Tim Keck: Osawatomie State Hospital may see changes as it celebrates 150th year
Osawatomie State Hospital opened in November 1866, and since then many generations of Kansans have supported the state hospital, its patients and employees.
Plans are being made to commemorate the hospital’s 150th anniversary — a significant milestone — in the fall. Even more impressive to me than the sesquicentennial is the legacy of dedication to patient care that remains palpable when you talk to hospital staff today.
Despite the strain of repeated and intense scrutiny as a result of ongoing concerns with certification for federal payments, employees remain steadfast in their resolve to continue to serve their patients well. I want to state unequivocally that I am absolutely committed to maintaining the state hospital presence at Osawatomie, “on the hill.”
Given this level of commitment from the community and staff, we in turn should also assess whether state government, collectively, is serving the state hospitals well. Are we doing the best we can to support the patients, employees and communities that rely on their services?
Currently, there is one model available for the administration of the state hospitals. We are familiar with the model we have today. It is possible that it is still the best model, but at minimum, it is worth examining whether better options may exist.
The Osawatomie State Hospital facilities were constructed in an era when the delivery of health care, especially mental health care, was very different. The entire system has changed, and we should at least ask ourselves whether more than just the infrastructure at Osawatomie State Hospital needs to be updated.
I think that the most irresponsible course is to continue the status quo while closing the door to a potential public/private partnership before it has even been examined. We have an opportunity, if not an obligation, to review all options available to us, as Kansans, to provide the best care possible in a timely manner to those most in need.
For some time now the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services has said that all options were on the table, concerning the administration of our state hospitals. One of those options is a public/private partnership that would include agency oversight of a private entity and strict requirements for the private entity to remain certified and appropriately licensed while conducting some or all operations at the Osawatomie location.
To consider a public/private partnership, the department would issue a request for proposal to obtain ideas about what the private component of the equation might bring to the table. My early research leads me to think one option might lead to modernized and expanded facilities with additional temporary and permanent employment there.
Another option might be a partial public/private partnership that involves administrative or clinical reorganization that results in better care for the patients and better working conditions for staff.
No decisions have been made to enter into a public/private partnership. It is an option to consider. To evaluate whether such an option is feasible for Osawatomie State Hospital, we need to have as much information as possible.
Restricting such an exploration limits the potential for improvements at Osawatomie State Hospital, for the staff and especially the patients.
Tim Keck is interim secretary of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. He lives in Topeka.
This story was originally published March 27, 2016 at 7:07 AM with the headline "Tim Keck: Osawatomie State Hospital may see changes as it celebrates 150th year."