Ottawa County

Last updated January 2012

Ottawa County is served by the Northwest Office of KU Medical Center's Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) in Hays, which provides quality professional education for health care providers and serves the eastern part of the state through health screenings, presentations and clinics.

Enhancing Student Education

• 4 students from Ottawa County are currently studying at KU Medical Center
• Ottawa County is part of the Northcentral Medical Education Network with Scott Owings, MD, a resident of Salina, serving as the Medical Education Director. The medical education director helps coordinate the School of Medicine's efforts to mentor, train and place physicians throughout Kansas.

Strengthening the Health Care Workforce

• 20 KU Medical Center graduates live and/or practice in Ottawa County
• 2 Ottawa County physicians received funding through the Kansas Bridging Plan, a loan-forgiveness program offered to primary care residents who agree to practice in rural Kansas since 1991.
• 15 health care professionals from Ottawa County participated in continuing education courses and conferences from July 2010 to June 2011.

Researching to Improve Health

• Women in Ottawa County are currently participating in Rural Women Connecting for Better Health, a weight-loss maintenance program for rural breast cancer survivors that focuses on tools for success, including a low-calorie diet, high levels of physical activity, accountability and group support. The study is led by Christie Befort, PhD.
• Occupational therapists at KU Medical Center provide professional support and development for Kansas' Infant-Toddler Services. Working in every county, KUMC professionals evaluate effectiveness of early intervention services provided to families. Principal investigators Winnie Dunn, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, and Ellen Pope, Med, OTR, facilitate this ongoing project with the Kansas Department of Health & Environment.

Advancing Health Care Access

• 1 outreach clinic visit with an Ottawa County resident was made by KU Medical Center health care providers in 2011.
• 23 visits with Ottawa County residents by KU Medical Center health care providers via telemedicine, an interactive video technology that connects providers and patients when distance separates the two, in 2011. To learn more about KU Medical Center's telemedicine services, click here.