News / Press Releases

Stay updated with CH-F with reading the articles below!

Clarkson College and Community Hospital - Fairfax Continue Partnership to Build Healthcare Workforce

[Contact: Kristin Camp
Communications Administrator
402 552 6476

CampKristin@ClarksonCollege.edu]

Clarkson College and Community Hospital – Fairfax Continue Partnership to Build Healthcare Workforce

Fairfax Community Hospital employees, their spouses and dependents receive scholarships

Omaha, Neb.: The longtime partnership between Clarkson College and Community Hospital – Fairfax continues to strengthen as the institutions work together to build a highly skilled and compassionate healthcare workforce. The partnership offers Community Hospital – Fairfax employees as well as their spouses and dependent children substantial scholarships and preferred application status.

Community Hospital – Fairfax is a critical access hospital that provides 24-hour emergency services, diagnostic laboratory services, radiology services, and physical, occupational, and speech therapies to residents located in and around Fairfax, Missouri. Its facilities serve as the primary health care provider for residents of Atchison and Holt Counties, as well as some of Nodaway County.

In her remarks to attendees of Community Hospital’s annual Gala Dinner and Show on March 16, Julie Jones, CEO of Community Hospital – Fairfax, thanked Clarkson College for their sponsorship of the event. Mrs. Jones, a member of the Clarkson College Board of Directors, stated, “The importance of quality healthcare education is vital to rural, independent hospitals. We are pleased to partner with Clarkson College to provide scholarships to our employees and their family members. Our community is ultimately made stronger through this commitment.”

Dr. Andreia Nebel, President and CEO of Clarkson College acknowledged the partnership, saying, “by taking advantage of these scholarships, students may earn a quality healthcare education and pursue professional goals with reduced financial burden.”

The partnership offers Community Hospital – Fairfax employees, as well as their spouses and dependent children ages 23 and younger, substantial scholarships (example: approximately $32,000 over four years for a bachelor’s degree) at Clarkson College. All applicants who meet admissions qualifications and are seeking enrollment in online programs will be accepted. Preference will be given to applicants enrolling in on-campus programs through additional points on their application. Participants are also eligible to apply for Clarkson College academic scholarships and financial aid, and graduates will have the opportunity to gain salary and advancement potential at Community Hospital – Fairfax.

The partnership allows employees and their family members to pursue advanced education options in critical areas such as nursing. Clarkson College offers opportunities including Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), traditional BSN, Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), as well as certificate and Nurse Anesthesia options. They can also explore healthcare education options in Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiography and Medical Imaging, Psychology, Healthcare Business, General Education, Health Information Management, Community Health, and Education and Leadership.

Learn more at ClarksonCollege.edu/Fairfax-Community-Hospital.

Clarkson College Sponsors Hospital Gala and Show

In attendance at the Community Hospital – Fairfax Gala March 16, 2024 were representatives of Clarkson College, pictured with hospital CEO, Julie Jones. From left: Lori Jerina, Ale Denton, Jessica Wissink, Clarkson College President Dr. Andreia Nebel, Ms. Jones, Jina Paul, and Kristin Camp.

Clarkson College is a private, non-profit college in Omaha, Neb. offering certificate, and degree opportunities in the fields of Nursing, Healthcare Business, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiography, Medical Imaging, Imaging Informatics, Community Health, Healthcare Education and Leadership, Psychology and Community Advancement. The College is nationally accredited through the Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). The Mission of Clarkson College is to prepare students to professionally provide high quality, ethical and compassionate health care services. Clarkson College is an educational partner with Nebraska Medicine.

Community Hospital-Fairfax Receives Quality-Based Accreditation from DNV

[Fairfax, MO, 2/9/2024] — Community Hospital-Fairfax announces the successful completion of its new accreditation process from has been awarded by DNV.

By earning accreditation, Community Hospital-Fairfax has demonstrated it meets or exceeds patient safety standards (Conditions of Participation) set forth by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. DNV’s accreditation program is the only one to integrate the ISO 9001 Quality Management System with the Medicare Conditions of Participation.

“The DNV program is consistent with our long-term commitment to quality and patient safety,” says Julie Jones, CEO. “The ability to integrate ISO 9001 quality standards with our clinical and financial processes is a major step forward.”

Community Hospital-Fairfax has three years from the date of its accreditation to achieve compliance with ISO 9001, the world’s most trusted quality management system used by performance-driven organizations around the world to advance their quality and sustainability objectives.

“We have taken an entirely different approach to accreditation, and hospitals are really responding,” says DNV Healthcare USA Inc. President Kelly Proctor. “Since accreditation is a must-have credential for just about every hospital in this country, why not make it more valuable, and get more out of it? That’s where ISO 9001 comes into play and turns the typical get-your-ticket-punched accreditation exercise into a quality transformation.”

DNV’s accreditation program, called NIAHO^® (Integrated Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations), involves annual hospital surveys – instead of every three years – and encourages hospitals to openly share information across departments and to discover improvements in clinical workflows and safety protocols.

About Community Hospital-Fairfax

Community Hospital-Fairfax is critical access hospital located in Northwest Missouri. Community Hospital-Fairfax provides care through six primary care clinics and a full range of ancillary, inpatient, rehab, and diagnostic services. Learn more about Community Hospital-Fairfax at www.FairfaxMed.com

About DNV

DNV is a global independent certification, assurance and risk management provider, operating in more than 100 countries. Through its broad experience and deep expertise, DNV advances safety and sustainable performance, sets industry benchmarks, drives innovative solutions.

Whether certifying a company’s management system or products, accrediting hospitals, providing training, assessing supply chains or digital assets, DNV enables customers and stakeholders to make critical decisions with confidence, continually improve and realize long-term strategic goals sustainably.

DNV draws on its wide technical and industry expertise to help companies worldwide build consumer and stakeholder trust. Driven by its purpose, to safeguard life, property, and the environment, DNV helps tackle the challenges and global transformations facing its customers and the world today and is a trusted voice for many of the world’s most successful and forward-thinking companies.

For more information about DNV, visit www.dnvcert.com/healthcare

Mina Massey M.D. Joins Community Hospital-Fairfax

Community Hospital-Fairfax Announces Addition of New Family Practice Physician, Mina Massey M.D.

Community Hospital-Fairfax (CH-F) is proud to announce the addition of Mina Massey M.D. to the CH-F Medical Staff. Dr. Massey practiced medicine in southeast Missouri prior to joining CH-F and is passionate about rural medicine.

“When I saw this opportunity, I felt like it was a great fit for my experience and my passions. I wanted to be a part of an organization that is independently owned and has longevity in the community, and I enjoy rural medicine. Community Hospital-Fairfax met both of those objectives,” explained Dr. Massey.

Dr. Massey attended medical school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and completed her residency at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Dr. Massey has provided care in a variety of settings throughout her career including primary care, urgent, obstetrical, and emergency room settings. At CH-F, Dr. Massey will be providing family practice services primarily in the Tarkio Family Medicine Clinic.

“Dr. Massey and I graduated from UMKC School of Medicine in the same class, so it has been great to reconnect. She has a lot in common with our practice style here at CH-F, and we believe that she is a great addition to our team that provides care here in Northwest Missouri,” commented Aron Burke M.D., CH-F Chief Medical Officer.

Dr. Massey’s first day at CH-F was August 14. She is currently orienting to the community and the organization and appointment availability will begin August 31, 2023, at Tarkio. Interested individuals are encouraged to watch local newspapers, CH-F social media and website (www.FairfaxMed.com) for information to schedule appointments with Dr. Massey.

Community Hospital-Fairfax Adds Physician, More Provider Days in Holt County Clinics

Community Hospital-Fairfax is excited to announce the addition of Mina Massey M.D. to the Community Hospital-Fairfax Medical Staff. Dr. Massey will join the Holt County primary care team one day a week in the South Holt Clinic beginning in October. This will increase provider days in Holt County to five days a week in both the Oregon and Mound City clinics.

Community Hospital-Fairfax is excited to offer primary care services in both the Mound City and South Holt Family Medicine Clinics five days a week. Dustin Carpenter M.D. will continue seeing patients at Mound City Family Medicine with Melissa Masonbrink, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Joanna Burke, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Dr. Massey will see patients in the South Holt clinic on Wednesdays while Amanda Auxier, Family Nurse Practitioner, takes appointments on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

“We opened a clinic in Mound City in 2014 and joined the Oregon community in 2016. For nearly 10 years, we have enjoyed tremendous community support. Dr. Massey is looking forward to getting to know the community joining Dr. Carpenter, Melissa, Joanna, and Amanda as part of the Holt County team” commented Julie Jones, CEO.

Provider information and schedules are available on the hospital website at www.FairfaxMed.com Mound City Family Medicine is located at 514 State Street, Mound City, and can be reached at (660) 442-3181. South Holt Family Medicine is located at 101 S. Washington Street, Oregon, and can be reached at (660) 446-2090.

Community Hospital-Fairfax Among Top Hospitals in the Nation for Patient Experience

Becker’s Hospital Review has recently recognized Community Hospital-Fairfax as one of 277, among 5,000 hospitals in the nation, to be rated five stars for patient experience.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) measures patient experience in ten areas including nurse and physician communication, care transitions, and cleanliness. CMS takes an average of these scores to determine the five-star summary rating. Only seven hospitals in the State of Missouri and 277 hospitals nationwide were given five stars for patient experience in the July 26, 2023, data update.

In addition to this distinction, Community Hospital-Fairfax’s nursing staff was also recognized as a top performer in the nation for responsiveness. The staff responsiveness score is based on patient feedback about how quickly staff responded when the patient asked for help or pressed the call button.

“Providing a quality patient experience has long been a focus of ours at Community Hospital-Fairfax. We constantly review the feedback our patients provide and work to improve to better meet their needs. It is wonderful to see our team recognized for their efforts, commented Samantha Grist, Chief Nursing Officer, and patient experience leader.

All patient survey data is publicly reported on CMS’s Care Compare website at www.Medicare.Gov/Care-Compare Patient experience data for hospitals, long-term care facilities, and many other healthcare providers is available for patients to view on this website.

For more information about Community Hospital-Fairfax, visit www.FairfaxMed.com

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Community Hospital-Fairfax’s Senior Life Solutions is spreading awareness of the challenges of receiving mental health access in rural areas. While mental illnesses have a similar prevalence in both rural and urban environments, the circumstances and access to treatment look different. The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) tells us that rural residents face more obstacles in obtaining behavioral health services. As a result, distinct mental health differences are seen rurally compared to urban residents.

Studies have also shown that the risk of suicide is higher in rural areas, making it that much more vital that individuals seek out and have access to help. The Rural Health Information Hub states, “suicide rate is near twice as great in the most rural areas of the U.S. compared to the most urban areas.”

Figuring out a solution starts with identifying the problem. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)highlights the following barriers to receiving mental health care in rural areas:

Lack of Privacy – “Individuals living in rural locations commonly identify a lack of privacy as a barrier to receiving treatment.
Lack of culturally appropriate treatment – “Culturally appropriate treatment accommodates clients’ beliefs and practices, preferred languages, individual and family histories, differences in symptoms, and preferred approaches to treatment.”
Lack of Services – “Even when individuals living in rural locations want treatment, they may have few services and providers in their areas, and they may have less access than urban residents to evidence-based practices (EBPs).”
Lack of Practitioners – “Rural areas have few behavioral health practitioners, particularly ones who are qualified to provide specialty treatment or EBPs. More than 75 percent of all U.S. counties are mental health shortage areas, and half of all U.S. counties have no mental health professionals at all.”
Evidence-Based Practices – “Some research shows that behavioral health facilities in rural areas are more likely than their urban counterparts to be independently operated and less likely to collaborate with a university to train providers on EBPs. At the same time, most studies that support EBPs are not conducted in rural areas or on rural populations.”

Recently, amazing solutions such as telehealth have helped increase access to mental health care for rural Americans, making treatment more obtainable. Along with these incredible technological advances, one thing we can all do to help improve access to mental health is simply talking about it. Talking about mental health can open up the door for people to feel more comfortable and less afraid to seek help.

The American Psychiatric Association says, “Research shows that knowing or having contact with someone with mental illness is one of the best ways to reduce stigma. Individuals speaking out and sharing their stories can have a positive impact. When we know someone with mental illness, it becomes less scary and more real and relatable.”

To learn more about how you can become an advocate this Mental Health Awareness Month and join the National campaign,” visit www.nami.org.

Senior Life Solutions is Community Hospital-Fairfax’s ’s program, designed to meet the unique needs of individuals typically 65 and older experiencing depression and/or anxiety related to life changes that are often associated with aging. If you or someone you know is struggling with a recent diagnosis that is difficult to accept or a decline in emotional health, our program wants you to know we are here to help. Whether through our program, or another service, our team works to identify and address the emotional needs of those in our community and provide support.

If you need more information, education, or would like to discuss support, please call (660) 686 2319 or visit www.fairfaxmed.com.

Community Hospital-Fairfax Recognized as a Missouri AIM Star by Missouri Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Community Hospital-Fairfax was recognized as a Missouri AIM Star by the Missouri Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health. The recognition signifies the hospital’s completion of the organization’s Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy Collaborative. Hypertension, known as high blood pressure, can have a devastating effect on a mother and baby. Preeclampsia, a condition signaled by high blood pressure, is the leading cause of maternal mortality — occurring in one in every 25 pregnancies.

The MO AIM initiative launched in 2019 to support hospitals’ implementation of evidence-based practices to improve the rapid treatment of high blood pressure and ensure timely follow-up care after delivery. Hospitals within the collaborative participated in education and training, policy development, and data reporting, while increasing patient and family education on the reportable signs and symptoms of high blood pressure in pregnancy.

“The evidence is clear — early intervention for hypertension can save the lives of a mother and child,” said Jon D. Doolittle, Missouri Hospital Association President and CEO. “AIM’s Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy Collaborative is a powerful tool in efforts to reduce maternal and child harm in Missouri. These hospitals are making a difference for their patients.”

“Our obstetrical nursing team along with Aron Burke M.D. has worked diligently to meet the objectives of this program including educating our patients about hypertension and its impact on both the mother and baby’s health. We are grateful for their ongoing commitment to safe, high quality obstetrical care” explained Chief Nursing Officer, Samantha Grist, RN.

During the two-year program, 25 hospitals met the criteria for successful implementation.

Amanda Auxier FNP Joins Community Hospital-Fairfax Family Medicine Clinic at South Holt Clinic

Community Hospital-Fairfax is pleased to announce that Amanda Auxier FNP will be joining our South Holt Family Medicine clinic February 2, 2022. Amanda is the new full-time nurse practitioner in Oregon.

Amanda is a lifelong Northwest Missouri resident and makes her home in rural Savannah. She was a registered nurse for 22 years in a wide variety of healthcare settings before becoming a family nurse practitioner. Amanda has been working in both the Mound City and South Holt clinics over the last few weeks getting to know the clinics and community and is looking forward to her first day at South Holt Family Medicine Clinic on February 2. With Amanda’s arrival, the clinic will now be open four days a week including Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Rural healthcare is a passion of Amanda’s. She enjoys providing inclusive care to her patients and getting to know multiple generations in a community.

“I’ve worked in rural healthcare for many years and understand its unique nature. I feel very strongly about providing compassionate, cost effective and wholistic care and I can’t wait to get started serving this community” explained Amanda.

When she is not at the clinic, Amanda enjoys fishing and camping with her husband of 21 years, Noel. Together, they have three children and two grandchildren.

Amanda will be the full-time provider in the South Holt Clinic. She joins Dustin Carpenter M.D., Melissa Masonbrink FNP and Joanna Burke PNP, providers in the Mound City Family Medicine Clinic, in serving Holt County and the surrounding areas.

Please reach out to South Holt Family Medicine at (660) 446-2090 for more information.