MDNews - Greater Kansas

MANHATTAN SURGICAL HOSPITAL AND STORMONT VAIL HEALTH ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP Manhattan Surgical Hospital and Stormont Vail Health finalized a partnership agreement. With the agreement, the Topeka-based Stormont Vail system has a 49% ownership in physician-owned Manhattan Surgical Hospital, and the Manhattan hospital can expand services it offers its patients. The Stormont Vail Health system has had a presence in the Manhattan area with its Cotton O'Neil primary care clinics in Manhattan and Wamego. The Manhattan Surgical Hospital acquired Central Kansas Cancer Center, a free-standing radiation on - cology center located in the same building as Cotton O'Neil Manhattan, in June 2017 and opened the Blue River Family Medicine practice in July 2018. WICHITA PRACTICE GETS MORE THAN $3.5 MILLION IN LAWSUIT AGAINST FORMER PRESIDENTS Mid-Continent Anesthesiology in Wichita has been awarded more than $3.5 million in a lawsuit against two former presidents of the practice, Gerard Bassell, MD, and Robert McKay, MD, according to an article in The Wichita Eagle. The practice had sued the two, alleging they had misappropriated funds, not disclosed compensation and had breached their fiduciary duties. The jury awarded the practice the amount it was seeking in damages. PHYSICIANS HIRED AT STORMONT VAIL HEALTH Two physicians have recently joined Stormont Vail Health, an integrat- ed healthcare system comprising Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka and the Cotton O'Neil Clinic with locations in several Kansas communities. A third doctor has changed clinic locations. Khalil Abuamr, MD, will practice as a gastroenterologist at Cotton O'Neil Digestive Health Center in Topeka. Dr. Abuamr completed a resi - dency and fellowship at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. After a six-year career as a cardiac electrophysiologist in Arizona, Joseph Vaglio Jr., MD, will practice at Cotton O'Neil Heart Center in Topeka. A University of Kansas School of Medicine graduate, Dr. Vaglio completed a residency at the Mayo Clinic and a fellowship at Vanderbilt University. Kristin Bosiljevac, MD, a family medicine/sports medicine physician, has moved to Cotton O'Neil Emporia from Cotton O'Neil Lebo. Khalil Abuamr, MD Joseph Vaglio Jr., MD Kristin Bosiljevac, MD KHI EXECUTIVE STARTS TERM ON NATIONAL COMMITTEE Kari Bruffett, Vice President for Policy at the Kansas Health Institute, began a four-year term Sept. 1 on the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. The 21-member citizen panel is an independent advisory group that provides recommendations on rural healthcare issues to the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. WICHITA-AREA PHARMACIST GETS 12.5 YEARS FOR UNLAWFUL RX DRUG DISTRIBUTION Ebube Otuonye, 47, of Bel Aire, Kansas, was sentenced to 12.5 years for unlawfully dispensing opioid prescription drugs, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister announced. Otuonye was convicted on charges of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute prescription drugs, unlawfully dis - tributing prescription drugs and healthcare fraud. The crimes occurred while Otuonye owned and operated Neighborhood Pharmacy at 2810 E. 21st in Wichita, where he filled prescriptions for patients of Steven R. Henson, MD, who was convicted and sentenced to life in prison earlier this year for his role in unlawfully distributing opioids. AUTISM THERAPY PROVIDER PAYS TO RESOLVE CASE Autism Concepts Inc., an Overland Park-based provider of therapy ser- vices for children with autism, has agreed to pay $300,000 to resolve allegations that it submitted false claims to the TRICARE program, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister announced. TRICARE is a federal health insurance program for active and retired military service members and their families. The U.S. had alleged the provider and its Director, Nancy Champlin, had billed for individual applied behavioral analysis services when they were provided in group settings not covered by the insur - ance program. MCPHERSON COLLEGE, HOSPITAL PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS FROM GIFT A $1 million gift will help fund initiatives underway in a new com- munity healthcare partnership between McPherson College and McPherson Hospital. The gift by an anonymous donor will provide 10 $25,000 scholarships to students participating in community health- related pathways under a new degree program. The program, which begins in fall 2020 and includes hands-on learning opportunities through the hospital and community outreach programs, is part of the partnership that was announced in late August. Continued on page 18 N E W S F R O M A R O U N D T H E S TAT E M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S G R E AT E R K A N S A S ■ 2 019/ 2 0 2 0 ❰❰❰❰❰ 1 1 H O S P I TA L R O U N D S ❰❰❰❰❰ 1 1

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