SMITH CENTER, Kan. – Jill Kuhlmann will join Smith County Family Practice as a nurse practitioner in the clinic this fall.
“We are thrilled that Jill has decided to join the practice at our clinic and we look forward to the skills she will bring to our team,” said Allen Van Driel, CEO of Smith County Memorial Hospital. “Jill will be an asset to our patients and I know our providers are looking forward to her arrival.”
Kuhlmann’s start date isn’t set in stone yet, but she is already well-known in the community.
“My husband’s family is from this area as well as some of my best friends from college,” Kuhlmann said. “I have been visiting this area for more than 10 years and the small-town feel and amazing people made it an easy choice to work here.”
Kuhlmann’s role will be limited to clinic appointments and quick care. Her position in the clinic will allow her to focus more on prevention and community wellness.
“The current way of medicine is not working so why not try and prevent the long term effects of chronic health issues instead of trying to play catch up on helping improve patient’s lives and avoiding heart attacks, strokes, complications, etc.,” Kuhlmann said. “By catching conditions early on, we can decrease the long term effects of them so people will live longer, healthier lives.”
This philosophy fits well with the vision of Smith County Family Practice.
“As we continue to assess needs in our communities we always want to prevent major medical events for our patients,” Van Driel said. “Giving Jill the ability to focus entirely on patients in the clinic will mean she can give the time and attention needed to ensure the best possible care.”
Kuhlmann has a wide variety of experience and has worked in healthcare for her entire career. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Washburn University and worked as a labor and delivery nurse while completing an MSN at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. For the last two years, Kuhlmann has been working in Hays working with a diverse population as a family nurse practitioner.
“I became a nurse practitioner after growing up in the medical field my whole life,” Kuhlmann said. “I wanted to take it to the next level and have more of an impact on patients’ lives while still having close relationships with them and be their advocate.”
The provider team at SCFP has always had a strong focus on patient needs first. Kuhlmann’s interest in personal relationships and prevention is exactly what the providers were looking for as they searched for the right addition to the practice.
“Deciding to add Jill to our team was an easy one,” said Hannah Haack, a family physician at SCFP. “Her attitude toward patient care and her desire to keep growing in her knowledge of medicine are exactly what our community knows SCFP for. We know Jill will help us build on this reputation.”
For her part, Kuhlmann is looking forward to getting to know the new provider team and the patients at SCFP.
“I am very excited to join such an innovative, nice group of providers and staff in caring for the people of Smith County,” Kuhlmann said.