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ST Medical Monday: Getting to Know Medicalodges, a Kansas-Based Employee-Owned Healthcare Company

Aired on Monday, July 18th.

On this edition of ST Medical Monday, we learn about Medicalodges, a Kansas-based healthcare company that, per its website, "was launched in 1961 when its first nursing home, Golden Age Lodge, was opened in Coffeyville.... The company grew through the 1960s with the addition of eight nursing facilities. In 1969, Golden Age Lodges was renamed Medicalodges, Inc. As new care centers were built or purchased, the company expanded its products and services to include a continuum of health care. In February 1998, the employees of Medicalodges acquired the company from its previous owners in a 100% Employee Stock Ownership Trust transaction. Today, the company owns and operates over 30 facilities and operations in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, and employs over 2,000 people in the communities it serves." Our guest is Fred Benjamin, who has been the Chief Operating Officer at Medicalodges since 2009. Medicalodges specializes in eldercare, and Benjamin speaks with us in detail about changes that have occurred in eldercare over the past few decades. Benjamin's long and distinguished career includes senior management roles in skilled and sub-acute care, in hospitals, and in other for-profit and non-profit medical ventures.

Rich Fisher is celebrating his 40th year of service to Public Radio Tulsa. Since 2000, he has been the general manager of Public Radio Tulsa, and previously served as the host of the public affairs program, StudioTulsa, which ran from 1992-2021. Prior to that, he served as music director, a program host and operations director for the station.
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