Short ER wait times in Kansas City
Expert ER care and access to advanced cardiac care
3,600 quality years of life given to Kansas City patients
Specially trained nurse navigators
At HCA Midwest Health, we are always looking for ways to improve healthcare. That’s why we created Care Connect.
Care Connect programs are designed to:
- Make healthcare easier to navigate
- Connect you to the right care at the right time
- Help keep you and your loved ones out of the emergency room
Care Assure
HCA Midwest Health – where one trip to the ER can prevent another
Care Assure, part of HCA Midwest Health’s larger Care Connect initiative, is the area’s only patented healthcare program designed to help detect potential future emergencies and prevent them by connecting you to the care you need.
Detecting Potential Cardiac Emergencies
Using our patented information technology system, Care Assure, we’re able to automatically screen the results of tests already being performed during an emergency, inpatient or outpatient visit to identify warning signs and prevent emergencies like a heart attack or a stroke.
By analyzing data from across HCA Healthcare, we determined potential health issues that could increase your chance of a future ER visit. Currently, we use your tests and medical information to screen for:
- Moderate to severe aortic and mitral heart valve conditions
- Low heart function (ejection fraction)
- Moderate to severe arrhythmias
- Congestive heart failure diagnosis
- No primary care physician and over 50 years old
- An increased body mass index and no primary care doctor
Care Assure only utilizes the information from the tests used to diagnose your current health issue, as well as provided medical information, to screen for other conditions that may put you at risk for a future health concern or emergency. Only the conditions and factors listed above are currently included in the program.
Your Personal Healthcare Assistant
If test results indicate you’re at risk for a potential emergency, a specially trained nurse navigator will contact you. Your dedicated nurse navigator can help connect you to the crucial follow-up care you'll need to help prevent a future emergency.
He or she can help:
- Ensure you understand your discharge instructions, treatment plan and any necessary medications
- Recommend resources to help you lower the cost of prescriptions
- Help you find doctors, specialists, and schedule any necessary appointments
- Explain test results, answer any questions and provide education about conditions and treatments
Data shows that only about 21% of people remember what they were told while in the hospital. Care Assure Nurse Navigators help patients understand their hospital discharge instructions and assist in getting the right follow up care.
Treatment From Leading Cardiologists
The cardiologists at the HCA Midwest Health Heart and Vascular Institute are committed to improving your health and quality of life. We offer the latest treatments and provide cutting-edge, evidence-based care.
Our cardiology team includes internationally renowned researchers with tremendous clinical experience and expertise. They will collaborate with you and the other subspecialists to design a personalized treatment plan—one that gives you the best possible results and respects your care preferences. See why more people choose us to care for their heart
Extending and Improving Life
By detecting a potential emergency and connecting you to the right care, we can help prolong your life and improve the quality of the years you live. Through clinical research, we are able to measure how the proactive, early identification and treatment of disease through Care Assure can extend and enhance life. In only three and half years, we have given people in Kansas City back over 3,600 quality years of life.
(Data: July 2015 through Dec 2018)
Meet Our Patients
See how the Care Assure preventive care program helps improve the lives of these Kansas City residents.
Rick Osborne
See how Rick's stroke prevented a second stroke.
Meet Rick
Robert Cuthbertson
See how Robert's kidney stones helped heal his heart valve.
Meet Robert
Verna Linderman
See how Verna's car accident saved her from a stroke.
Meet Verna
Meet Our Nurse Navigators
Carolyn Lusby, RN, BSN – Menorah Medical Center
Over 30 years of nursing experience
"I love being about to take some of the stress off my patients. It helps them be able to focus on healing and getting back to their normal routine."
Christy Boughan, RN, BSN – Centerpoint Medical Center
Over 20 years of nursing experience
"Being able to connect with patients after discharge and helping them transition to care at home with new diagnosis, medications, & physicians. Our healthcare system has become complex very complex and families welcome our help to navigate through it with them."
Doria Hamm, RN, BSN – Research Medical Center
Over 15 years of nursing experience
"The most rewarding part is providing education to patients with chronic health conditions and helping them identify self-management techniques to keep them healthy with the best quality of life possible."
Heather Bridges – Overland Park
17 years of Nursing Care, "My favorite part about being a Care Assure Nurse Navigator is the bond I have the opportunity to form not just with the patient, but with their family members. Not only am I working with and educating the patient, but with each patient experience, I learn something new!
Jennifer Wegner, RN, BSN – Research Medical Center
Over 20 years of nursing experience
"I enjoy being able to reach a patient or their family member and make that connection that allows you to make a difference. Navigating a health system, medical technologies, medications and follow-up care can be challenging and one can become overwhelmed quite easily."
Kathy Werner, RN, BSN – Lee’s Summit Medical Center & Lafayette Regional Health Center
Over 20 years of nursing experience
"I love the point in a conversation with a patient when it seems to ‘click’. They were in the hospital, often times with a new illness, and are so overwhelmed with new information. It is very rewarding to hear a patient say ‘that all makes sense now.'"
Leslie Linzy, RN, BSN – Centerpoint Medical Center
Over 10 years of nursing experience
"I appreciate the opportunity to connect with patients in some of their most vulnerable moments to offer a compassionate ear, a thoughtful assessment of their current health condition and assistance in the overwhelming days returning from the hospital."
Rebecca "Becky" Finke, RN, BSN – Overland Park Regional and Research Medical Center
"Frequently after coming home from the hospital patients feel anxious, overwhelmed and unsure of what they are supposed to do. Being that resource to listen, answer questions, provide education and help with providers is very rewarding."
Shelly Kohman, RN, BSN – Overland Park Regional Medical Center
Over 15 years of nursing experience
"The most rewarding part is making a difference in patients’ lives, and knowing they still remember me and call me months (and sometimes years) later for questions, appointments or just to say hi."
Sherril Foster, RN – Belton Regional Medical Center
Over four decades of nursing experience
"I enjoy assisting my patients with their healthcare choices and providing them with a sense of security that there is always someone they can reach out to."
Meet Our Patient Care Coordinators
Once you are in the Care Assure program, our care coordinators will be the people reaching out to help schedule any needed follow-up appointments.
Betty Barnes
Over 18 years of healthcare experience
"The most rewarding part is hearing relief in the voices of patients and their families when we have been able to schedule all of their appointments and they did not have to make any phone calls."
Monica Glover
Over 20 years of healthcare experience
"The most rewarding part of my job is speaking with the patients and their family members. They are very thankful to not have to worry about scheduling follow-up appointments."
Vanessa Betts
Over 15 years of healthcare experience
"Being given the opportunity to be a helping hand to someone every day is a rewarding feeling. Families are so grateful for our support."
Discover More Care Connect Services
ER Follow-Up Appointment Service
After an ER visit, getting the right follow-up care is critical to your recovery. To ensure you're connected to the care you need, we offer a free follow-up appointment service for select diagnoses.
Oncology Navigation
Being diagnosed with cancer can be overwhelming. At Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at HCA Midwest Health, our oncology-trained Nurse Navigators help guide you or your loved one through their cancer journey.
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