Phelps Health Happenings: First Quarter 2024 Updates

Now that 2024 is underway, I want to take this time to reflect on some remarkable accomplishments that happened at Phelps Health in 2023. As an organization, we’ve made a lot of progress on several important initiatives and achieved numerous goals. Take a glimpse at some of the highlights from this past year:

• Recognized in Becker’s Hospital Review 2023 list of Great Community Hospitals and Forbes America’s Best Employers By State for 2023

• Began offering KeyCare video visits, making healthcare accessible anytime, anywhere

• Partnered with Compass Health to increase access to behavioral health services in the region

• Selected as one of six hospitals in Missouri to participate in the Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH) pilot program

• Partnered with Aledade to take part in our first Accountable Care Organization (ACO)

Strategic Plan

I’m also proud to report that we successfully met or exceeded key goals outlined in our strategic plan. We saw growth in the number of unique patients served by our primary or specialty care providers.

Our physicians and providers also reported an improved overall rating of Phelps Health as a place to work. Ratings in patient surveys also exceeded our target goals for 2023.

We continue to make progress on developing our health equity and community health program.

Health equity refers to the ability for everybody to achieve their highest level of health. We are looking at ways to ensure that the people living and working in local communities are able to reach their full potential for health and well-being.

While our operating margin fell slightly short of our target last year, we remain committed to being a financially viable healthcare organization. It’s worth noting that in 2022, Phelps Health provided over $43.7 million in community benefits, including charity and other uncompensated care, community outreach services and donations to community groups.

New Doctors/Providers

At Phelps Health, we are committed to improvement. As we look forward to the rest of 2024, I’m excited for opportunities to continue living out our mission: to provide high-quality, accessible care.

Many new doctors and providers have signed contracts with Phelps Health. Help us welcome these new healthcare providers.

The following physicians and providers are currently accepting patients:

• Amber Cook, DNP, ACHPN – Palliative (Supportive) Care

• Elliotte Bourne, PA-C – Family Medicine

• Kate Finley, DNP, WHNP-BC – Women’s Health

• Lincoln Shenje, MD, PhD, MRCP – Interventional Cardiology

• Megan McBride, FNP-C – Family Medicine

• Mylhan Myers, DO – Family Medicine

• Paige Alvarado, CNM – Obstetrics/Gynecology and Midwifery

• Sara Bayless, CPNP – Pediatrics

• Sarah McKee, FNP-BC, CNM – Obstetrics/Gynecology and Midwifery

• Stilianos Efstratiadis, MD, FACC, FSCAI – Interventional Cardiology

One physician will join us later this month:

• Sasan Moshirzadeh, MD – Neurology

These three physicians will start seeing patients in the late summer or fall of 2024:

• Rebecca Fryer, DO – Family Medicine

• Andrea Phinney, MD – Orthopedics

• Donny Roshan, DO – General Surgery

Other Updates

In other exciting news, Phelps Health now offers 24/7 STEMI services in our Cardiac Catherization Labs. This means our Cardiology team can help patients who experience STEMIs (ST-elevation myocardial infarctions) – a serious type of heart attack.

If you’ve recently visited our organization, you may notice some ongoing construction projects, including building the new Emergency Medical Services (EMS) base, making renovations at the Bond Building on Blues Lake Parkway and building out a new Pre-Anesthesia Clinic.

About Phelps Health

Phelps Health serves over 200,000 residents in south-central Missouri. Phelps Health is county-owned, non-tax supported and overseen by a five-member elected board. Phelps Health employs more than 1,900 people, including 100-plus providers. Phelps Health, which includes a hospital licensed for 240 patient beds, serves a six-county area, with its main campus and several clinics located in Rolla, Missouri. Phelps Health also has clinics in Salem, St. James, Vienna and Waynesville, Missouri. For more information, visit phelpshealth.org.