Hutchinson Primary Care Associates, a family practice clinic located within Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, today announced the addition of three primary care associates. 

They will join Dr. Rogena Johnson, MD, who opened the clinic within the hospital in March 2022.

Joining the Hutchinson Primary Care Associates team will be Jessica Knight MSN, APRN, FNP; Alex Jones MSN, APRN, FNP; and Corwin Nozari PA-C. 

ALEX JONES MSN, APRN, FNP 

Jones joins Hutchinson Regional following a nine-year career in healthcare, which started in 2013 as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department for Via Christi-St. Francis Hospital in Wichita. Other career stops include the Clara Barton Hospital in Hoisington, the Sumer County Hospital in Caldwell, and for the past four-and-one half years, Jones has been employed by the Hunter Health Clinic in Wichita. 

Jones received a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Wichita State University in 2012 followed by a Masters Degree as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (FNP) from Fort Hays State University in 2017. 

JESSICA KNIGHT MSN, APRN, FNP 

Jessica Knight joins Hutchinson Primary Care Associates after spending the past ten years as a Registered Nurse with several healthcare organizations. In 2012, Knight started her nursing career with St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri before a move to UPMC Altoona in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Other career stops included Marion General Hospital in Marion, Indiana, and Mercy South Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. During the past three years, Knight has been employed by the Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. 

Knight is a 2008 graduate of the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri followed by a Master’s of Science in Nursing from Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri. She achieved a distinction of graduating Summa Cum Laude in both her undergraduate and graduate studies with a 4.0 grade point average (straight A average) an honor achieved by less than .5 percent of all college graduates. 

CORWIN NOZARI PA-C

Corwin Nozari’s first job in healthcare was as an Emergency Medical Technician in 2013 followed by a two-year stint as the Referral Coordinator at GraceMed Health Clinic in Wichita. Next, Nozari moved to DaVita Dialysis as a patient Care Technician and in August 2018 he was selected by St. Louis University to assist the school in establishing the college’s Physician Assistant (PA) program. 

Nozari is a 2015 graduate of Newman University in Wichita with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biological Sciences and he received a Master of Medical Science, Physician Assistant Studies at St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. His certifications include Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support, Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician and Emergency Medical Technician. 

Ken Johnson, President and CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, said the demand for services from Hutchinson Primary Care Associates has exceeded all expectations since the clinic was opened earlier this year. “These three primary care associates have impeccable credentials and were selected following a national search,” Johnson said. “They bring a wide range of talents and skills to the practice which will be a great asset in keeping up with the increased demand for services. We are especially grateful this talented and high achieving group of young healthcare professionals have chosen Hutchinson Regional as the next stop in their careers.”

Appointments with Hutchinson Primary Care Associates can be made by calling 620-513-4850. 

Hutchinson Regional Medical Center is an entity of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System. Other entities are Health-E-Quip, Horizons Mental Health Center, Hospice & HomeCare of Reno County, and the Hutchinson Regional Medical Foundation. 

For students with allergies and asthma, back to school means more than getting their backpacks filled with paper, pencils, and any needed odds and ends. Keeping your child safe and healthy involves creating a proactive plan to be implemented both at home and at school. Allergy doctors refer to these plans as “control programs” because the goal is prevention and control.

Food allergies can cause anaphylaxis, the total body allergic reaction with shortness of breath,
hives, low blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhea, and potentially death. Avoidance is the
treatment. If an accident happens and the student starts to react, it is imperative that
epinephrine is given and the student is taken to the emergency room for ongoing care.
A local, itchy reaction can occur if the allergic student touches the food and the more serious reaction, anaphylaxis can occur if the food is eaten.

Children diagnosed as asthmatics tend to have more frequent issues than food allergic children. Like food allergies, prevention is key. Therefore, the student should take any daily prevention medications at home prior to going to school. Students with allergy eyes and noses should also take their medications before they leave for school to minimize symptoms. If they continue to have symptoms, it is time to see the doctor.

Asthmatics need ready access to a rescue medication such as albuterol to use when they develop their cough, wheeze, or shortness of breath. While at school, students can use their inhaler before strenuous exercise to prevent an attack. A control program should spell out what to do if the inhaler does not work. Most often this will trigger a call to the parents. If the attack is severe, it could mean getting the student to an emergency room. Most asthma flares are triggered by viral infections. Getting the flu shot can reduce the odds of a flareup and staying home during a flareup may be best.

Parents and guardians, be sure to prepare your child’s control program before school starts and share it with the school team. Make sure the student’s medications are present and ready to go. Have the school forms completed by the student’s doctor and remember to get that doctor appointment scheduled early. Talk with your child so they know what to do.

Students with allergy and asthma can expect to fully participate in virtually all school activities including gym class and sporting events. If they are having symptoms, it means the control program needs to be improved and participation continued.

Having the entire team ready is the best way to feel good about sending your children back to school. Working together results in happy, confident, successful students and proud parents!

Mark E. Bubak, M.D. is a contributing Prairie Doc® columnist. He is a board-certified allergist with a practice based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Follow The Prairie Doc®…based on science, built on trust, at www.prairiedoc.org and on Facebook featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc® a medical Q&A show streaming live on Facebook most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central.

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