Award recognizes Rooks County Health Center’s dedication to improving health in Plainville and Rooks County.
Plainville, KS — Rooks County Health Center (RCH) has been recognized as a Health Quality Innovator for 2023. The Health Quality Innovator Awards is the annual awards program created by Health Quality Innovators (HQI) that recognizes and celebrates organizations that are using successful, evidence-based approaches to improve health care quality and outcomes.
Rooks County Health Center was selected as a runner-up in the Workforce Resiliency category for their collaborative work with USD #270 and the Plainville Wellness Coalition in building the Nest Daycare at USD #270. This award category recognizes the efforts of organizations committed to implementing initiatives or programs within their organization aimed at reducing burnout, increasing workforce wellness, improving retention and reducing turnover.
Rooks County Health Center is a 22-bed Critical Access Hospital located in Plainville, KS. With 170 employees, the hospital is the largest employer in Plainville (population 1,746) and Rooks County (population 4,937).
“We’re incredibly proud for our Nest Daycare Project to be recognized as a Health Quality Innovator of the Year,” said Stephanie Bjornstad, CEO at RCH. “This is truly a collaborative effort among an incredible team of people working to improve the health of this community. We are honored to be the only health care facility in Kansas to be recognized by HQI as a Health Quality Innovator of the Year.”
USD #270, the Plainville Wellness Coalition and RCH collaborated on grant opportunities to construct a Nest Daycare and Preschool that is currently operating on the USD #270 campus. The Nest Daycare provides childcare for up to 12 children. The preschool runs 2 classes for 3- and 4-year-olds in both the mornings and afternoons. A second Nest Daycare is currently being constructed on the RCH campus and will also provide childcare for up to 12 children, staffed and managed by USD #270.
"We are excited to be able to provide a childcare facility for our employees at a time when childcare is such a need in our community," said Bjornstad. She says the hospital is confident that onsite childcare will prove to be a valuable recruitment and retention tool for the hospital. The onsite childcare center will allow staff to have lunch with their children or to simply be nearby their children.