Roush named Health Care Worker of the Year

Fourteen years ago, Kristi Roush entered Holton Community Hospital as a student studying radiology at Washburn University. 

Today, she is the director of ancillary services at the hospital and was recently honored by the Kansas Hospital Association with the Health Care Worker of the Year award.

“I don’t do the things I do to get recognition. I just do it because the patients need us,” Roush said. “To have somebody recognize what you’re doing is very honoring.”

Roush was one of three health care workers throughout the state who were selected for the honor, which was presented at the KHA’s annual convention last month in Wichita. According to the KHA, the award “highlights hospital employees who have made a significant contribution to the betterment of their hospital” and “routinely go above and beyond the call of duty.”

“I am very humbled and honored. It’s just amazing,” she said. “I’ll always continue to grow and try to figure out how we can best serve our community.” 

Roush’s path towards a career in health care began at age 14 when she started volunteering in the radiology department at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka. Her job was to take the film to the radiologist, who took the time to explain the film and anatomy. 

“That led me into really enjoying anatomy and physiology. My family has a significant history with heart disease, and knowing that, it made sense that I would go on a path that would be more medical and diagnostic based versus nursing. I wanted to figure out how the body worked and why certain things happened.”

After graduating from Seaman High School, Roush earned a bachelor’s degree in health science in medical imaging and received a certificate in sonography. It was during this time she became an ultrasound student at HCH.

“I was there a couple of semesters, but it left an impression on me,” she said. 

After graduation, Roush worked in Topeka and then a local clinic before joining the staff at HCH as the director of radiology in March 2020.

“It was the week before COVID-19,” Roush said. “It was scary, and we didn’t have the right protection gear at first. It did create great unity because we all worked together.”

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