Nebraska Healthcare News

Get ready for the Columbus Community Hospital volunteers' 25th annual Holiday Open House! This year, the event takes place on Monday, Nov. 9, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and 9-11 p.m. in the hospital's gift shop.

Lexington Regional Health Center (LRHC) is proud to announce it has been ranked nationwide in the category of providers and insurers on Modern Healthcare's 2026 Best Places to Work in Healthcare list. The recognition was announced during the annual Best Places to Work in Healthcare Awards Gala held September 16 in Houston, Texas.

Did you have a special reason to celebrate, milestone to cherish or memory of a loved one you'd like to honor this past year? This holiday season, you can buy a keepsake ornament from the Columbus Community Hospital Foundation. The ornament provides a meaningful way for you to capture treasured memories and have a lasting reminder of those who hold a special place in your heart.

If you want to learn more about diabetes, Columbus Community Hospital has just the event for you. Diabetes Awareness Day, in association with the Living Swell event, takes place from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Columbus Fieldhouse. The event will include a cooking demonstration, informational booths and free and discounted screenings and immunizations.

Starting Oct. 1, CHI Health Orthopedics (Good Samaritan) will offer walk-in care for orthopedic injuries and concussions, featuring exclusive weekday hours and Saturday availability. Operating alongside the clinic's existing services, the Orthopedic Urgent Care requires no appointment and is open Monday-Friday from 7:30-11 a.m. and Saturdays from 8-11 a.m.

Steffanie Holtrop, Co-Founder and VP of Sales & Marketing at MED (Midwest Medical Edition) and Publisher of 'hood Magazine, received the EmBeliever Award at The EMBES – A Tribute to Women on Thursday night in Sioux Falls.

Congratulations to Kendra Becker, BSRT, (R), (M), (CT), (MR), Columbus Community Hospital's 2026 Caring Kind Award winner!

A program to provide hair, wig, makeup and prosthetic services to patients at the Morrison Cancer Center is the focus of a large donation from an annual golf tournament.

CHI Health St. Francis, in partnership with the Central District Health Department, invites the community to "Understanding Radon" from noon-1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6, in Conference Room 6 A/B at the hospital. The free health education seminar will introduce the basics of radon — a prevalent, cancer-causing household gas — while highlighting practical steps to mitigate exposure and prevent cancer through early detection.

With the arrival of fall, CHI Health Good Samaritan is alerting the community of a 'silent epidemic' that threatens the independence of millions of older adults: accidental falls.

A 19-ton, 346-foot-tall crane will dominate the skyline on the west side of Mary Lanning Healthcare from Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27, as part of a project to place new air handlers onto the MLH roof.

Lexington Regional Health Center (LRHC), KRVN, and Plum Creek Market Place invite the community to attend PinkFest 2026 on Wednesday, September 23, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Plum Creek Market Place in Lexington. This free community event brings together education, entertainment, shopping, food, family activities, and fundraising to support local individuals and families affected by cancer.

U.S. News & World Report has recognized Children's Nebraska in its 2026-2027 Best Children's Hospitals rankings in the specialties of Pediatric Neurology & Neurosurgery, Pediatric Orthopedics and Pediatric Pulmonology & Lung Surgery.

To help address Nebraska and Iowa's growing need for pharmacists, Clarkson College and the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy have created a new program that offers students a streamlined pathway to a career in pharmacy. It's called the Early Assurance Program.

Each year in the United States, at least 1.7 million adults develop sepsis, resulting in at least 350,000 deaths. To protect lives, CHI Health Good Samaritan and CHI Health St. Francis are raising awareness on how to identify and respond to this critical medical emergency.

Last Thursday, September 10, Community Hospital's Behavioral Health Department hosted its annual Hope and Healing Walk for Suicide Prevention, bringing community members together for an evening of remembrance, support, and awareness.

Medication Management Specialist Shanna Schmidt recently was named the Mary Lanning Healthcare Caring Kind Award nominee for 2026.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center is redefining distance learning with cutting-edge hologram technology. At the upcoming "Stroke Transitions Across the Continuum" conference, instructors and learners will interact in real time across four campuses using Holoboxes and VR headsets, as well as interactive iWalls.

The 29th annual Omaha Women's Health and Wellness Conference will be held Oct. 16 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Scott Conference Center in Aksarben Village, 6450 Pine St.

Columbus Community Hospital invites all community members to shop at this year's Linens Sale, where you can purchase luxury and comfort for less.

CHI Health Good Samaritan is enhancing cardiac care for the region with the introduction of remote pulmonary artery pressure monitoring, leading-edge technology designed to help patients manage heart failure from the comfort of their own homes.

The Mary Lanning Healthcare Cardiac & Pulmonary Rehabilitation programs recently received recertification by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). The recertification recognizes MLH's commitment to improving the quality of life of patients by enhancing standards of care.

Box Butte General Hospital (BBGH) is bringing a new way to stay connected to care to patients across the Panhandle with the launch of Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM). Supported through Nebraska's Rural Health Care Transformation Program (RHTP), the program extends BBGH's care beyond the hospital and clinic walls and reflects the hospital's mission to lead and innovate in healthcare delivery and community wellness.

Box Butte General Hospital (BBGH) Board of Trustees met on August 31, 2026, in the Alliance Room. During the board meeting, leadership celebrated the August Employee of the Month, Staff Nurse Stephanie Shannon. They also welcomed new BBGH team members, Nurse Assistants Nika Briggs and Jessica Garfio, Staff Nurses Angila McLaughlin, Tashina Prochazka, and Kassandra Gomez, Environmental Services Tech Josie Fletcher, Prior Authorization Specialist Hannah Collins, Dietary Cook Kadyn Farley, Patient Registration Clerk Maria Zak, and Chief Quality Officer Bridget Linger. The Board approved the consent calendar, financial report, and credentialing.

Mary Lanning Healthcare recently named Rebecca Bleich, MBA BSN RN-P, as its Chief Clinical Officer. She begins work on October 5.

UNMC researchers have published an article in "Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association" detailing the creation of an animal model that helps resolve questions about the relationship between HIV and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Kearney Public Schools, Kearney Catholic School and CHI Health Good Samaritan Cancer Center are gearing up for the 18th annual Kearney Tackles Cancer (KTC). The student-led cancer awareness campaign has raised more than $750,000 for local cancer patients since 2009.

Community Hospital is proud to announce that Misti Soderlund, RN, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Caring Kind Award, a recognition that celebrates staff members who exemplify compassion, excellence, and a commitment to patient-centered care.

Monument Health has received three American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® achievement awards for demonstrating a commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, helping save lives, support recovery and reduce hospital readmissions.

Jane Meza, PhD, has been named UNMC vice chancellor for academic affairs effective Nov. 1, pending approval by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. She has served as interim vice chancellor since July 2024.