While it is hard to believe another year is coming to an end, I want to offer my thanks to everyone who has kept healthcare moving forward in Kosciusko County and our surrounding communities throughout 2021.

I am so grateful to the nearly 800 outstanding team members at Kosciusko Community Hospital, who are our foundation to providing safe, quality healthcare in our community. As the only in-patient facility in the county, our team has tirelessly attended to the ebb and flow of COVID surges in addition to meeting the day-to-day medical needs of our community. And they continue to go above and beyond to deliver compassionate care even as we reach the two-year mark of the pandemic. They are heroes. Every day.

Thank you to our medical staff. I am grateful for the breadth of talented primary care and specialty physicians practicing locally. They work tirelessly to be available for their patients and are committed to treating our community. I feel fortunate to work alongside you.

To all our emergency medical personnel, nursing homes and assisted living centers, hospice, home health and other local health care organizations playing a critical role in the continuum of medical services, I want to say thank you for all you do to care for our neighbors, family and friends.

Most importantly, I want to thank our patients for the trust you place in us. Our team works hard every day for you and your loved ones. You are our focus, and you continue to motivate us. It is a privilege to help you get well and live healthier, and we want to thank you for choosing Lutheran Health Network and KCH to be part of your healthcare team.

– Jae Dale is the chief executive officer of Kosciusko Community Hospital.

Kosciusko Community Hospital is a 72-bed facility with all-private rooms located on a 30-acre medical campus. Accredited by The Joint Commission and a part of Lutheran Health Network, KCH offers a variety of services, including emergency care, an urgent care center, heart and stroke care, orthopedics, occupational health, rehabilitation services, a sleep center, a wound care center and a cancer care center providing chemotherapy and radiation therapy. KCH has the only emergency department in the county that is an accredited chest pain and stroke center and the only hospital in the county with inpatient capability. The KCH team is dedicated to providing compassionate, quality care with the best possible experience to every patient, every time and making a positive impact on our community.