1981    Phillips County Area Hospice formed as a satellite of Hospice of the Plains, Hays

            to serve patients and families in Phillips and Rooks counties

            Genny Robben-Rahjes hired as Hospice nurse

 

1982    January 1982 first volunteers from Phillips County participated in Volunteer Training

            Phillips County Area Hospice admitted first patient in February 1982

            Sandy Kuhlman hired as part-time Hospice nurse (Genny was full-time)

           

1984    Phillips County Area Hospice incorporated as a separate entity

            Genny Robben-Rahjes assumed Executive Director role

           

1987    Phillips County Area Hospice achieved Home Health Certification under Medicare

            Sandy Kuhlman assumed Executive Director role

           

1992    Legal name of entity changed to Hospice Services, Inc.

            Hospice Services, Inc. achieved Hospice Certification under Medicare in September 1992

 

1993    Hospice Services, Inc. moved main office to house at 424 8th Street, Phillipsburg

            Expansion into Norton County

            Joint venture with Hi Plains Hospice, Thomas County

 

1994    Joint venture with Hospice of the Western Plains, Logan County

 

1995    Joint venture with Hospice of Northwest Kansas, Sherman County

 

1996    Hospice Licensure in the state of Kansas effective January 1, 1996, mandating Medicare certification for hospices in Kansas

            Joint venture with Smith County Hospice, Smith County

            Joint venture with Hospice of Decatur County, Decatur County

 

1997    Expansion into Wallace County

            Commitment to expand services to include...

            Cheyenne County, Rawlins County & Sheridan County

           

1998    Expansion into Osborne County

 

1999    Survey for continued Hospice Certification - no deficiencies

 

2000    Participate with KU Medical Center in Telehospice Pilot Project

 

2003    Commitment to expand services to include Gove County

 

2005    Sandy Kuhlman, Executive Director, receives KHPCO/LIFE Project Emily Taylor Champion For LIFE Award

 

 

2006 - 2008     Sandy Kuhlman served on the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Board of Directors

 

2010    Transition to Electronic Medical Records (hospice software)

 

2011    Commitment to serve Trego County 

            Sandy Kuhlman began 2nd term on the NHPCO Board of Directors

 

2016    Palliative Care Begins
 

2020    Home Health Care provided to Sherman, Wallace, Cheyenne and Thomas Counties

 

 

On all the joint ventures a hospice existed in that county. They joined Hospice Services Inc. for different reasons. Most joined to have complete access to comprehensive hospice care whereas before it was mostly volunteers helping the families.  In 1996 Hospice Licensure in the state of Kansas became effective. This required all hospices in Kansas to be Medicare certified. Those joining after 1996 felt they could not accomplish or did not want to work at receiving the certification on their own, therefore they joined Hospice Services Inc.