Kline Resigns As JCH&L CEO

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Jefferson Community Health & Life CEO Burke Kline, DHA, MBA, MHA, MSM, CHFP, FACHE, has resigned his position as of Monday, Aug. 19, after four years. Dr. Kline became chief executive officer in June 2020.

“We thank Dr. Burke Kline for his service and contributions during his tenure, and wish him success in his future endeavors,” said Trevor Steinmeyer, chairman of the JCH&L board of directors. “The Board has initiated a comprehensive search for a new Chief Executive Officer who will inspire our team, drive innovation, and lead JCHL toward continued growth and success.”

Lana Likens will serve as temporary interim CEO. Deb Sutton, RN, will serve as temporary interim nursing home administrator.

Kostal Receives Board Certification as a Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy

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Travis Kostal, PT, DPT, has become board certified as a Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy. He was certified upon successful completion of coursework, field hours and an exam from the American Physical Therapy Association.

Kostal has been with JCH&L Sports Medicine and Rehab Services since 2013. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science from the University of Nebraska-Kearney, and his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Rockhurst University, Kansas City, MO. While at JCH&L, Kostal has implemented a concussion protocol including post-injury testing. He will continue to assess and treat athletes both on site and in the clinic.

The American Physical Therapy Association says the practice of sports physical therapy is based on a holistic approach of prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and education of the individual. The clinical specialist in sports physical therapy uses specialized clinical skills in a variety of settings, including sports medicine centers, hospital-based clinics, and other traditional athletic environments. The sports physical therapy specialty area within the physical therapy profession involves the physiological, psychological, pathological, and performance problems of athletes and attempts to prevent or correct these problems.

“I have always been interested and active in sports, and treating athletes has always been a passion of mine. I want to see athletes not only excel in their chosen sports, but stay physically and mentally healthy as they compete,” Kostal said.

JCH&L Sports Medicine and Rehab Services offers free consultations for area athletes in the clinic, weekly visits to Fairbury Public Schools for injury assessment and sideline coverage at many of Fairbury’s home sporting events.

Nicole Swartzendruber to Join JCH&L

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Nicole Swartzendruber has known since she was a kid that she wanted a career in some area of health care. By the time she was in high school, she knew being a physician assistant was her goal. In December she will graduate as a physician assistant from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and early in 2025 she will join Jefferson Community Health & Life.

Swartzendruber grew up on a farm outside of Shickley, where her family has a feedlot. She knows that a small town rural area is where she wants to have her career. She wants to help ensure rural residents have access to the quality and compassionate health care they need.

“I have a love for agriculture and community,” she said. “I like to be involved in the community.”

She graduated from Shickley Public Schools and was accepted in to the RHOP (Rural Health Opportunities Program.) She got her bachelor of science form Wayne State College in biology, and is currently in physician assistant school at UNMC. She said she has loved her training to be a physician assistant, and is enjoying her rotations. She said she chose rotations to help her be prepared for and effective in a rural general practice when she graduates. She had one rotation at Jefferson Community Health & Life in November-December 2023. She is especially looking forward to a rotation in Kenya for six weeks in the fall.

Besides her love of health care, during college she has worked in fire and rescue.

Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family. She is engaged to Brandon Huebner, who works in law enforcement. Her parents, Mark and Donna Swartzendruber, have a feedlot at Shickley. Her sister Megan is married and has two children. Her brother Caleb lives at home. She has her own small cow-calf herd, enjoys recreational sports and enjoys reading.

Jefferson Community Health and Life is happy to welcome her to our team of family medical providers. She will join Dr. Craig Shumard, Dr. Rebecca Stroklund, Dr. Brett Wergin, Rick Blum PA-C, Megan Knutson FNP-C, Keegan Williams FNP-C, and Kensly Williams PA-C. JCH&L continues to recruit for providers. Our goal is to employ 4 physicians and 6 advanced practice providers.

Narayan, Taylor, Afuh Leaving JCH&L

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Dr. Madhav Narayan, Bryce Taylor, PA-C, and Kirisha Afuh, FNP-C, will be leaving JCH&L. Taylor’s last day will be July 8. Dr. Narayan’s last day will be July 11. Afuh’s last day will be Aug. 28. All are leaving for other practices.

“We encourage those who considered any of these providers their primary care provider to choose another Fairbury Clinic provider for their care,” said Ashley Norden, clinic administrator.

“We remain able to care for our community’s family medicine needs,” Norden said. “We will still have 3 physicians, 2 nurse practitioners and 2 physician assistants ready and able to serve.”

JCH&L will have available to see patients: Dr. Craig Shumard, Dr. Rebecca Stroklund, Dr. Brett Wergin, Rick Blum PA-C, Megan Knutson FNP-C, Keegan Williams FNP-C, and Kensly Williams PA-C.

JCH&L is currently recruiting for both another physician and another Advanced Practice Provider.

“While we are sorry to lose all three of these excellent family medicine providers, we wish them the best in their new endeavors,” said Burke Kline, DHA, MHA, MBA, CHFP, FACHE.

Caregivers Support Group to Meet July 11

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The Caregivers Support Group offered by the Alzheimer’s Association will meet on Thursday, July 11, at 4:30 p.m. in the Jefferson Community Health & Life Clinic Conference Room. The program will be a video on dealing with anger.

Easiest access will be by parking in the H Street parking and entering through the JCH&L Main Entrance. Follow the signage to “Caregiver’s Support.”

The Caregiver’s Support Group is a program of the Alzheimer’s Association. The group meets on the second Thursday of each month in the JCH&L Clinic Conference Room.

The support group is designed for those who are caregivers and family members of those who have Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias.  The group provide an opportunity anyone interested to share their experiences with Alzheimer’s Disease and learn from other’s experiences. There is no cost, and no pre-registration required.

For more information, contact Lana Likens at Jefferson Community Health & Life at 402-729-6855.

Pain Clinic Added at JCH&L Outpatient Services

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J Paul Meyer, MD, began offering an outpatient pain specialty clinic at JCH&L in June, and will be coming to JCH&L monthly to see patients.

Dr. Meyer is board certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine by the American Board of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine.

Dr. Meyer sees patients who deal with chronic pain, low back pain and cancer-related pain. He offers spine-related procedures, sacroiliac joint injections, knee joint injections, trigger point injections, occipital nerve blocks, pain pump trials, spinal cord stimulator trials. He also performs surgeries including pain pump implants, spinal cord stimulator implants and sacroiliac joint fusions.

He is originally from Iowa and now lives in Grand Island. His undergraduate degree from South Dakota State University is in pharmacology. His medical doctorate is from the University of South Dakota. He completed an internship at St. Johns Hospital in Detroit, Mich. He spent three years as a flight surgeon in the US Air force, based out of Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Okla. After his military service he served as an emergency medicine physician in Enid, Okla., for four years. He then did a residency in anesthesiology at the University of Kansas-Wichita.

“JCH&L is pleased to add another much-needed specialty in our Outpatient Services area,” said Burke Kline, DHA, MHA, MBA, CHFP, FACHE.  “We know it is important to help our patients and area residents deal with pain. We continue to listen to the needs of our community and want to help our area residents lead the healthiest lives they can.”

Joining Dr. Meyer in his clinic visits will be Ashley Ambrosek, FNP-BC, PGMT-BC. Ashley is a nurse practitioner who will assist with procedures and help see and care for patients.

Dr. Meyer and Ashley will be coming to JCH&L once a month. For more details on dates, check out the calendar on the JCH&L website. Go to: JCHealthandLife.org, then locations, outpatient services, view complete schedule. The clinic will be listed as Pain – Dr. Meyer.

Referrals from a family medicine provider are required. For more information, please call JCH&L Outpatient Services at 402-729-6851.

JCH&L Auxiliary Salad Festival Successful

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More than $1,100 was raised during the annual salad festival of the Jefferson Community Health & Life Auxiliary on May 9 in Fairbury.

A total of 155 people were served at the festival, according to Lana Likens, director of public relations, marketing and development at Jefferson Community Health & Life. The Salad Festival is the biggest fund-raiser for the JCH&L Auxiliary each year, and has a long tradition in Fairbury. The first festival was held in 1965.

“It takes a tremendous amount of community support to have a fund-raiser continue for nearly 60 years. We thank all of those who helped to make this event successful once again,” Likens said. “It is a fun community spring event that also helps to fund good work by the auxiliary.”

The salad festival itself takes much volunteer time and effort, Likens said. More than 35 individuals volunteer their time to help during the day and more than 80 items of food are donated. This year, seed money from a Thrivent Financial action team also helped to cover some of the expenses of the event.

Tables were decorated with plants from the Fairbury FFA greenhouse, and more than $100 was raised for the Fairbury FFA with the sales of the plants.

The auxiliary provides scholarships to students entering medical fields and provides Christmas gifts for nursing home residents at JCH&L Gardenside, in addition to providing volunteer support for JCH&L in a variety of ways.

Progressive Agriculture Safety Day Registration Forms Now Available

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FAIRBURY – Registration forms are now available for the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day set for Tuesday, July 30, at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Fairbury. This year’s Safety Day is the 25th event for the local chapter of Jefferson County Farm Safety 4 Just Kids.

Registration forms are available at Jefferson Community Health & Life, the Jefferson County Extension service, and the Fairbury Public Library. You may also request a form by calling 402-729-6855 or emailing lana.likens@jchealthandlife.org.

Safety Day is not just for “farm kids,” organizers said. Safety Day is designed to provide safety information that includes both general safety and farm safety. The day is offered for children who are entering Kindergarten through 7th grade in the fall. The day’s events begin at 8:15 a.m. and end at 2:15 p.m. The cost is $6 per child or $12 per family by July 23, or $10 per child after July 23. Walk-ins are accepted on the day of the event.

Through hands-on activities, participants learn to prevent incidents and reduce the extent of injuries if incidents do occur. Safety Day stresses the importance of children taking responsibility for their own safety, respecting parents’ safety rules, and sharing safety tips with their family and friends.

Progressive Agriculture Safety Day is organized by Jefferson County Farm Safety 4 Just Kids. It is made possible by The Progressive Agriculture Foundation. Area business sponsors are key to making Safety Day successful. Donations are welcome.

Anyone who needs more information on Safety Day should call the Nebraska Extension office in Jefferson County at (402) 729-3487, or Coordinator Lana Likens at JCH&L at (402) 729-6855.

Rick Blum PA-C Joins Jefferson Community Health & Life

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Rick Blum, PA-C, joined Jefferson Community Health & Life this month. He will be caring for patients in JCH&L Fairbury Clinic and in the Emergency Room.

Blum received his undergraduate degree from UNO, and his PA training at Nebraska Med Center. He was a PA in Beatrice for 23 years. He currently serves in Valentine and Friend, in addition to JCH&L Fairbury.

“Medicine is fun. It’s challenging,” Blum said.

He said what he likes most about medicine in rural areas is the relationships built with patients, which are “unique to small-town medicine.”

Blum said the JCH&L campus is impressive. He appreciates JCH&L offering its community long-term care, a fitness center, and being part of Cedarwood assisted living, in addition to quality family medicine and hospital services.

He and his wife, Michele, live near Beatrice and have 4 grown children, 19-27.

Blum has been seeing emergency room patients since early May and begins seeing patients at the Fairbury Clinic June 6. He will accept new and established patients. To make an appointment, call 402-729-3361.

JCH&L Working With United HealthCare on Provider Issue

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Jefferson Community Health & Life is currently working with UnitedHealthCare on an issue which has resulted in patients receiving notice that Kensly Williams, PA-C, will no longer be covered under their plan as of July 31. Kensly has been a PA at JCH&L since 2020.

“We are working to determine what happened that resulted in UnitedHealthCare sending a letter to those who have seen Kensly. We are working with the company to get the situation straightened out,” said Ashley Norden, JCH&L Fairbury Clinic Administrator.

JCH&L is a participating provider with UnitedHealthCare and all providers at JCH&L are included.

“We were surprised by the information that stated Kensly would not be part of the network, and we are working to determine what happened and how to correct it,” Norden said.

Kensly is currently out of the office on maternity leave. Despite rumors the UnitedHealthCare letters may have sparked, she is scheduled to be back in the clinic to see patients in late July.

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