New CEO Is Good Medicine for I-70 Community Hospital

Feb 15, Sweet Springs:  As I sit here writing this press release I can’t help being reminded of the old Virginia Slims commercial where a young hip woman, in bold patterns and bright colors (after all it was the early 70s) takes New York City by storm while a back-up group sings, “You’ve come a long way… Baby”.  It does seem like we’ve come a long way. Only 4 ½ years ago, and even now if you look at Google Maps satellite view, all that existed here was a lonely corn field.

Now we have a bustling rural hospital that employs 65 professional healthcare workers and growing. We offer several clinics that utilize the services of specialty physicians from Kansas City and surrounding areas in such diverse fields as Rheumatology, Podiatry, Neurology, Gastro Intestinal, Orthopedics, and on and on. As part of our regular services we offer Physical Therapy, Radiology, Lab Services, Swingbed, 24-Hour Emergency Department, and absolutely pristine In-Patient Facilities. We are a full-service hospital running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, come rain or shine.

Today, we have some very exciting news. A young woman will be taking our community by storm as she takes the reins as the new CEO of I-70 Community Hospital. Julie Davenport has been appointed to assume administrative duties at the hospital and is looking forward to increasing the quality healthcare services that we currently provide, as well as extending our reach to medically underserved communities in our region. Julie Davenport says, “I-70 Community Hospital’s mission is to provide excellence in patient care and respond to the patients and to the needs of their families. With the continued support of the surrounding communities, the dedication of our patients, staff and board members, and our eye on our mission. The hospital will be the strong, stable organization our community needs and deserves. ”

Julie brings with her a wealth of health care experience as well as deep family ties to Saline and Lafayette counties. She has been involved in healthcare for over twenty-two years, spending the last ten of those years focusing on Critical Access Hospitals, Nursing Administration, and Rural Health Clinics. She is a lifelong resident of this region having been born and raised in Lafayette County and spending her childhood in Blackburn Missouri. She attended Trinity Lutheran School in Alma and then later Santa Fe High School in the same community. She received her Nursing Degree from State Fair Community College in Sedalia, and she also has the distinction of being the 1^st person hired at I-70 Community Hospital. She currently lives in Higginsville with her husband Shawn and her two sons Dalton 15, and Wyatt 13.

When asked what she considers to be the greatest immediate challenge facing her at I-70 Community Hospital? She responded, “Over the past four years the organization has strived to grow to its fullest potential. We are on the cusp of achieving that goal. The biggest challenge has and will continue to be attracting primary care and specialty providers to our rural area to expand those services.  However, once providers see our facility and get the opportunity to work with our staff they are always amazed at the culture of excellence that we have developed and want to be a part of our team. A team where everyone is respected and valued for what they bring to the organization, from the biller to the physician. “

When asked what she most appreciates about the facility she said, “The staff of I-70 Community Hospital has developed a culture of trust and respect for their co-workers and patients that is un-measureable. Their pursuit of excellence in patient care is relentless, I am so proud to be a part of this team.”

Heart Healthy Recipe Modifications
Shelby Wilmes, RD, LD, MBA

Hearts are one of the first things to come to mind when we think of February.  February is associated with Valentines Day and love, both of which are matters of the heart.  Precisely why February is also the month when we recognize the need to keep our hearts healthy.  One of the key pieces to keeping your heart healthy is found in what you eat.  Most therapeutic diets targeted at keeping the heart healthy emphasize eating a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins and low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

A multitude of cookbooks and websites are dedicated to providing recipes that are low in fat, cholesterol and sodium but why spend the time to find a new recipe you like?  All you have to do is implement some of the changes listed below and your favorite recipe can become a heart healthy recipe.

Meats

• Trim the fat from all meats prior to cooking
• When browning ground beef, drain and rinse to remove extra oil
• Choose leaner meats such as breast in chicken or turkey and loin in pork or beef
• Avoid prime cuts of meat; these have more marbling of fat which can not be cut or reduced

Baking

• Reduce the amount of fat by 1/3
• Skim milk can be used as a substitute for whole milk or regular evaporated milk
• Replace fat with equal amount of non-fat plain yogurt, applesauce, mashed bananas, puree prune or pumpkin puree.  Yogurt and applesauce will make the product very moist and puree prunes will make a very dry product; therefore liquids may need to be increased or decreased.  Banana and pumpkin will add more distinct flavors so use when appropriate with other flavors in the recipe. 
• Substitute two egg whites for one whole egg
• Low fat cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and yogurt can be substituted for whole fat products (the fat free versions typically won’t have a smooth consistency when heated)
• Reduce the salt in baked products by ½ if the product does not contain yeast.  If the product contains yeast then do not decrease the salt.

Cooking

• Use cooking spray and a non stick pan instead of coating pan with oil. 
• Bake, broil, grill, roast or microwave instead of frying.
• Use canola or olive oil when cooking instead of butter, margarine or shortening.
• Cook vegetables in low sodium broth and leave out the butter to add flavor
• Use sodium free spices or spice blends when cooking
• Buy reduced sodium canned products and rinse canned vegetables before cooking them to wash away extra sodium.