The public will have the opportunity this week to attend a birthday celebration in observance of Central Kansas Medical Center's centennial. An open house is set for 1:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 5 at CKMC, following a 12:30 p.m. Mass with Bishop Ronald Gilmore at the convent's Our Lady of the Plains Chapel. Congressman Jerry Moran will speak at 2:30 p.m.
"We want to share information about our mission with local and area residents," said Sister Jean Marie Lehtinen, executive director of mission and ministry at CKMC. "Our philosophy of caring for the mind, body and spirit is grounded in this mission, which emphasizes human dignity and social justice."
CKMC, which was started by the Dominican Sisters, is committed to playing a strong role in creating a healthier community, Sister Jean Marie said. "To us, a healthier community includes the whole picture - housing, transportation, government, education. Part of our mission is outreach into this community.
"When people come into the healthcare system, they come to us from that larger community," she explained. "And we want to respond to the whole person, which includes body, mind and spirit."
 Those who attend the open house will discover that CKMC is dedicated to providing benefits to the poor, while also sharing with the community as a whole.
"Again, this is part of our mission," Sister Jean Marie continued. "Care for the poor was the original foundation for the hospital when the Dominicans came here. We serve anyone with a need as we continue the legacy that began a century ago."
In addition to compassion for the poor, charity care is provided in a myriad of ways. Benefits to the broader community include health education and outreach, health fairs, children’s health matters, the We Care Project, hospital and employee support of other non-profit organizations, the CKMC Foundation, administration of volunteer services and unpaid costs of Medicare.
In 2002, benefits to the poor and the broader community totaled $8,086,073.
"This is how we contribute to the community," she added. "Since CKMC is a non-profit hospital, this is our contribution in lieu of taxes."
While CKMC is celebrating its 100th birthday by looking back to the past, it looks forward to the future every day. And Sister Jean Marie says that future is promising.
"One of our main goals is increasing the number of physicians," she commented. "There is a real focus on recruitment as we strive to become the hospital of choice."
Sister Jean Marie noted that Mark Mingenback has brought a new enthusiasm to the community in his role as recruiter. "Mark is working for the hospital and for local and area physicians," she noted. "This is a unique and wonderful partnership that will serve the community with a wide range of healthcare services."
The new cancer center, which will open this fall, is yet another example of looking to the future, Sister Jean Marie pointed out. It will allow patients to remain in central Kansas for treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.
"Each program is part of the broad picture of serving our customers," Sister Jean Marie said. "We work daily to find innovative ways to improve patient and family satisfaction."
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