My job for the KSB Medical Mission was very straightforward. Bring back the same nine people that left the KSB parking lot on April 14th. Mission accomplished. To tie a bow around the trip, I would like to focus on three themes. The Peruvian People Pride, Dignity, Humor, Patience. These are a few of the words that come to mind when I think of the people our team served. The children are beautiful, and very happy. The people are kind and grateful. Even though our team’s inability to speak Spanish hampered communication, it was clear that the people were pleased … Read More
KSB Medical Mission – Day 8 – by Pratip Nag, M.D., Chief Medical Officer
This is the story of a soccer ball. The night before I left Dixon, my sons Jacob and Dylan deflated a soccer ball for me to take to Peru. A father is always proud when his children emulate the same values – they had already sent different types of chocolates and more than hundred matchbox cars – so I happily packed the soccer ball. On the way to Cusco I imagined different ways I could use the soccer ball to have fun with the kids and adults we will see. I imagined us playing soccer with the kids or … Read More
KSB Mission Trip – Day 7 – By Our Healthcare Professionals
Today’s post shares the experiences of KSB Hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer Linda Clemen, R.N., Marissa Frost, R.N., Social Worker Julie Ammon, and Pharmacy Director Luke Herbert, PharmD. How does care in Cusco differ from KSB? The foundations of nursing, social services, and pharmacy in the US is to care, be kind and give the patient the best medicine to promote healing and health. The focus in Cusco, Peru is the same, only with limited resources. As nurses, we didn’t understand the language and we needed the physicians to utilize the interpreters, so we were left with nonverbal communication, caring touch, … Read More
KSB Mission Trip – Day 5 – by Tim Appenheimer, M.D.
I was skeptical. How much real lasting benefit happens when a group of well-meaning medical personnel descend upon a remote village for a few hours, see a large number of patients, and then leave? No detailed medical histories are obtained, no regular follow-up is planned. Many of the patients that I saw were older adults feeling the results of a lifetime of rugged physical work in an unforgiving terrain. Sore backs. Arthritic knees. There was little we could truly do in a day. Then there was Pablo, a very thin man in his late fifties. He had been losing weight … Read More
The 2018 ACHE Congress – Inside The Ropes
What is it like to be inside the ropes at ACHE Congress? Some observations and thoughts from last week’s gathering of our nation’s health care leaders at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. The Board After personally serving with this group for two years as Governor, this gathering of rock stars is more than a board of directors. It feels like family. I am a student of great leadership. The learning I gather from watching Past Chairmen Ed Lamb, Chuck Stokes and current Chair David Olson feels like a doctoral degree in how to lead. The people that make up our … Read More
KSB Hospital Accelerates Path Towards Top 100 Hospitals
Hospitals can be dangerous places. According to a 2016 study by Johns Hopkins Medicine, medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States – behind cancer and heart disease. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 1 in 25 patients will contract at least one hospital-acquired infection during their stay. Every hospital says quality and patient safety is Job #1. KSB Hospital proves it with data. The attached image has an underlying theme that dots in the upper right quadrant are the goal. The “C”, representing complications, and “P”, representing patient safety, show … Read More
Do You Have 3 Minutes To Spare? Watch the KSB Employee Meeting Video
One of the highlights of every annual meeting at KSB is the chance to showcase our employees. Check out this year’s video by clicking here.
Rural Hospitals – Caring For Our Communities
Our community suffered a horrific farm accident this week. This follows far too closely on the heels of a house fire that claimed the lives of a family in late October. Rural hospitals play a special role in tragedies. KSB Hospital’s team of professionals jump into action when a crisis hits, preparing as soon as news is heard of an event. We train on a regular basis to be prepared to handle whatever comes our way, and when tragedy strikes we are ready to provide care. The worse feeling is when we find out the injuries were simply too extreme … Read More
Driving Away The Flu
Linda Clemen, Chief Nursing Office to me: I want to do a drive by flu shot clinic. Me: OK. That was the conversation that launched a program that served 673 patients over four Wednesday’s in October, right at the front entrance of KSB Hospital. The KSB Nursing Division took this project on and made it their own, often with volunteer hours dedicated to improving the health of the communities we serve. Pictured are Jerry and Venessa Schnake of Dixon. They were the lucky 500th vaccination and received a gift certificate to Lori’s Gift, a retail store inside KSB Hospital. I … Read More
Jamming for KSB
Saturday evening KSB Hospital took over the Riverfront in Downtown Dixon to celebrate our successes and encourage financial support of KSB Hospital. Nancy Varga, Jan Woodward, Joan Melzer and Robin Canode spearheaded preparations for an incredible evening of drinks, dining and music. Thank you for your hard work on behalf of KSB Hospital. I reminded those in attendance of the outstanding work the KSB Family is doing in increasing quality, improving the patient experience, and offering value to our patients. We need your help to bring to our patients and their families, as well as our communities, those “value-added” services, … Read More