EQUALITY means each individual or group is given the same resources or opportunities. EQUITY recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an EQUAL outcome. At OCH, we are striving to do our part for Health Equity and Health Disparities.
OCH is a part of an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) that is reaching out to Medicare patients who are in the high-risk category. We use this data in our ACO to find patients that have had a visit but have not returned for continued care needs for whatever reason. The focus is to reach and find out why the patients have not returned and try to help eliminate any barrier. Sometimes the patients do not return because of issues with transportation, language barrier, or they are underinsured. With the help of our community health workers at OCH, we can help patients in a variety of ways. Our team helps patients enroll in Medicaid, sign up for patient assistance, arrange for transportation, provide an interpreter, and address any racial barriers they may have experienced within their care experience.
A few years ago, OCH created a task force specific to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This team is made up of individuals who want to lead change and hold our organization accountable when we fall short in our continued efforts. OCH has chosen to invest in this initiative and has provided a funded position that dedicates time to leading these efforts. In collaboration with the nonprofit organization, Ozark New Hope, OCH was recently awarded a grant that will enable all employees to receive necessary education and training. These mandatory training sessions are a huge step towards helping ALL OCH personnel to better understand bias. The primary goal is to embed how to leverage the Power of Inclusion Equity and Respect in healthcare.
We are continuing to find ways to help eliminate racism and discrimination in healthcare across the board. We want to make sure that everyone who walks through the doors of an OCH facility feels cared for and important.
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]]>At Ozarks Community Hospital, we’re thrilled when our providers are recognized within the communities that they serve. It shows how dedicated they are to their work and to the people that they treat.
On March 28, the Webster County Health Department presented a resolution honoring Tiffany Kirk, FNP for her medical care efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic and commitment to the residents of Webster County. Tiffany has served as Nurse Practitioner at our OCH Wellpointe Family Medical Clinic in Marshfield, MO since 2017.
Among other items, the resolution documents the following efforts since early 2020:
“I’m grateful to be able to serve the needs of the community during this pandemic. Our staff put in numerous hours making sure patients were seen and evaluated, diagnostic tests were administered as symptoms warranted, and appropriate treatment was provided. I am very honored to be recognized by my community,” says Tiffany Kirk.
She also stressed the need for adequate physical and mental health care and education in a rural community setting, which prompted her to seek election to the Webster County Health Department Board of Directors in 2021. She has served on the Board since April, 2021, and is currently acting in capacity of Board secretary.
Congrats on your well-deserved honor, Tiffany Kirk! We’re proud of your accomplishments and are glad to have you on Team OCH!
Tiffany is a primary care provider and sees patients of all ages (newborn and up). She is currently accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment with her, please call 417-859-4878 or email the link below.
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]]>The post OCH Celebrates 2022 Doctors’ Day appeared first on Ozarks Community Hospital.
]]>March 30 is National Doctors’ Day. Let’s thank a doctor today!
On this day each year, the nation celebrates physicians and the incredible work that they do for patients every single day. These past few years have heightened the awareness of the astonishing work that medical providers do and the lengths that they go to in order to provide the needed care within the communities they serve. It’s been said before, but we’ll say it again – Doctors are heroes among us.
At OCH, we are beyond thankful for all of our doctors. As some of you may know, our organization began as Doctors Hospital in a facility in Springfield, MO back in January 2000 by a group of local physicians. Though so much about our health system has changed, the founding mission has not. We are dedicated to providing exceptional healthcare and preventive services to patients in an atmosphere of compassion, respect, and dignity, with a commitment to care for the underserved and to improve access to care.
None of this would be possible without the dedication to serving others by our physicians. Our organization wouldn’t be here without those mission-minded heroes who knew that there were patients who needed them.
So join us in thanking our doctors for dedicating their life to saving yours – our patients! If you have a story or shout-out that you would like to give a specific physician, please email it to info@ochonline.com.
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]]>The post International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) appeared first on Ozarks Community Hospital.
]]>International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is a United Nations day that is celebrated every year on December 3rd. First launched in 1992, the event is in its 29th year of celebration, marking nearly three decades of meaningful change for the disabled community. The day is about promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities at every level of society and development, and to raise awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of political, social, economic, and cultural life.
The theme for 2021 International Day of Persons with Disabilities is Leadership and Participation of Persons with Disabilities Toward an Inclusive, Accessible, and Sustainable post-COVID-19 World. The theme highlights the additional challenges faced by persons with disability during the COVID-19 pandemic and the aim, once the virus is under control, of ensuring that the future is inclusive, accessible, and sustainable for all.
Key messages:
Click here to see the five things you need to know about living with a disability during COVID-19.
At OCH, it is our mission to provide exceptional healthcare and preventive services to patients in an atmosphere of compassion, respect, and dignity, with a commitment to care for the underserved and to improve access to care. According to United Nations, “an estimated 46% of older people aged 60 years and over are people with disabilities.” We know the importance of ensuring these patients receive the care that they need. Our collaborative efforts with long-term care facilities ensures high continuity of care for each patient.
We encourage you to join OCH in supporting IDPD on social media by using the hashtags #IDPD and #EveryoneIncluded. To learn more about IDPD, click here.
United Nations, (ND). International Day of Persons with Disabilities – 3 December. Retrieved November 24, 2021 from https://www.un.org/en/observances/day–of-persons-with-disabilities.
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]]>The post A Message from our CEO, Paul Taylor appeared first on Ozarks Community Hospital.
]]>I will begin with the cliché: it is time to give thanks. I speak for the OCH organization when I say we have plenty to be thankful for. Whenever I hear that phrase, I cannot help but hear Bing Crosby singing the words in the film, Holiday Inn. In the song, Bing then goes on to list a number of things for which he is thankful. OCH is thankful for:
I am thankful for:
Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy the holiday.
Paul Taylor, CEO
Ozarks Community Hospital
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]]>The post National Native American Heritage Month appeared first on Ozarks Community Hospital.
]]>This past weekend I stopped by a museum and in the main entrance stood this statue:
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]]>The post What is Juneteenth? appeared first on Ozarks Community Hospital.
]]>For generations, individuals noted this day (also called Emancipation Day or Freedom Day) for decades. Large cities, such as Atlanta and Washington DC, have held large celebrations with parades and festivals for years. The COVID pandemic held back many celebrations in 2020, but organizers nationwide will celebrate in cities large and small in 2021.
In Springfield, MO, there will be two celebrations. Tina Bennett, a member of the OCH Diversity Equity and Inclusion Task Force, was a founder of the celebration in 2005 and is continuing as an Equity voice. Given the unrest in 2020, a collaborative celebration by all for freedom is welcomed and supported.
OCH Diversity Equity and Inclusion Task Force
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]]>The post Nutritionist offers FREE consults at Ozarks Community Hospital appeared first on Ozarks Community Hospital.
]]>You can’t control everything in life, but you can control what you put in your body. During the summer months, it’s the perfect time to get active and start changing your lifestyle. What you eat directly affects your energy level, quality of life, as well as your mental and physical health.
Young is on-site in Gravette and ready to help! She will assist you by creating a healthy eating plan tailored to your specific health concerns and goals.
In addition to general nutritional guidance and weight management, Young provides services and plans for patients with diabetes, digestive issues, gastric banding and cardiovascular issues.
“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition and health. Every individual is unique with different bodies, goals and backgrounds. My mission is to help tailor a healthy eating plan and overall routine that is specified per individual,” Young explained.
To book a FREE consult with Tammy Young, RDN, LD, call the Gravette Specialty Clinic at 479-344-6870 today.
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]]>The post Dr. Morrison Offers FREE Hernia Screenings at OCH appeared first on Ozarks Community Hospital.
]]>A hernia occurs when one of the organs protrudes through a weak spot in the abdominal muscles. Common indicators include a heavy feeling in your abdomen when you bend, pain when you lift heavy objects, or a lump that enlarges when you strain and disappears when you lie down.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, over 5 million people in the United States suffer from a hernia. Surprisingly, only about 15% of them seek medical help every year. Some hernias with few symptoms may just need monitoring by your primary care physician. Those with more serious symptoms may need treatment.
“The most common types of abdominal-related hernias we see are in the umbilical and groin areas, or from a previous incision,” explains Dr. Morrison. “Most often, hernias can be diagnosed with a physical exam, which is why I am excited to offer FREE hernia screenings to the community.”
While a variety of factors can play into hernia development, hernias tend to come from jobs that are more physically strenuous. Other things that can impact hernia development are: family history, obesity, pregnancy, straining caused from physical exercise, coughing and smoking.
Reserve a consult today by calling 479-344-6870! Spots are filling up quick.
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]]>The post Free sports physicals offered for Gravette athletes appeared first on Ozarks Community Hospital.
]]>Tammy Colvin, OCH Gravette Clinic manager, said the clinic hopes to help parents and students in Gravette afford this routine visit so kids are not kept from enjoying activities and sports based on costs.
“Sports physicals are for children of all ages. They help determine the readiness of student athletes to participate and are required prior to involvement in school athletics or other competitive sports,” Colvin said. “Our health care providers are excited and looking forward to another great year for Gravette students!”
Injuries or illnesses are often detected during these annual exams and alert students and their parents about medical conditions that may require further examination from a family practice physician or specialist.
Sports physicals are good through Spring 2022. This examination does not replace well child visits or annual physicals.
If you miss the FREE event, the OCH Gravette Clinic will honor FREE sports physicals until June 30th! To make an appointment for the FREE event, call 479-787-5221.
Signed parental consent forms are required before a pre-participation physical examination can be performed and may be obtained from a school athletic director.
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