Rice Community Health

12/14/2025

When your CFO shows up as Santa, you post it!

Thanks, The Medicine Shoppe - Hutchinson, for a fun community day and all the holiday smiles!

12/10/2025

If you want your work to matter, there is a place for you here. Rural health care can be challenging, but it is full of purpose, teamwork, and real relationships with the people you care for.

If that sounds like you or someone you know, we would love to hear from you. See our open positions and apply here: https://ricecommunityhealth.com/careers/

12/09/2025

We are excited to share that our own Dr. Jennifer Mettling, family medicine provider at Sterling Family Care, delivered her sweet baby boy at the Rice Community Hospital Family Birth Center.

Simeon made his arrival with the help of our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Stacy Dashiell, who had the privilege of delivering him. Moments like this remind us what a special place Rice Community Health is, where our coworkers, neighbors, friends, and families all come together.

Mom and baby are doing very well, and we are so happy for the entire Mettling family. Please join us in welcoming Simeon and congratulating Dr. Mettling and her family!

12/04/2025

Caring for moms and moms-to-be is one of the most meaningful parts of what we do. From your very first prenatal visit to postpartum support, our team is here to walk with you through every step of the journey.

If you are expecting or hoping to be, schedule your prenatal or well-woman visit with us. Healthy moms make healthy families, and we are honored to be part of your story.

At your local hospital, we’re more than caregivers—we’re your partners in every stage of motherhood. From your first pre-natal visit to postpartum checkups, our team is dedicated to keeping you and your baby healthy and supported. Schedule your pre-natal and well-mother visits today—because caring for you means caring for your family’s future.

12/01/2025

We’re excited to welcome two new Community Health Workers to Lyons Family Care and Sterling Family Care.

Both Autumn and Paige will be working right inside the clinics, meeting with patients and families face to face. Their job is to help people with the “life” side of health care, the things that don’t always fit neatly into an office visit.

They can:
- Help connect patients to local resources
- Talk through next steps after an appointment
- Help with things like transportation, food, or other basic needs
- Check in and offer support when life feels overwhelming

Most importantly, they’re here to listen and to walk alongside patients so they don’t feel like they’re trying to figure everything out on their own.

11/25/2025

Our Outpatient Rehab department is built on the belief that healing feels better close to home. Right here in Rice County, you have access to physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy from a team of people who know you, care about you, and are committed to helping you feel like yourself again.

If you or a loved one needs therapy services, call us at (620) 257-7118 to schedule an appointment.

11/24/2025

Our Wellness Committee was featured in the Kansas Hospital Association Current Report. One line from the article stood out to us: "We can honestly say we value your life outside of work."

That is the heart behind this committee and the work they do for our staff every day. We are proud of this team and grateful to see their efforts highlighted across the state.

Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/4or4UVa

11/20/2025

Today is Rural Health Day, and it hits close to home for us.

In a small community like ours, health care is not a building or a department. It is people you recognize at the football game, the grocery store, or sitting next to you at the stoplight. It is the nurse who remembers your kid’s name, the provider who checks on you after hours, and the team who shows up early and stays late because this is their hometown too.

So today, we are celebrating:

- The anesthesia team and our doctors who roll out of bed at 2am for a delivery
- The clinic teams who treat you like family
- The hospital staff who make tough days easier
- The dietary team who cooks with care and keeps everyone going
- The housekeeping team who keeps our hospital safe, clean, and calm
- And the community who trusts us with their care

Rural health is not always easy, but it is worth it every single day. Thank you for trusting us to care for you and your family here in Rice County.

11/19/2025

Today felt extra special at Rice Community Hospital.💗 Our very first mammogram was done right here in house, and it was with one of our own, Karen Root, APRN from Lyons Family Care.

For years, we have relied on a mobile mammo van. Now mammograms are coming in house at Rice Community Hospital!

If you are a woman 40 or older, we would love to get you on the schedule for a screening mammogram. No doctor’s order is needed. Call 620-257-7176 to schedule.

11/14/2025

It is , so we are sharing both our Sterling Family Care and Lyons Family Care posts here in one place.

At Sterling Family Care, Nurse Practitioners Melissa Conard and Alisha Koch care for patients in Sterling and the surrounding communities.

At Lyons Family Care, Nurse Practitioners Allison Edwards and Karen Root care for families in Lyons and across Rice County. Many of you know Allison from her years in the ER and have now followed her into family medicine at LFC.

To Melissa, Alisha, Allison, and Karen, thank you for the work you do every day and for the calm, steady presence you bring to your patients and your clinic teams. Rice Community Health is better because you are here.

11/14/2025

It is , so we are sharing both our Sterling Family Care and Lyons Family Care posts here in one place.

At Sterling Family Care, Nurse Practitioners Melissa Conard and Alisha Koch care for patients in Sterling and the surrounding communities.

At Lyons Family Care, Nurse Practitioners Allison Edwards and Karen Root care for families in Lyons and across Rice County. Many of you know Allison from her years in the ER and have now followed her into family medicine at LFC.

To Melissa, Alisha, Allison, and Karen, thank you for the work you do every day and for the calm, steady presence you bring to your patients and your clinic teams. Rice Community Health is better because you are here.

11/11/2025

This Veterans Day, we proudly recognize members of our Rice Community Health family who have served our country with honor and dedication:

Dr. James Decker – Major, U.S. Army (1987–1998)
Stations included Fort Riley (KS), Fort Eisenhower (GA), Joint Base Lewis–McChord (WA), Fort Knox (KY), and Fort Lewis (WA).

Tina K – Administrative Specialist (E-4), U.S. Army (1985–1992)
Now part of our Food Services team, Tina continues to serve others each day with care and commitment.

Chris H– Respiratory Therapist
Thank you for your service and for the vital role you play in caring for our patients.

We’re deeply grateful for the dedication these individuals have shown—both in uniform and in our hospital and clinics.