Harris News Service

RX for Change: Confronting the health care crisis in Kansas
December 2005

A few weeks ago the future suddenly looked a lot more expensive to Caren Rugg.

Really expensive.

The energetic community service coordinator for Franklin County's Agency on Aging caters to senior citizens, helping them with issues such as health care.

Smaller hospitals battle perceptions about quality of care, availability of specialists

Sometimes the little details make life more enjoyable.

For Pat Mourning, 57, Ottawa, that means taking long walks around town without pain.

Salina clinic becomes safe haven for uninsured

Franklin Davis knew he no longer could ignore whatever it was that was going on with his body.

He was sleepy and fatigued, couldn't drink enough to quench his thirst and constantly craved sweets. Soon, he developed a sharp, nagging pain in his stomach.

Making strides

Densmore Hart and Dr. Claude Brachfeld came to an agreement early on about his care at Hutchinson Heart.

Hart, an avid golfer, told the physician he planned on walking the Old Course at St. Andrews, in Scotland. It's nearly 3.5 miles from the first tee to the historic Swilcan Bridge.

Health-care costs high on priority list for many

Out of last session's political battles between Republican legislators and Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius came the foundation of a new state agency.

Its charge: Encourage a healthier public and control spending on state health care programs that perennially squeeze the budget.

Health care must change to avoid ‘perfect storm'

One professional calls escalating health care costs "the perfect storm."

"We're basically at a point in time where we know we can't continue to pay it, but there's a continued fascination to tweak the market," said Dr. John Jeter, president and CEO of the Hays Medical Center.

Back to the Front Page