In this episode of Health on the Plains , Wyatt Beckman sits down with Chef Steve Smith, the innovative culinary mind behind a fresh approach to food and healing at Smith County Memorial Hospital, in Kansas.

Chef Steve shares how he’s transforming hospital dining by creating customized, nutritious meals designed to support patient health — a model rooted in the belief that food is medicine. His work doesn’t stop at the hospital doors. From a home meal delivery program to welcoming community members into the hospital’s on-site restaurant, Chef Steve has built a culinary ecosystem that nourishes the entire county.

Discover how this small rural hospital is leading big change, and why Chef Steve hopes this model of whole-person, community-centered nutrition can be replicated across Kansas and beyond.

Tune in to learn how good food — and good care — go hand in hand.

In episode 14 of Health on the Plains, Wyatt Beckman visits Abilene to talk with Julie Roller Weeks, director of the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau, about how positivity, pride and collaboration fuel rural community growth. Hear how Abilene attracts opportunities for health and beyond.  

On Health on the Plains, episode 13, Wyatt Beckman takes us down the road in Topeka, to visit Sunflower Foundation leaders Brandon Skidmore and Elizabeth Burger. They discuss the history of the foundation and their new home on Healing Hill. They share their vision for improving the health of all Kansans by investing in people, places and ideas. They touch on some of their major projects, such as the investment in trails across the state. They also discuss their collaborative work in food as medicine and integrated health, and how those programs can address needs in rural Kansas. Lastly, they provide insights into how they consider investment opportunities to fulfill their mission of serving as a catalyst for the health of all Kansans. 

On Health on the Plains, episode 11, host Wyatt Beckman takes listeners to our very own Kansas Health Institute studio, for the first half of our visit with Robert Moser, M.D., who heads the Kansas Center for Rural Health. Dr. Moser discusses his experiences as a rural Kansan, practicing rural Kansas physician, county health director, cabinet secretary, founder of a rurally focused patient safety collaborative, rural medical school dean and director of the Kansas Center for Rural Health.  

He shares the center's priority of helping rural health care providers efficiently implement evidence-based practices that promote quality care no matter where it's delivered in the state. Dr. Moser speaks to the local realities for rural physicians along with the importance of preparing the next generation of providers so they are supported and ready to care for rural Kansans. In the next episode, we'll continue the conversation with Dr. Moser, as we discuss the challenges of rural maternal health care and the opportunities presented by telehealth. 

On Health on the Plains, episode 10, Host Wyatt Beckman takes listeners to Hutchinson, Kansas, to visit with Benjamin Anderson, President and CEO of Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. He emphasizes the need to develop leadership in rural health care. He addresses meeting the health care needs of the community while keeping work-life balance in focus and highlights innovations to improve population health through unique partnerships. He also discusses access to care and why he thought it was important to advocate for Medicaid expansion. 

On Episode 9, host Wyatt Beckman returns to Liberal, Kansas to meet Kay Burtzloff, founder and president of the Liberal Area Coalition for Families. She discusses the creation of the coalition and its continued success of acquiring grant funds and investing in programs to benefit southwest Kansans. Find out how a rural coalition approaches planning for the future.

On Episode 8, host Wyatt Beckman take listeners to Inman, Kansas, to visit with Marci Penner and Sarah Green, co-directors of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, to learn how the foundation is working to sustain rural culture by promoting communities and resources that highlight the unique stories of Kansans.

On Episode 7, host Wyatt Beckman takes listeners to Liberal, Kansas to meet Clarissa Carrillo Martinez, a multifaceted, dynamic community leader in southwest Kansas. She shares her personal experiences growing up in Liberal and serving the community, highlighting the importance of understanding and learning from the unique blend of cultures in southwest Kansas.