JCH&L Earns Great Plains Top Workplaces Award

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Jefferson Community Health & Life has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2026 honor by Great Plains Top Workplaces 2026.

“Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “That’s something to be proud of. In today’s market, leaders must ensure they’re allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That’s paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends.”

The Great Plains Top Workplaces list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage  LLC. The confidential survey uniquely measures the employee experience and its component themes, including employees feeling Respected & Supported, Enabled to Grow, and Empowered to Execute, to name a few.

JCH&L has previously been awarded the Top Workplaces Frontline Workers award for 2026, Top Workplaces for Healthcare 2025, and Culture awards for Professional Development, Employee Well-Being and Employee Appreciation.

“Jefferson Community Health & Life is honored to be recognized for Top Workplaces awards,” said Holly Wolff, JCH&L CEO. “We know we have a top workplace and top employees – it’s great to have our survey confirm that our employees agree.”

The Top Workplaces program has a 17-year history of surveying and celebrating people-first organizations nationally and across 60 regional markets. Top Workplaces awards are based on feedback from a research-backed employee engagement survey.

JCH&L participates in the Employee Engagement survey provided by Energage, a purpose-driven organization that develops solutions to build and brand Top Workplaces.

JCH&L Receives 5-Star Recognition from National Rural Rating System

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Jefferson Community Health & Life has been recognized with a prestigious 5-star rating for the second consecutive quarter from the National Rural Rating System (NRRS) — a top-tier honor that celebrates excellence in rural healthcare delivery across the United States.

This distinguished award reflects the hospital’s steadfast dedication to providing exceptional care, earning high marks in patient satisfaction, quality outcomes, and overall performance. The NRRS 5-Star Rating highlights hospitals that go above and beyond in serving rural communities, often under challenging conditions where resources can be limited but compassion and commitment run deep.

JCH&L has received 5-star recognition for the fourth quarter of 2025, after being named 5 Star for the third quarter of 2025 in October, 2025.

“Continued 5-star recognition affirms that JCH&L continues to provide outstanding care to our patients,” said Holly Wolff, CEO. “Our goal is to consistently offer the highest quality care with true compassion. We’re incredibly proud of our team for the care they provide for every patient, every time.”

The NRRS star system was developed to showcase excellence among rural and critical access hospitals that may not qualify for traditional CMS star ratings due to smaller patient volumes. Despite smaller numbers, facilities are still evaluated using rigorous standards, including data from certified patient satisfaction surveys (HCAHPS) and clinical quality indicators.

“This award is a reflection of the unwavering dedication and deep compassion these hospitals bring to rural healthcare,” said Brock Slabach, chief operating officer of the National Rural Health Association.

Jefferson Community Health & Life is proud to serve Jefferson County and the surrounding area, offering 24-hour emergency care, surgical services (most recently adding robotics), acute and swing bed care, family medicine clinic, behavioral health, outpatient specialists, long-term care, home health, occupational health, and a community fitness center. JCH&L has been a cornerstone of health and healing in the region since 1963. With a mission to provide exceptional care to every customer every time, JCH&L remains committed to meeting the needs of its community with compassion, innovation, and integrity.

This 5-star rating not only celebrates past accomplishments — it sets the tone for continued excellence and trust in rural healthcare.

Learn more about the NRRS and the Five-Star Rating System at FiveStarRatings.org.

JCH&L Recognized as Age-Friendly Health System

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Jefferson Community Health & Life has achieved special recognition as an Age-Friendly Health System — Committed to Care Excellence in our ongoing efforts to ensure age-friendly care for all older adults we serve.

Over the last three months, we have collected data about the count of older adults who received a set of evidence-based elements of high-quality care, known as the 4Ms: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility. We are excited to continue our ongoing commitment towards reliable practice of the 4Ms. More than 5,200 hospitals, practices, convenient care clinics, nursing homes, and home health care organizations have been recognized as Age-Friendly Health Systems – Committed to Care Excellence.

The 4Ms:

  • What Matters: Know and align care with each older adult’s specific health outcome goals and care preferences including, but not limited to, end-of-life care, and across settings of care.
  • Medication: If medication is necessary, use Age-Friendly medications that do not interfere with What Matters to the older adult, Mobility, or Mentation across settings of care.
  • Mentation: Prevent, identify, treat, and manage dementia, depression, and delirium.
  • Mobility: Ensure that older adults move safely every day to maintain function and do What Matters.

JCH&L is proud to join the growing ranks of these organizations in putting the 4Ms into practice. Globally, more than 5,470,000 older adults have been reached with 4Ms care.

“Our commitment to sharing data and learning only grows stronger as we further our efforts to improve care delivery for those most in need,” said Erin Smith, RN, JCH&L chief operating officer. “We continue to strive toward reliable implementation of age-friendly best practices for all of our hospital patients who are 65 and older. JCH&L has always been committed to care excellence and is proud and humbled to have achieved this external recognition.”

This age-friendly movement is guiding us to continue to provide excellent care to all of our patients.

“The Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative continues to be an important part of our overarching vision to provide every older adult with the best care possible. Above all, we aim every day to earn recognition of excellence from the older adults we serve,” said Holly Wolff, JCH&L chief executive officer.

Age-Friendly Health Systems is an initiative of The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), in partnership with the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the Catholic Health Association of the US (CHA).

“I applaud the team at Jefferson Community Health & Life for continuing your journey to advance age-friendly care,” said Camille Burnett, PhD, MPA, APHN-BC, BScN, RN, DSW, FAAN, Vice President for Health Equity, Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Burnett continued, “We know that older adults and staff alike want equitable, evidence-based quality care centered on what matters most to each individual. Together, we can move toward a future in which every older adult, during every care interaction, receives age-friendly care.”

For more information, visit ihi.org/age-friendly

First Robotic Surgeries Performed at JCH&L

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The first robotic surgeries were performed at Jefferson Community Health & Life on Thursday, Jan. 8 using the Intuitive da Vinci 5® surgical platform.

Dr. Brad Olberding, an experienced robotic general surgeon with General Surgery Associates of Lincoln, performed two surgeries, and said he was very pleased. He was very complimentary of the JCH&L Surgery staff and how the OR was set up with the robotic system.

Surgical staff have been preparing for the implementation of the Intuitive da Vinci 5 since the decision was made to purchase it. Their work has involved set up, ordering additional supplies, learning the new system and training.

“You can tell the staff are proud to have this equipment,” Dr. Olberding said. “The amount of work they did really showed.”

Dr. Olberding has performed more than 2,500 robotic procedures and has provided outreach at JCH&L since 2014. He is thrilled to be part of JCH&L offering robotic surgery, and especially the latest generation of da Vinci.

The da Vinci 5 is Intuitive’s most advanced and integrated platform—designed to enable better outcomes, efficiency, and actionable insights. The system, which was approved by the FDA in March 2024, can be used for minimally invasive surgical procedures for urology, gynecology, thoracic, and general surgeries. The da Vinci 5 will is ready for use at JCH&L for a number of general and gynecological surgeries.

JCH&L is the first Critical Access Hospital in southeast Nebraska or northeast Kansas to implement the da Vinci 5.

“We are excited to be a leader in this field and look forward to continuing to bring new innovations and technologies to our area residents, right here in Fairbury, close to home,” said JCH&L CEO Holly Wolff.

Ask your doctor if robotic surgery by an experienced surgeon would be right for your general surgical needs. Referrals accepted from all providers.

Parkinson’s Support Group to Meet Jan. 21

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The Parkinson’s Support Group will meet on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 2 p.m. in the Jefferson Community Health & Life Clinic Conference Room.

The program will be on “Community Services” by Amanda Lewis, JCH&L Gardenside Social Services Coordinator.

For easiest access, park in the H Street parking and enter through the JCH&L Main Entrance. Follow the signage to the Clinic Conference Room.

The Parkinson’s Support Group is an opportunity for area residents to share their experiences with Parkinson’s disease. Those who have Parkinson’s Disease, caregivers of those with Parkinson’s Disease, and those who have family and friends with Parkinson’s Disease and want to learn and share are welcome.

There is no cost or obligation. For more information, contact Lana Likens at Jefferson Community Health & Life at (402)-729-6855.

Grief Support Series Planned by Cottonwood Hospice

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Cottonwood Hospice will hold a Grief Support Group Series Jan. 13 through March 24, at JCH&L Fairbury Clinic Conference room, 2200 H St.

Sessions will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. every other Tuesday starting Jan. 13. Sessions are set for Jan. 13, Jan. 27, Feb. 10, Feb. 24, March 10 and March 24.

There is no cost, and the sessions are open to anyone who has lost a loved one in the past year.

Pre-registration is requested for planning purposes. Please call Cottonwood Hospice at 402-228-8501.

Do you want to quit tobacco and wonder where to start?

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It is not easy to quit using tobacco, but it is the best thing you can do for your health. Jefferson Community Health and Life is offering a free tobacco cessation interactive presentation at
1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. Learn what research shows about the most successful ways to quit smoking.

The interactive presentation will be offered by Missy Klasek, RN, Tobacco Treatment Specialist, in the Clinic Conference room at JCH&L. The session is free and there is no obligation. No reservations are needed. Anyone interested is invited to come and learn.

For more information, contact Missy Klasek at 402-729-3351, extension 4266 or email Melissa.Klasek@JCHealthandLife.org.

JCH&L Offers Free Medicare Educational Session Jan. 7

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An educational session to help those who are considering Medicare in the next year is being offered by Jefferson Community Health & Life on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. The educational session will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the JCH&L Clinic Conference Room and a light supper will be provided. There is no cost to attend.

Medicare can be a complicated topic. Learn about the basics of Medicare and what you need to consider when you are approaching Medicare eligibility or are new to Medicare. The “Welcome to Medicare” program will provide comprehensive information about Medicare including: What does Medicare cost? What does Medicare cover? When should I enroll in Medicare? What rules do I need to know? What is the difference between Medicare and Medicare Advantage? When are the important deadlines?

Presenters will be Deb Sutton, RN, and Lori Ohlde, RN. Both are certified counselors in the Nebraska SHIP program.

To register, please call 402-729-6855. If you have questions about the program, please call 402-587-5226.

Do you want to quit tobacco and wonder where to start?

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It is not easy to quit using tobacco, but it is the best thing you can do for your health. Jefferson Community Health and Life is offering a free tobacco cessation interactive presentation at
1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Learn what research shows about the most successful ways to quit smoking.

The interactive presentation will be offered by Missy Klasek, RN, Tobacco Treatment Specialist, in the Clinic Conference room at JCH&L. The session is free and there is no obligation. No reservations are needed. Anyone interested is invited to come and learn.

For more information, contact Missy Klasek at 402-729-3351, extension 4266 or email Melissa.Klasek@JCHealthandLife.org.

JCH&L Seeks Donations for Orthopedic Robot

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Each year, Jefferson Community Health & Life asks for the community’s help in completing a special project. This year, we’re asking for help once again for a special project —a THINK surgical TMINI robotic system for total knee replacement surgeries.

This year, JCH&L has a goal of raising $50,000 – because Heartland Bank has pledged a $50,000 matching grant.

“JCH&L is committed to providing excellence in surgical care for our patients,” said Holly Wolff, JCH&L CEO. “We have purchased the Intuitive da Vinci 5 for general surgery, and now with the help of our community plan to add the TMINI for orthopedic surgery. The robotic orthopedic surgery system will allow JCH&L’s surgical team to provide our patients the latest in technology, right here at home.”

The TMINI Robot is a state-of-the-art miniature, handheld, wireless robotic system designed to enable accurate and precise knee implant placement. The TMINI System is powered by CT-based 3D planning and technology which enables the surgeon to fine-tune implant positioning and stability. The TMINI contributes to better patient outcomes and shorter hospital stays.

“We are excited about the opportunity

Donations of any amount are welcome and may be made in memory of or in honor of someone. Memorial and honor gifts are recognized each year in a newspaper ad prior to Memorial Day. All donations of $1,000 or more will be recognized on a plaque on the JCH&L Wall of Honor and all contributions are counted toward cumulative recognition.

Donations may be sent to JCH&L in care of Lana Likens, PO Box 277, Fairbury, NE, 68352, or may be dropped off at JCH&L. If you are interested in donating by credit card, please call Lana at 402-729-6855 to make arrangements.

 

“In this season of giving and sharing, we have an opportunity to be a part of something that will continue to benefit our community throughout the years. We appreciate the community’s support of Jefferson Community Health & Life and the excellent health care we strive to provide,” Wolff said.

 

 

 

 

 

2200 H St., PO Box 277, Fairbury, NE