Archive for category: HPC News

By Catherine Rice, Vice President of Marketing/Outreach at Health Partnership Clinic

We are proud to share that Health Partnership Clinic (HPC) has achieved Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for our Olathe and Paola sites. This national recognition underscores our unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality, coordinated and patient-focused care.

According to Amy Falk, HPC’s CEO, “The NCQA PCMH recognition indicates that we have met national standards for patient-centered care, emphasizing care coordination, team-based care, and continuous quality improvement.” The rigorous evaluation process examined our approach to access, care coordination, and quality improvement efforts—validating our focus on the patient as the center of everything we do.

A special thank you goes to Joseph Gregory, Director of Quality/HIT, for leading this effort with dedication and precision. His leadership and follow-through were instrumental in achieving this milestone.

 What Is Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition?

The Patient-Centered Medical Home is a care delivery model that emphasizes partnerships between patients and their clinical care teams. Research consistently shows that PCMHs lead to higher quality care, better patient and staff experiences and lower healthcare costs.

Earning PCMH recognition demonstrates HPC’s continued commitment to quality improvement and a patient-centered approach to care—ensuring that each patient receives comprehensive and personalized support on their health journey.

We’re excited to continue building on this momentum as we strive to raise the standard of care for the communities we serve.

By Catherine Rice, Vice President of Marketing/Outreach at Health Partnership Clinic

The fourth of July holiday is often filled with lots of family fun including activities such as pool parties, barbecues, outdoor games and fireworks.

Amid the holiday festivities parents may overlook important safety precautions. By keeping a few key Fourth of July safety tips in mind, parents can help keep children safe while still enjoying the holiday fun.

Leave the Fireworks to the Experts

The National Safety Council (NSC) advises everyone to stay away from all consumer fireworks and to only enjoy fireworks at a public display conducted by professionals.

A new report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reveals a persistent upward trend in fireworks-related injuries. Between 2006 and 2021, such injuries increased by 25 percent. In 2023, an estimated 9,700 people were treated in emergency departments for fireworks-related incidents—approximately 66 percent of them during the four-week period surrounding the July 4th holiday. Tragically, the CPSC also recorded eight deaths tied to fireworks misuse and malfunctions. Typical injuries included burns (42 percent), as well as damage to hands, fingers, and faces—firecrackers and sparklers alone accounted for about 1,500 injuries.

Every year, sparklers can be found in the hands of children along parade routes and at festivals, but they are a lot more dangerous than people think. Many parents don’t realize that they burn at about 2,000 degrees-hot enough to melt some metals. Sparklers can quickly ignite clothing and many children have received severe burns from dropping sparklers on their feet.

• Families should attend community fireworks displays run by trained professionals rather than using fireworks at home.
• Be sure to stay at least 500 feet away from the show.

Be Vigilant About Water Safety

Another common fourth of July activity is swimming in pools and lakes. It is important to remember to never leave children unattended around bodies of water. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), drowning continues to be the leading cause of death in children ages one to four and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for those five to 14, behind motor vehicle crashes. Between 2018–2021, there were about 4,345 unintentional drowning deaths per year. That number increased to over 4,500 annually during 2020–2022—around 500 more deaths per year compared to 2019—averaging roughly 12 drownings per day.

• Children should always be monitored while in the water. Adults should take turns watching the children in 15-30-minute intervals.
• Sign your children up for age-appropriate swimming lessons, but keep in mind even with swimming lessons children should still be monitored closely.
• Never use floatation devices or water wings when swimming or teaching your child to swim.
• Learn CPR and rescue techniques.
• Establish and communicate clear rules for the pool such as:
  • Do not push or jump on others, no diving or running, etc.
• Children should always wear life jackets while on a boat, personal watercraft and in open bodies of water.
• Never consume alcohol when operating a boat, and always make sure everyone is wearing U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets.
• Sunblock, hydration and supervision are all essential water safety precautions that help keep the day fun and safe.

Barbecue Grill Safety

Nothing beats a barbecue with friends and family.  Just remember these tips to keep everyone safe.

• Create a barbecue only zone. Children and pets should not come within three feet of the barbecue grill once it is turned on. Remind your children that the barbecue is just like the stove, it gets extremely hot, and they can be burned. Keep pets contained away from the grill while it is in use.
• Grill in a well-ventilated area, away from your house and deck. Every year grills and smokers cause thousands of fires, hundreds of injuries and deaths and millions of dollars in damage.
• Be prepared for an emergency by keeping a fire extinguisher and a spray bottle of water nearby.
• Use long handled barbecue utensils to keep the chef safe.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using grills.

Protect Your Skin and Avoid Dehydration

• Limit your sun exposure between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and wear broad-spectrum sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 30 which will protect you from both UVA and UVB rays. Reapply sunscreen often.
• If you are swimming, you should reapply sunscreen hourly or at least every two hours.
• Drink plenty of water, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Avoid drinking beverages that are caffeinated or contain alcohol.
• Dress appropriately and wear a hat.
• During hot weather, watch for signs of heat stroke-hot, red skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; rapid shallow breathing. If it’s suspected someone is suffering from heat stroke:
  • Call 9-1-1 and move the person to a cooler place.
  • Quickly cool the body by applying cool, wet towels to the skin (or misting it with water) and fanning the person
  • Watch for signs of breathing problems and make sure the airway is clear. Keep the person lying down.

Our clinic will be closed on Friday, July 4, 2025, in observance of Independence Day. To schedule an appointment or learn more, call 913-648-2266.

Health Partnership Clinic (HPC) is proud to announce the addition of two highly skilled providers to its growing team. Jazmine Spencer, MSN, FNP-C, joins as a Family Nurse Practitioner, and Amy Povich, LSCSW, comes aboard as a Behavioral Health Clinician. Both providers bring extensive experience, a deep commitment to compassionate care and a shared passion for advancing Health Partnership’s mission of improving health and serving the community. Their expertise will further strengthen the clinic’s ability to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care.

Jazmine Spencer, MSN, FNP-C

As the oldest of eight siblings born in a 14-year span, Jazmine Spencer, MSN, FNP-C, Family Nurse Practitioner, has had a lifetime of caregiving. She now couples that with 10 years of professional training and hands-on experience to provide a full continuum of patient care to the HPC community.

Jazmine’s interest in a healthcare career began as a sixth-grade student watching a care team provide for her grandfather following his ALS diagnosis. Fascinated by how the human body functions and can often self-repair—and having a heart for caregiving herself—she set her sights on the medical field.

Jazmine says, “I grew up in the population that HPC serves; all I’ve ever wanted to do is to give back to that population as a provider.”

After earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Jazmine served as a Registered Nurse at local medical centers and later as a Nurse Practitioner following completion of her Master of Science in Nursing.

Having worked Pediatrics at Swope Health in Kansas City, Mo., Jazmine developed a twin passion for community health and younger patients like those she often saw there. “Besides providing care and access to patients who would not otherwise have it, I focus day-to-day on educating the teenage population about sexual and reproductive health, self-esteem and hygiene, hoping that patients are receptive to these messages coming from someone outside their home,” Jazmine adds.

Away from her patient responsibilities, Jazmine tends to her own family including a husband, three children and a puppy. As time allows, she reads as a member of a book club.

To complete her “family healthcare circle” that began with her siblings and grandfather, Jazmine now works with her aunt, Eva Clark, MSN, APRN, WHNP-BC, an HPC Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner.

Amy Povich, LSCSW

Amy Povich, LSCSW, provides integrated care and short-term therapy services as a Behavioral Health Clinician at HPC. Having most recently worked at Jewish Family Services, she is highly skilled in conducting psychosocial assessments, developing individualized treatment plans and delivering client-centered, trauma-informed care.

Having earlier worked for nonprofits in development, marketing and community outreach, Amy’s professional journey has come full circle.

Amy has embraced the importance of providing integrated, whole-person care, where physical ailments can be rooted in emotional issues that can range from financial to relationship conflicts. Through assessment and conversation, she can help clients identify their primary and secondary stressors to get them the help they need. “People can be reluctant to share, not wanting to hurt those around them, so I let it be their session and they can ultimately benefit,” Amy says.

She adds, “I listen first—and without judgment—to meet clients wherever they are and develop trust.”

From Prairie Village, Kan., Amy has worked with children, couples, families and liaised with law enforcement when necessary. Her heart for caring is also seen in her work facilitating grief groups and volunteering at KC Pet Project. Gardening and baking are among her favorite hobbies, along with spending time with her family and friends.

Amy holds both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Social Work from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Kansas and a Licensed Master Social Worker in Missouri.

Amy sees behavioral health patients at our Olathe office on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Besides integrated care and short-term therapy services, she also offers telehealth appointments.

To schedule an appointment, call 913-648-2266.

Health Partnership Clinic is proud to announce that Ewa DuBois, APRN, FNP, Family Nurse Practitioner, has joined our healthcare team in conjunction with a University of Kansas School of Nursing Fellowship program designed to support the healthcare needs of rural Kansans.

She sees patients in our Ottawa clinic Monday-Wednesday and Fridays in Paola. At both clinics, she applies more than eight years of experience working as a registered nurse in emergency, intensive care and surgical settings.

Ewa has a passion for helping patients experiencing chronic diseases like diabetes or hypertension. By gaining trust through active listening, she educates her patients about how their own choices can help to lead to better health outcomes.

Raised near Anchorage, Alaska, Ewa’s appreciation of health care began by watching her mother, a registered nurse, serve patients in their community. Inspired, Ewa has earned Bachelor of Science degrees in both Nursing and Biology, and a Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner. Besides Kansas, she has worked or studied in Tennessee, Florida, California and New York.

Living at Fort Leavenworth with her husband, a U.S. Army officer and former helicopter pilot, the couple and their four children, ages two to nine years, enjoy skiing and hiking and spending Friday nights making homemade pizzas together.

Please help us welcome Ewa to the Health Partnership family!

To schedule an appointment, please call our Ottawa location at 913-401-2750 or Paola at 913-294-9223.