Pratt Family Practice

08/13/2025

Why does PFP support the new hospitalist program at the hospital?

We’ve been surprised by the nefarious intentions that have been attributed to us on our own FB posts, even by people who aren’t our own patients. So, we’d like to set the record straight.

We are independent. We are not owned by the hospital. We have the privilege and onus of running our clinic without oversight or interference. We have always tried to make our decisions with the best interest of our patients in mind, because our patients are also our family, friends, and neighbors.

When Pratt lost an internal medicine doctor in May, we made the decision to try to absorb as many new patients as possible. We understand that if we don’t, those people may have a difficult time finding medical care in Pratt. From June to July our new patient visits more than doubled. And, already in August, they’re on track to double again.

We are constantly striving to improve our clinic. We’ve added Nurse Triage lines, staffed by RNs, where any patient can call in and speak directly to a nurse. We’ve doubled our Medical Records staff so that we can better handle all of these new patients and referrals. We’ve added a new Nurse Practitioner (with more on the way!). We attempt to call every patient who visited the ER to make sure they’re doing okay. We also try to call every single patient who has been discharged from any facility to get them back into our clinic to attempt to keep them from being readmitted.

So, when PRMC approached us about a hospitalist program, after careful evaluation, we gave our approval. Why? Well, statistically, inpatients who are treated by a hospitalist have better outcomes, have lower hospital bills, and are discharged quicker than patients who don’t. These hospitalists will be in the facility when we can’t be. Do you need to be admitted during office hours? They’re there to do the paperwork so you don’t have to wait. Ready to be discharged? I bet you don’t want to wait until after office hours or the arrival of that new baby. You get the best of both worlds – our physicians, your medical records, AND a specialized physician to care for you 24/7 while you’re an inpatient.

If you are a PIMG patient concerned about losing your physician, please know that we understand your concerns. We have a great deal of respect for the PIMG physicians and value the care they provide. Over here, we’re just working hard to deliver the highest quality care possible for our patients.

08/12/2025

PRMC CEO’s Response to Community Questions on the Hospitalist Program

I’m grateful to see how much our community values and supports their providers. We have some of the most skilled, dedicated medical professionals anywhere, and we are proud of the exceptional care they provide. It’s no surprise their patients feel a deep loyalty to them.

To be clear: the decision to implement a hospitalist program is not about preventing Dr. Zook, Dr. Hauser, or any local provider from caring for hospitalized patients. When a patient is admitted to the hospital, the patient’s primary care provider MAY transfer the management of care to a hospitalist but are not required to do so. Our goal is to work closely with our Internal Medicine physicians to design a model that works for everyone.

A hospitalist program will allow us to care for more patients locally, keep our beds filled, reduce unnecessary transfers to Wichita, and ensure patients receive timely care surrounded by their loved ones.

We are committed to keeping PRMC strong for the future. This change supports our physicians, builds stronger referral relationships, and helps us deliver on our promise: to provide the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Tammy Smith, CEO, PRMC

08/08/2025

PRMC is launching a Hospitalist Program — meaning patients will have physicians who work exclusively within the hospital to oversee and coordinate patient care. Our patients have always received excellent care, and the new Hospitalist Program will make it even better — all while Pratt Family Practice continues providing trusted OB and pediatric care for our community.

PRMC Working to Implement a Hospitalist Program

PRMC is committed to delivering the highest quality of care. In line with that commitment, PRMC CEO, Tammy Smith, is pleased to announce the hospital will begin transitioning to a Hospitalist Program.

“Transitioning to a hospitalist program is a strategic step to enhance the quality, continuity, and coordination of care for hospitalized patients while supporting our dedicated medical staff and enhancing clinic services,” Smith said.

PRMC’s mission is to provide excellent and compassionate healthcare services. Implementation of a hospitalist program will allow for growth and will increase access to care for the region.

“The physicians at Pratt Family Practice and PRMC Internal Medicine provide high-quality care and do an outstanding job caring for patients in both the clinic and hospital settings,” PRMC Board Member, Suzanne Moore said. “Implementing a hospitalist program will enable PRMC to take on additional patients and expand access to care for acutely ill patients from Pratt County and the surrounding area. As a rural hospital, we must be willing to evolve to meet the growing needs of the communities we serve. This program is a critical step forward.”

Why This Change Is Necessary

With the recent departure of Dr. Nicole Dyer, it became clear the current model - where local providers care for patients both in the clinic and in the hospital - is not sustainable in the long-term and is not consistent with current models in other hospitals similar to PRMC. The current dual-role system places significant demands on physicians and limits PRMC’s ability to grow and meet the healthcare needs of the region.

Rather than continuing to recruit for a model that is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain, PRMC is working closely with the Medical Staff to implement a hospitalist program. This new structure will increase the capacity to care for more patients who require hospitalization, while also:

• Freeing up local providers to deliver more focused, enhanced services in outpatient clinic settings.
• Ensuring continuity and quality of care during hospitalization with a team of specialized physicians based within the hospital full-time.
• Improving work-life balance for our physicians by eliminating the need for 24/7 hospital call coverage.

When a patient is admitted to the hospital, the patient's primary care provider may transfer the management of care to a hospitalist. The hospitalist communicates with the primary care provider as needed throughout the patient's stay. When a patient leaves the hospital, the primary care provider receives a summary of the hospital stay and resumes care at that point.

Pratt Family Practice Physician Dr. J. Wakon Fowler supports the transition, “A hospitalist program should benefit providers and patients by enhancing communication and collaboration.” Providers will be in contact with the hospitalist. “The hospitalist will keep us informed and we will follow-up with that patient after their hospital stay,” Dr. Fowler explained.

Pratt Family Practice physicians will continue to provide hospital care to their pediatric and obstetric patients.

What Is a Hospitalist Program?

Hospitalists are doctors who specialize in the care of patients admitted to the hospital. Because they are on-site and available for emergencies, hospitalists can respond quickly to changes in a patient’s condition, coordinate care with nurses and specialists, and ensure that every hospitalized patient receives timely and attentive care. Hospitalists also help patients transition efficiently from inpatient to outpatient care, minimizing readmissions.

What to Expect

“You may see recruitment efforts in the coming days, but please know this is not an effort to replace the providers you know and trust,” Smith said. “Rather, it is a way to enhance the care we provide, improve access, and ensure we are meeting the evolving needs of all the communities we serve.”

By implementing this Hospitalist Program, PRMC will be able to care for more patients locally, reducing the need to transfer individuals out of the community for inpatient services. “Our local providers will continue to be deeply involved in your care—now with greater ability to focus on prevention, management of chronic conditions, and outpatient services,” Smith said. “We appreciate your understanding and support as we move forward with this positive and necessary change. Together, we’re building a stronger, more sustainable healthcare system—right here at home.”

07/04/2025

Happy 4th! We hope everyone has a great weekend!

A reminder that our clinic is closed today, and will reopen on Monday!

07/03/2025

Pratt Family Practice will be closed tomorrow, July 4th & will return to office Monday, the 7th.

We hope everyone has a safe holiday weekend!

05/29/2025

05/07/2025

Our front office will be closed from 12-1 for staff trainings. We apologize for any inconvenience. If you do call in, please leave a message and we will get back with you as soon as we can!

03/27/2025

KDHE launched its 2025 Kansas Measles Outbreak Dashboard,
which will be updated with measles case counts every Wednesday.

KDHE Measles Outbreak Dashboard:
https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/2314/Measles-Data

Updated guidance and information on the current measles outbreak, as well as vaccine information, can be found on the KDHE Measles-Rubeola webpage.

KDHE Measles-Rubeola webpage:
https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/1501/Measles

03/14/2025

Pratt Regional Medical Center is pleased to welcome gastroenterologist Dr. Richard Tay to the team. Endoscopy services at PRMC are in high demand. On most weekdays, a dozen or more patients undergo a variety of procedures. Patients come from all over south central and western Kansas to receive care at PRMC’s Endoscopy department.

Dr. Tay has been providing temporary coverage at PRMC for several months and has now agreed to a more permanent role. “I’ve really enjoyed working with the team at PRMC,” Dr. Tay said. “It’s a well-equipped hospital with a professional and friendly staff.”

Gastroenterologists are a rare specialty in rural areas, and PRMC is fortunate to have Dr. Tay on staff. “As a regional hospital, it’s important for us to provide a wide range of specialists to our patients,” said PRMC President and CEO Tammy Smith. “Patients are more likely to undergo screenings or procedures when they don’t have to travel far from home.”

With over 30 years of experience in gastroenterology, Dr. Tay earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He completed his residency at the University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School from 1986 to 1990 and went on to complete a gastroenterology fellowship at the same institution from 1990 to 1992.

Originally from Texas, Dr. Tay splits his time between Texas and Kansas. He has two grown children and enjoys hiking and visiting national parks in his spare time, with his favorites being Zion in Utah and Banff in Canada.

Dr. Tay is a general gastroenterologist. While many people associate gastroenterologists with colonoscopies, Dr. Tay performs a wide range of procedures. He recommends patients begin screening for colon cancer at age 45 and continue every 10 years thereafter. For those with a first-degree relative who has had colon cancer, he recommends screening at age 45 and then every five years. Above all, Dr. Tay emphasizes the importance of regular check-ups with a primary care provider and staying current on recommended screenings and immunizations.

Gastroenterologists perform a variety of procedures, including:
- Colonoscopy
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
- Sigmoidoscopy
- Endoscopic biopsies and removal of polyps
- Esophageal dilatation
- Gastrostomy, percutaneous endoscopic

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Tay, please
contact your primary care provider and request a referral to
Dr. Richard Tay at Pratt Regional Medical Center.

Photo: Amanda Garnett, Endo Tech; Dr. Tay; Amber Walker RN, BSN, Endoscopy Manager; Kelly Smith, RN; Brennyn Doan, RN, BSN

03/14/2025

03/04/2025

PRATT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER RECEIVES HIGH 5 FOR
MOM & BABY PREMIER RECOGNITION

March 3, 2025, Pratt, KS – Pratt Regional Medical Center’s Family Birth Suites has continued its commitment to improving infant and maternal health by earning recognition through High 5 for Mom & Baby Premier, a program developed by the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates in Kansas.

High 5 for Mom & Baby Premier provides resources and a framework to help Kansas hospitals and birth facilities implement ten evidence-based practices proven to support successful breastfeeding, improving maternal and infant health outcomes while also reducing racial and ethnic health disparities.

In 2024, PRMC Family Birth Suites staff welcomed 218 babies into the world. “Our breastfeeding initiation rate was at 88% of all patients who delivered here and started breastfeeding, which is pretty good,” Brenda Blankenship, RN, PRMC Family Birth Suites Manager explained. “All of our nurses have taken extra breastfeeding education and attend a skills check off. We have one International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and two of our other nurses will finish their breastfeeding specialist certification this year.”

To obtain High 5 for Mom & Baby Premier recognition, each facility is asked to complete a voluntary and self-reported evaluation and to follow all ten of the evidence-based practices:
1. Facility will have a written maternity care and infant feeding policy that addresses all ten High 5 for Mom & Baby practices supporting breastfeeding
2. Facility will maintain staff competency in lactation support
3. All pregnant women will receive information and instruction on breastfeeding
4. Assure immediate and sustained skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby after birth
5. All families will receive individualized infant feeding counseling
6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breastmilk unless medically indicated
7. Practice “rooming in” - allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day
8. Families will be encouraged to feed their babies when the baby exhibits feeding cues, regardless of feeding methods
9. Give no pacifiers or artificial ni***es to breastfeeding infants
10. Provide mothers options for breastfeeding support in the community (such as a telephone number, walk-in clinic information, support groups, etc.) upon discharge

“Breastfeeding plays a crucial role in the overall health of babies and mothers,” stated Katie Schoenhoff, Director of Programs at the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund. “Following the ten High 5 for Mom & Baby practices demonstrates PRMC’s commitment to infant and maternal health by helping moms successfully initiate and maintain breastfeeding.”

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), 60% of mothers stopped breastfeeding sooner than they planned. Some factors that influence how long or if a baby is breastfed include: hospital practices, education and encouragement, policies or support in the workplace, and access to community support – which is why High 5 for Mom & Baby facilities are committed to helping women breastfeed successfully, through staff trained in breastfeeding best practices and policies to help mothers meet their breastfeeding goals.

Along with the recognition of being named a High 5 for Mom & Baby Premier facility, PRMC also receives ongoing education and training opportunities, support and resources through a community of delivery centers, and scholarship opportunities to further staff education.

“Breastfeeding provides numerous health benefits for both infants and mothers, and we’re honored to receive this recognition from the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund for our efforts to support successful breastfeeding initiation and maintenance. As a facility committed to providing the very highest quality of care, we have found the High 5 practices and resources to not only improve health outcomes but also increase patient satisfaction,” said PRMC Family Birth Suites Manager, Brenda Blankenship, RN.

For more information on High 5 for Mom & Baby Premier, contact Cara Gerhardt, Program Coordinator: coordinator@high5kansas.org, or visit the website at https://www.high5kansas.org/