisfaction with their care.

Circle of H.O.P.E. honors Dr. Kosse

The Circle of H.O.P.E. first annual Recognition Dinner on May 7 honored six community leaders for their support and dedication of children and youth who struggle daily with emotional and mental health challenges. The honorees were nominated from throughout the community. Dr. Karl Kosse, pediatrician at Lakeside Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, was honored for his foresight and compassionate medical practice.

“There were many nominations for Dr. Kosse, and all were heartfelt and described his integration of emotional and mental health into his patient care,” relates Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day and Recognition chairperson Lori Cordonnier. “He has provided insight and guidance for many area children and families, searching for ways to overcome their child’s emotional and mental health difficulties.”

Dr. Kosse received the 2009 Children’s Mental Health Awareness Award for Physical Health Provider.

St. Joseph man makes exercise mix

Looking for a fun way to burn some extra calories this summer? Kevin Gardner of St. Joseph has created Intensity Inc. (Exercise Music/Dance Music Vol. 1). This collection of 12 techno songs is arranged to give users an intense 62-minute aerobic workout. The music of Intensity Inc. can be used for walking, doing aerobics or just dancing in your living room. It can also be used royalty-free by personal trainers in a training or class session. This downloadable album is for sale at iTunes, Amazon, Napster, Tradebit and many other digital distribution Web sites.

Going behind bars for a good cause

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) issued arrest warrants on May 20 and 21 for many of St. Joseph’s locals. As members of the area’s “most wanted,” these jailbirds were being “locked up” to benefit the MDA. Over the two-day event, those participating raised more than $47,000 for MDA, and contributions are still being made.

The jailbirds who raised the most for their bail were Ada Silvy from Life Long Learning Center, whose bail totaled $1,220; Kathy Sadoun from Kranitz & Kranitz, whose bail totaled $707; and Pam Hosp from Olympia Lanes, whose bail totaled $687.

Kathy’s Cause set for Saturday

Kathy’s Cause, a one-day awareness event to raise money for colon cancer research and education, will take place Saturday, June 6 and will include a 5K run/walk beginning at 9:30 a.m. (registration will be from 8:30 to 9 a.m. at Clasbey Community Center in Savannah, Mo.), followed by lunch at 11 a.m. at Duncan Hills Golf Course in Savannah.

A four-man scramble golf tournament will begin at 1 p.m. The entry fee is $300 per team and includes a participant gift bag, cart and greens fees. The tournament is limited to 32 teams, and a $10,000 prize will be given for a hole-in-one. The first-place team will receive a refund of its entry fee, and the second-place team will receive a refund of half its entry fee. Hole and raffle prizes will also be awarded.

Kathy’s Cause was created last year by 49-year-old Kathy Gabler of Savannah, who was diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer in December 2007, and her family. No money for the event will go to Mrs. Gabler’s treatment or her family; rather, it is handled by an independent not-for-profit foundation that this year sponsored a free colon health symposium at Heartland Health with funds from last year’s Kathy’s Cause.

Pre-registration brochures are available at all Nodaway Valley banks and at St. Joseph’s Hy-Vee. Registrations can also be made by sending an e-mail to kathyscause@yahoo.com or writing to 3507 Emerald Lane, St. Joseph, MO 64506. For more information, call Mrs. Gabler at 271-6011 or 324-5573 or her mother-in-law, Helen Gabler, at 233-3408 or 294-0214.

Lifestyles reporter Erin Wisdom can be reached at ewisdom@npgco.com.