Visiting Nurse Association and Memorial Community Hospital & Health System to join forces to provide home health and hospice care in Washington and Burt Counties

Omaha and Blair, Neb., [July 31, 2017] – Together with similar missions and commitment to providing high-quality patient care to the communities they serve, Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) will join Memorial Community Hospital & Health System's (MCH&HS) operations to provide home health and hospice care.

MCH&HS recently selected VNA, a not-for-profit mission-based organization headquartered in Omaha with services throughout the metropolitan area. VNA has a long-standing history of high-quality home health and hospice care and other services, including VNA Companion Care, home health technology and infusion pharmacy. VNA will expand its services to Washington and Burt Counties through this partnership with MCH&HS.

All MCH&HS home health employees were given the opportunity to transition to VNA. Of those employees, eight have elected employment with VNA. Current patients of MCH&HS Home Health are being contacted directly and notified of the change to ensure a seamless transition. Both organizations have completed a service agreement and services provided by MCH&HS Home Health and Hospice is transitioning to VNA on August 9.

MCH&HS, located in Blair, Neb., has been caring for residents of Washington and Burt Counties of Nebraska for more than 60 years. MCH&HS has been searching for a home health and hospice care partner that is a natural fit for patients, staff, and the community. "Healthcare in our country is changing," said Tim Plante, MCH&HS President and CEO. "Our partnership with VNA will ensure home health and hospice is available to our community for years to come." Plante indicates trends in the healthcare industry include the formation of strategic partnerships with organizations that specialize in certain areas. VNA, according to Plante, is this type of organization.

"We are honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with MCH&HS," said VNA President and CEO Jamie Summerfelt. "We look forward to working together to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of the community."

For more information about each organization, visit www.thevnacares.org and www.mchhs.org.

About Memorial Community Hospital & Health System
Memorial Community Hospital & Health System, located at 810 North 22 Street, has been serving the residents of Burt and Washington Counties for more than 50 years. The hospital, and its network of outreach clinics, continues to heal, nurture and promote health by proactively identifying and meeting the needs of these communities. 

About Visiting Nurse Association
For more than a century, VNA (Visiting Nurse Association) has led the way in the delivery of in-home and community health care services. Today, VNA is a team of more than 400 expert health professionals and caregivers dedicated to providing the highest quality in-home care to the residents of Omaha and Council Bluffs—regardless of their ability to pay—along with a wide range of services for and in the community. Backed by a tradition of nursing, VNA offers a complete line of home care services, including Companion Care, Skilled Home Care, IV Therapy, Home Health Technology, and Hospice and Palliative Care. To learn more about VNA's unique commitment to quality in-home care and the services we provide, please visit www.thevnacares.org or call 402-342-5566.

Download the Press Release »

MCH&HS Welcomes Oncologist to the Specialty Clinic

Blair, Neb. - Memorial Community Hospital & Health System is pleased to welcome Dr. Irina Popa to its staff. Dr. Popa specializes in Oncology and Hematology care and will see patients at the MCH&HS Specialty Clinic beginning August 17, 2017. Dr. Popa is part of Oncology Associates in Omaha.

Dr. Popa attended medical school at M.D. Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, Romania, and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. She completed a Hematology Fellowship at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, DC.

Memorial Community Hospital & Health System, located at 810 North 22 Street, has been serving the residents of Burt and Washington Counties for more than 50 years. The hospital, and its network of outreach clinics, continues to heal, nurture and promote health by proactively identifying and meeting the needs of these communities.

Download the Press Release »

Plans Being Finalized for a New MCH&HS Clinic in Tekamah

Blair, Neb. - Tim Plante, President and CEO of Memorial Community Hospital & Health System, said earlier this week that plans are being finalized to begin building a new multi-million dollar clinic in Tekamah. The new medical facility will be 6,000 square foot and will be located on the south side of Highway 32, just west of town. Plans to build this new clinic began more than two years ago.

For now, the facility will include a medical clinic. Original plans included spaces for a dentist and eye doctor, but the cost of new construction has kept other partners from joining the project. However, the facility is being built so that it may be expanded if there is interest at a later date. The clinic will look very similar to the Fort Calhoun Clinic with six exam rooms and space for radiology and lab services. There will also be office space for three providers, a conference room, and a separated waiting area for sick and well patients.

Currently, MCH&HS is in the process of selecting a general contractor. Once that is done, bids will be sought from subcontractors. The tentative start date will be late fall and the construction period is estimated at 10 months. "We are anxious to begin this project and deliver a top notch medical facility for the residents of Tekamah," said Plante. "We are committed to this community. It has been a long process, but we are confident our patients will be pleased once the new clinic is complete."

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MCH&HS SPECIALTY CLINIC ADDS MENTAL HEALTH TO LIST OF SERVICES

Blair, Neb. - Memorial Community Hospital & Health System is pleased to announce it welcomed Sue Miller-Harsin to its Blair Specialty Clinic team earlier in the year. A licensed marriage and family therapist since 1983, Miller-Harsin, CMSW, LMHP, is well known and respected in the Omaha and Blair area. She specializes in a wide array of counseling services including women's issues, depression, anxiety, grief, divorce, post abortion, addictions, and spirituality. Individual, marriage, family, and group counseling sessions are also available.

In addition to offices in Blair and Omaha, Miller-Harsin also operates Unbridled Acres, established in 2011. Unbridled Acres is used for Equine Therapy, marriage, individual and family counseling, retreats and corporate team building.

Miller-Harsin graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from Kearney State College, and obtained a Masters degree in Education (Guidance and Counseling) from Kearney State and a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Miller-Harsin has been an active member of the Blair community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Blair Family YMCA for more than 10 years, and starting the Blair Football Moms and Dads 13 years ago. Her husband Darren is a school teacher and coach with Blair Community Schools. They have three children and one grandchild.

Download the Press Release

This report identifies and assesses the health needs of the service area served by Memorial Community Hospital and Health System. Submitted in fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 to comply with federal tax law requirements set forth in Internal Revenue Code section 501(r) and to satisfy the requirements set forth in IRS Notice 2011-52 and the Affordable Care Act for hospital facilities owned and operated by an organization described in Code section 501(c)(3).

Download 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment

The purpose of the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is to identify how to strategically and collaboratively address community priority areas to improve the health and well-being of the community. Employees from Memorial Community Hospital and Health System (MCH&HS) utilized the assessment process to formulate a community health improvement plan aimed at striving to provide effective, quality health services, and an environment that enables community members to reach their full health potential through assessment, leadership, and partnerships.

MCH&HS works to Heal, Nurture and Promote Wellness to members in our community. The information and figures below highlight the demographics of Washington County, Three Rivers Public Health District (3RPHD), and the State of Nebraska. Where applicable, Burt County data is presented to display our connection to the Rural Health Clinic in Tekamah, NE.

Download 2016 Community Health Improvement Plan

MCH Auxiliary Scholarship Recipients Announced

Memorial Community Hospital Auxiliary Board of Directors, Blair, is pleased to announce six college scholarship recipients for the 2017-2018 academic year. All recipients of an MCH Auxiliary Scholarship, are pursuing a career in a health related field offered at MCH.

Four scholarships are valued at $500 and two are valued at $1,000. The first $1,000 scholarship, named the Dorena Walker Scholarship, is designated for a student entering the Nursing field. A second $1,000 scholarship, the Ardis Grace Service Award Scholarship, is for a student that has shown exemplary community service throughout high school.

The Scholarship recipients receiving $500 are Ben Ward of Oakland-Craig High School, Makendra Kellogg of Tekamah-Herman High School, Hannah Thompson of Arlington High School, and Olivia Frost of Blair High School. Alexandra Eggers is a non-traditional recipient and current employee of MCH working on her nursing degree. She received the Dorena Walker Nursing Scholarship for $1,000. Anna Gepsen of Fort Calhoun received the Ardis Grace Service Award Scholarship valued at $1,000 for her dedication and volunteerism in her community.

The Dorena Walker Nursing Scholarship, awarded to Alexandra, is presented to one student entering the nursing profession. Dorena Walker served as a longtime member of the Memorial Community Hospital nursing staff and Board of Directors. She was instrumental in coordinating the 1952 fundraising campaign to build the existing hospital, which opened in 1956. The Ardis Grace Service Award Scholarship, awarded to Anna, is named after the longtime Auxiliary Member who was instrumental in starting the Annual Auxiliary Rummage Sale. Ardis has volunteered for the hospital for hundreds, if not thousands of hours over the years and was a key figure in making it successful.

According to MCH Auxiliary Manager, Kim Dutton, it is important to encourage students to enter the medical profession. "We award these scholarships to local students from our surrounding communities to help further their education in the medical field," Dutton said. "We hope that someday they will return to serve our community in their chosen profession."

The scholarships will be distributed at the beginning of the fall semester of the 2017-2018 school year. The MCH Auxiliary Board of Directors initiated the scholarship program in 1992, and has since contributed more than $90,000 toward the education of area residents.

Download the Press Release

It has been a great year for Memorial Community Hospital and Health System.

We continue to excel from a quality and patient satisfaction perspective, we are solid financially, and we continue to develop ways for people to access health services in Burt and Washington Counties. A key piece of our work this past year was a focus on developing a new MCH&HS Mission statement: To Partner With Our Community to Heal, Nurture, and Promote Wellness.

Read the full annual report.  (PDF Download)

Highlights from the past year include:

Service – Our outpatient satisfaction survey results for surgery and Emergency Department continue to be very high! Our clinics, diagnostics and inpatient scores continue to be well above national averages as well. We very much appreciate those who take the time to answer the phone surveys and especially value the comments to help us recognize our high performers and identify opportunities to improve.

Quality – Our communities should be very proud of our MCH&HS providers and staff! MCH&HS was honored by the Nebraska Hospital Association with the 2014 Quest for Quality Award for our work on reducing readmissions with our patient call back program for pneumonia and CHF patients, making MCH&HS the first hospital ever in Nebraska to receive this honor two years in a row.

People – We continue to work every day to make this a great place for providers to practice and our staff to work. Key additions to our provider team in 2014 include Cindy Reed, D.O. in our Emergency Department, Sandra Baumberger, MD in our Blair Clinic, and Carla Schneider, PA-C and RaeAnn Meyer, PA-C in our Walk-In Clinic. Stewardship (or Finance) – We continue to have strong financial performance. Challenges we continue to face include the number of patients without insurance or insufficient coverage, bad debt, and the rising costs associated with operating a small health system for personnel and materials.

Growth – Our future is based on developing strong relationships with our patients, getting new people to access our services, and retaining patients during their life journey. During 2014 we had the additional challenge of agreeing to payment reductions in return for staying "in-network" with a major insurer. We began 2015 back in-network, but we are working to provide services with fewer resources and staff support this year.

Community – Impacting the community goes beyond providing great health services in our clinics, at the hospital or in your homes. Hopefully you have seen us making a greater effort to be involved in community activities, like the MCH Foundation sponsored Dash & Splash as well as health fairs and screenings. We know we need to keep reaching out if we want people to be healthier and making good health decisions.

Download the Annual Report PDF

The Blair Area Law Enforcement Trust (BALET) has reached its $7,500 fundraising goal to purchase trauma kits for police officers' vehicles.

The BALET, established in 2016, is a designated agency fund, managed and administered by the Blair Area Community Foundation (BACF). The trauma kits are the trust's first fundraising project. Using funds from the BALET, the Blair Police Department (BPD) will purchase a total of 12 small kits will be placed in patrol officers' vehicles. Police leadership will carry a total of five large kits. Donations to the BALET for the trauma kits came from individuals, a Walmart grant and from Memorial Community Hospital & Health System (MCH&HS), which presented $1,340. The BACF also donated $1,275.

MCH&HS invited Lt. Aaron Barrow of the BPD to attend its armed intruder/active shooter training because police officers would be one of the first to respond to the scene of a shooting incident. According to the MCH&HS Foundation, employees learned that many of the victims in shooting incidents "might have survived had the first on the scene and into the 'hot zone' could have administered quick and simple first aid while the scene was being secured."

"When looking at each entity's response, we quickly learned if the Blair Police Department were to respond to an incident of active shooter/armed intruder in our community, not just the hospital, they did not have the appropriate tools to help prepare victims for rescue and transport to the medical center," the Foundation stated in a release.

The MCH&HS trauma coordinator obtained a few donations of supplies from the Nebraska Medicine trauma team, and the BPD requested grant dollars to obtain the balance of supplies: 12 thigh rigs, four sling packs and four litters (portable stretchers). The thigh rigs contain quick-use medical supplies, like gloves, trauma sheers and tourniquets. The litters attach to the sling packs and provide a quick way to move victims out of a "hot zone" and to a safer location for emergency medical technicians to treat them.

Shown above are members of the MCH Foundation, Blair Police Department, and the Blair Area Community Foundation.

Memorial Community Hospital & Health System welcomes its first baby of the new year, Kaylee Victoria Allen.

Kaylee was born January 9, 2017. Congratulations to the proud mom, Katherine Allen, of Blair. The Blair Volunteer Fire Department donates a baby basket annually to the first baby born in the new year and the family. Gifts were also donated by the MCH Auxiliary and MCH&HS.

MCH&HS Labor & Delivery Physician, Dr. Amber Beckenhauer (pictured right), holds Kaylee Victoria Allen, born to Katherine Allen (pictured left). Kaylee was born on January 9, 2017 at 7:34 pm weighing 6 lbs. 5 oz. and 19" long. 

Download the press release for more pictures of baby Kaylee!

The Tree of Life campaign was a huge success this year, setting a record of donations received!

$15,220 was raised through the generosity of others. This year, money will be used to purchase a new ultrasound table for the Radiology Department. The tree was decorated with ornaments given in memory or honor of someone special, and decorated in purple in honor of MCH&HS's 60th anniversary.

Thank you to all those who contributed to this year's campaign!

Download the Press Release

Memorial Community Hospital & Health System would like to introduce its newest board member, Neil Smith.

Smith, current Vice President and General Manager at Concrete Equipment Company (CON-E-CO), has been a resident of Blair for 24 years. Neil is a graduate of the College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and holds a MBA from the University of Nebraska - Omaha. He is a registered Professional Engineer with the State of Nebraska.

Neil currently also serves on the Board of Directors of the Blair YMCA in which he's been a two term past president. He has also been on the Blair Chamber of Commerce Board, and a member and past president of Blair Rotary.

His wife, Lynn, is a retired school teacher with Blair Community Schools. They have four children and three grandchildren.

Download the Press Release »

MCH Health System's 2016 Annual Tree of Life Campaign is underway!

The Tree of Life Campaign gives others an opportunity to sponsor the "Holiday Tree," located in the MCH&HS main lobby, in honor of a close friend or relative, or someone special that is gone but not forgotten.

This year, the tree will be decorated with ornaments displaying the names of everyone being honored or remembered. Once the tree is taken down, ornaments will be available as a keepsake for those who donated to the campaign.

The funds raised through this year's Tree of Life campaign will be used to purchase a new ultrasound patient bed. The ergonomic imaging exam bed offers features and options to provide maximum comfort and safety for both patient and sonographer.

The support of the hospital's many donors plays an important role in ensuring that MCH&HS exceeds the needs of their patients and families. MCH&HS continues its commitment to making a difference by leading with innovation, delivering quality service, and serving with compassion. To sponsor the "Holiday Tree" or to learn more about the 2016 Annual Tree of Life Campaign, contact Molly Dahlgren at 402-426-1464.

Download the Press Release »

The Memorial Community Hospital Foundation recently donated $250,000 to MCH&HS for improvements to its facilities.

The money donated will be used for two projects, including a remodel to the Blair Clinic and a new clinic in Tekamah, Nebraska that will replace the existing Cottonwood Clinic. Foundation Board members voted unanimously to approve $200,000 for the new clinic construction in Tekamah, which is scheduled to begin in 2017. The remaining $50,000 will be used for the Blair Clinic remodel which is planned to begin by the end of the year.

Shown in the photo are MCH Foundation officers and members of the MCH&HS provider staff and leadership team.

From left to right are Tim Plante, MCH&HS President and CEO, Lana Pleak, MCH&HS Clinics Director, Becky Guzinski, PA-C, Tekamah Clinic, Emily Petersen, Foundation Vice Chairman, Amy Hansen, Foundation Chairman, Jill Connealy, PA-C, Tekamah Clinic and Fort Calhoun Clinic, John Simonson, MD, Blair Clinic and Medical Staff President, and Jason Fowler, Foundation Treasurer.

Dr. Carol Weckmuller will be leaving Memorial Community Hospital & Health System.

After 29 years of practicing in Blair, Dr. Weckmuller's last day will be February 17, 2017. She will continue her practice at the Veterans Administration in Omaha, Nebraska, caring for those who have served our country.

A farewell reception for the public is being planned for Dr. Weckmuller. More details will be publicized as they are available.

Download the Press Release »

Effective November 1, 2016, Memorial Community Hospital, the Blair Clinic, Fort Calhoun Clinic, and Tekamah Cottonwood Clinic will be in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska's NEtwork BLUE and Premier Select BlueChoice plans.

We are pleased to make this announcement and look forward to meeting your healthcare needs.

Please feel free to contact our Patient Financial Services office at 402-426-1255 if you have any questions.

Download a copy of this notice »

Memorial Community Hospital & Health System

810 N. 22nd Street, Blair, NE

www.mchhs.org

For Immediate Release Date: June 9, 2016
Contact: Molly Dahlgren - 402-426- 1464

PRESIDENT & CEO NAMED AT MEMORIAL COMMUNITY HOSPITAL & HEALTH SYSTEM

Tim Plante, RN, MSN, MHA, has been named President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Memorial Community Hospital & Health System (MCH&HS) in Blair which serves Washington and Burt Counties. The MCH Board of Directors made its decision earlier in the week after interviewing several candidates to fill the vacancy. Bob Copple, former President and CEO of MCH&HS, left his position in May.

Plante has worked in health care since 2003, holding various positions. Most recently, he has served as Associate Vice President of Patient Care Services at St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood, Washington. He spent four years in the United States Navy as an electrician, and after this attended nursing school. In 2003, he graduated and began his career as a registered nurse. He has also held the positions of ICU nurse, Critical Care Clinical Manager, and Emergency Department Director.

“We are excited to have Tim joining us at MCH&HS. His experience is broad and his enthusiasm will fit well into the culture of our facility. His commitment to quality and community will build on the work of his predecessors and help MCH&HS grow as our industry advances,” said Dan Hunt, Chairman, MCH&HS Board of Directors.

Plante’s most recent responsibilities include leadership of hospital operations, nursing services, as well as operational oversight of ancillary and support departments. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, a Masters of Nursing Science, and Masters of Health Care Administration. Tim is married with four children, and enjoys spending time with family, church activities, and sports. His first day at MCH&HS will be August 1st .

It has been a great year for Memorial Community Hospital and Health System.

We continue to excel from a quality and patient satisfaction perspective, we are solid financially, and we continue to develop ways for people to access health services in Burt and Washington Counties. A key piece of our work this past year was a focus on developing a new MCH&HS Mission statement: To Partner With Our Community to Heal, Nurture, and Promote Wellness.

Read the full annual report.  (PDF Download)

Highlights from the past year include:

Service – Our outpatient satisfaction survey results for surgery and Emergency Department continue to be very high! Our clinics, diagnostics and inpatient scores continue to be well above national averages as well. We very much appreciate those who take the time to answer the phone surveys and especially value the comments to help us recognize our high performers and identify opportunities to improve.

Quality – Our communities should be very proud of our MCH&HS providers and staff! MCH&HS was honored by the Nebraska Hospital Association with the 2014 Quest for Quality Award for our work on reducing readmissions with our patient call back program for pneumonia and CHF patients, making MCH&HS the first hospital ever in Nebraska to receive this honor two years in a row.

People – We continue to work every day to make this a great place for providers to practice and our staff to work. Key additions to our provider team in 2014 include Cindy Reed, D.O. in our Emergency Department, Sandra Baumberger, MD in our Blair Clinic, and Carla Schneider, PA-C and RaeAnn Meyer, PA-C in our Walk-In Clinic. Stewardship (or Finance) – We continue to have strong financial performance. Challenges we continue to face include the number of patients without insurance or insufficient coverage, bad debt, and the rising costs associated with operating a small health system for personnel and materials.

Growth – Our future is based on developing strong relationships with our patients, getting new people to access our services, and retaining patients during their life journey. During 2014 we had the additional challenge of agreeing to payment reductions in return for staying "in-network" with a major insurer. We began 2015 back in-network, but we are working to provide services with fewer resources and staff support this year.

Community – Impacting the community goes beyond providing great health services in our clinics, at the hospital or in your homes. Hopefully you have seen us making a greater effort to be involved in community activities, like the MCH Foundation sponsored Dash & Splash as well as health fairs and screenings. We know we need to keep reaching out if we want people to be healthier and making good health decisions.

Download the Annual Report PDF

April 8, 2016

For Immediate Release

Contact: Molly Dahlgren 402-426-1464

MCH&HS President & CEO, Bob Copple, Announces his Resignation

BLAIR, Neb. – Bob Copple, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Memorial Community Hospital & Health System (MCH&HS) in Blair, Nebraska has submitted his resignation effective May 18, 2016. Copple has been in his current role since June 2013, and served as Interim President & CEO of MCH&HS for six months. Prior to joining MCH&HS, Copple served as Operations Leader for campus and system diagnostics at CHI and Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha.

Copple has accepted a position as Senior Administrator for Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan, Kansas, where he will begin his new position May 23. Via Christi is a 100+ bed hospital, serving Riley/Pottawatomie County communities, the students and faculty of Kansas State University, and many families from the Fort Riley Army community. Copple worked for Via Christi after completing graduate school until 2001. "This move is like going home in a way. I am excited to have the opportunity to return to Manhattan, to be closer to a couple of my siblings and their families, and to be part of the University community. My children will be in Manhattan for a few years attending KSU which is a benefit as well," said Copple.

Copple has more than 25 years of experience in the healthcare field and holds a Bachelor's degree and Master's degree in Industrial Engineering. He is also a licensed professional engineer.

"Bob has been instrumental in building relationships within MCH&HS and with the community. He is a strong leader and is valued highly by members of his staff and peers. Bob has been extremely devoted to MCH&HS and achieved strong hospital performance during his time here. He will be greatly missed," said Dan Hunt, President, MCH&HS Board of Directors.

ZERO SURGICAL SITE INFECTIONS REPORTED AT MCH&HS

In 2015, Memorial Community Hospital & Health System's (MCH&HS) surgical team performed 418 surgeries. The MCH&HS Infection prevention surveillance program has identified MCH&HS as having zero surgical site infections in 2015.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are an infection that happens after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. A surgical wound infection occurs when micro -organisms from the skin or the environment enter the incision that the surgeon makes through the skin in order to carry out the operation. SSIs are known as a Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) that can occur in the hospital or home settings. Some averages reported nationally are that 1 in 24 patients who undergo inpatient surgery in the United States has a postoperative SSI.

The MCH&HS Healthcare team follows evidence based practices to keep its patients safe and infection free on a continuing basis. Infection prevention strategies are initiated at the first patient encounter and followed throughout the patients' journey as MCH&HS partners with them to heal and promote health.

MCH&HS is pleased to report this success to our community and proud to serve our community members. "It is so important for our patients and community that we have a team so committed to ensuring patient safety and quality of care especially within the surgical realm. We are excited to attain the status of a Zero Surgical Site Infection facility and proud to offer this high level of service to our Burt and Washington County patients."