THE NAME STARTS WITH A "G"

Engrained in the history of Pratt is a family whose last name is difficult to say and spell but whose influence has left a permanent mark on not only the Country but the world. The name starts with a "G" and the family often went by just that letter. The family was the Giannangelo's and the family name is synonymous with dentistry, history, Rotary and giving.

Many knew him as Dr. G and he was a dentist. He provided his services locally and along with the help of his wife Dorotha even in foreign countries. Although Dr. G is no longer with us, his legend continues to affect the lives of the many who knew him. Dr. G always greeted everyone with a smile as well as a witty comment or two. And he loved life and the things that life brought him.

Dr. G left us with a prolific Pratt historian. Dorotha gave 20 years of her life to the preservation and restoration of the Pratt Country Historical Museum located on Ninnescah Street. THe evolution of the Museum has blossomed at this location under the tutelage and the many volunteers who want the memorable stories of Pratt to live on. The two "G's" worked long hours at the facility putting together displays of the myriad of historically themed displays based on the people and times of Pratt County.

Dorotha is known for many interesting activities She is a great story teller and is the author of numerous historical books as well. You can often find her behind a service club podium sharing her stories with a captivated audience. She also has a tremendous appetite for reading. In fact, she has been known to give a reading assignment to two to people she thinks should be challenged with new thoughts and ideas. Mrs. G is now volunteering at PRMC since her museum work has tapered off. She is a blessing there as well.

The Giannangelo's have left a wonderful historical legacy which will assure us that the stories of our forefathers have been recorded for our children. They have also left a legacy of their resources to the Pratt community as well. Their legacy gifts will not be forgotten easily.

Uninsured Ranks Continue to Grow

According to the April 2006 edition of the periodical "Hospitals & Health Networks", the growth of uninsured families continues to grow. "The uninsured population grew 15 percent to a record 45 million from 2000 to 2004, according to a January report from the Kaiser Family Foundation." Most of this population is in the southern states. Employer sponsored health insurance coverage, excluding the senior population, decreased from 66% of the population to 61%. Medicaid funding which is covered by Federal and State resources is growing as well.

Some think that one solution is to pressure hospitals to write-off greater amounts of their net profit. In urban areas where the percentage of seniors is usually below 10% of the population this may be appropriate, but in rural areas where the percentage is hovering around 20% this is a huge problem.

This dynamic led to the necessity of the recent capital campaign. Since reimbursements for services have decreased, so has the ability to fund the capital equipment budgets of many rural hospitals. The medical field has become more dependent on medical technology to decrease liability issues and new technological equipment cycles in every three to five years. Most hospitals need $1 million per year to keep up with the needed medical equipment purchases which is a tall order in this health insurance environment.

A publication of the Pratt Health Foundation (PHF)
203 S. Main * Pratt, Kansas 67124
( PHF and PRMC are 501(c)3 charitable healthcare organizations.)