Latest News from June 2010

Effective September 22, 2010 Valley County Health System will transition its' Wellness Center to New Beginnings Fitness Center in Ord, where Johnathan Tomjack will be employed.  VCHS auditing firm Seim Johnson has determined that it is no longer financially feasible to operate a Wellness Center in the current or new hospital facilities, due to Medicare reimbursement rules.

New Beginnings is owned by Tresia White of Elyria, NE and Jennifer Schauer of North Loup, NE.  It is located at 302 South 15^th Street in downtown Ord.  "We are very excited about this new opportunity to enhance our community wellness program and look forward to Johnathan's expertise as he joins our team," stated Tresia White.

Tomjack will become an employee of New Beginnings and will continue to offer community fitness classes.  "My employer will be changing, but my devotion to wellness and fitness will not.  My colleagues in therapy have given me knowledge well above the scope of my practice to train safely and effectively and I will be forever grateful.  Above all, I am concerned about my clients, future members, and the entire community's health and wellbeing.  I welcome the opportunity to have one community fitness center in Ord while working at New Beginnings for Tresia and Jen."

Tomjack has been employed by Valley County Health System since 2006 and received his Personal Trainer Certification from the International Fitness Professional's Association (IFPA) in September 2007 and his Program Design Specialist Certification from IFPA in April 2009.  Valley County Health System thanks Johnathan for his service to VCHS and commitment to the community. 

For more information, call Johnathan Tomjack at 308.728.4257 or New Beginnings Fitness Center at 308.728.1010.

Melissa Kasselder will join Valley County Health System on June 28th as a Radiologic Technician with specialized training and experience in MRI studies.  She will begin performing MRI studies for VCHS when the new facility opens and the Magnetom Essenza MRI is available for use.  Melissa also has expertise in performing CT scans and X-rays. 

Kasselder is a graduate of Wheeler Central High School. She graduated from Nebraska Methodist College with an Associates Degree in Radiologic Technology.  She then earned a Bachelor of Health Science degree from Wayne State College.

She was previously employed as an MRI Technologist with Shared Medical Services where she traveled with the mobile unit performing MRI's for patients of fourteen hospitals.

Melissa resides in Bartlett with her husband, Drew.

Ord, NE -  Jeffrey Breitkreutz, PA-C, recently attended the Critical Issues in Geriatrics Conference sponsored by the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Breitkreutz, a physician assistant at Valley County Health System, is dedicated to the care of older adults and provides them with a comprehensive evaluation and assessment and detailed plan for their medical care. The completion of this training ensures that Breitkreutz has mastered the skills needed to provide evidence-based practice and treatment of geriatric patients.

Breitkreutz has been with Valley County Health System since 1991. He accepts patients in at Burwell Medical Clinic on Mondays and Thursdays and at Ord Family Health Center on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call the Ord Family Health Center at 308-728-3606 or the Burwell Medical Clinic at 308-346-5442.

The second annual Valley County Health System Health Fair on June 23 at St. Mary's Gym in Ord was full of activity.  The theme for the fair was "Don't Horse Around with Your Health."  A total of 100 people participated in the health screen and/or PSA blood tests.  Others came to browse the 16 vendor booths and eat breakfast.   The Health Screen offered a comprehensive blood panel for only $35 and a prostate cancer blood test for only $15. 

Valley County Health System plans to hold another health fair next June.  Thanks to the hospital employees for their help and to those who had display booths at the fair.  Special thanks to all those who attended the fair and helped make event a continued success.

During the weeks of June 7^th and 14^th, considerable progress was made on the new hospital.  The carpet in the acute care department hallways was installed.  The X-Ray and Nuclear Medicine equipment was installed in the Imaging Department.  The kitchen equipment was delivered and installation began.  Ceramic tile was laid in the Dining Room.  Vinyl wall covering and flooring began in the Surgery and Emergency departments. 

The MRI and CT equipment will be installed the week of June 21. In the next few weeks landscaping will begin and cabinetry will continue to be installed in the Medical Clinic and Specialty Clinic.  Exterior signage has been ordered and will be installed in late July.

The opening date for the new hospital will be Monday, October 4, 2010.  A public open house will be held on Sunday, September 26th from 1-4 pm.  For construction photos, visit the Photo Gallery at ValleyCountyHealthSystem.org.  For more information contact the Public Relations office at 728-4347.

The Valley County Board of Trustees held their regular monthly board meeting on Wednesday, June 16, 2010.  In addition to regular items of business, they entered into executive session for the purpose of discussing Larry Schrage's resignation. Upon coming out of executive session, the board voted to accept Schrage's resignation. 

Joyce Seward will serve as interim CEO for Valley County Health System until such time that the Board proceeds with a search for a permanent CEO.

The new building project is still on schedule for a public open house on September 26 and grand opening on October 4.

Ord - The 2^nd Annual Valley County Health System Health Fair will be held this Wednesday, June 23 from 6-9 am at St. Mary's Gym in Ord.  The main attractions at the health fair will be blood chemistries, blood pressure checks and a free will donation breakfast.  In addition, health related vendors will have displays available to provide educational information to those who attend. The health fair is an excellent opportunity for those with a high deductible insurance plan or those without health insurance. 

The lab tests offered during the Health Fair are a Health Screen and PSA test. 

Health Screen:

• Comprehensive Metabolic Panel: Kidney & Liver Function, Electrolytes
• Complete Blood Count
• Thyroid: TSH
• Cholesterol & Triglycerides

PSA:  Prostate cancer screening recommended for males over the age of 50. 

A fee of $35 for the Health Screen and $15 for the PSA will be charged to cover the cost of supplies for each person screened.  Those who participate in the blood chemistry draw will be mailed their results and will be responsible for contacting their medical provider if they have values outside the normal range. 

Fasting is necessary prior to the blood chemistry draw, including consumption of caffeine or decaf coffee.  A free will donation breakfast will be served so you may eat after your blood is drawn.

Pre-registration is available by going online to ValleyCountyHealthSystem.org or by picking up a pre-registration form at the hospital admissions desk, Ord Family Health Center, or at any of the banks in Ord, Arcadia or North Loup. Pre-registration is recommended for anyone wishing to have a blood chemistry drawn but is not necessary.

For more information, contact the Public Relations office at 308-728-4347.

During the weeks of May 24 and 31, progress continued on the new hospital.  The acute care nurse station was installed and the remaining exterior concrete, including the helipad was poured. 

In the next few weeks vinyl wall covering will be started in the Surgery and Emergency departments.  Carpet will be installed in the hallways of the acute care department.  Kitchen equipment will be installed and landscaping will begin.  Imaging equipment will be arriving for installation throughout the month of June. 

The opening date for the new hospital will be Monday, October 4, 2010.  A public open house will be held on Sunday, September 26th from 1-4 pm.  For more information contact the Public Relations office at 728-4347.

Tammi Knutson, Darci Jeffres and Julie Thiel, EMT's at Valley County Health System, recently attended the 2010 Pediatric Trauma Conference in Omaha.  The conference is co-sponsored by the Children's Hospital & Medical Center and the Alexis Verzal Children's Rehabilitation Hospital at Madonna. 

The conference focused on pediatric-focused trauma management from pre-hospital care through discharge and ongoing health care concerns.

Knutson and Jeffres are certified as Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedics (EMT-P.)  Thiel is certified as an Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B.)

Ord, NE - The Valley County Board of Trustees held a special meeting on Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 5:30 pm.  They entered into executive session for the purpose of discussing Larry Schrage's resignation. 

Upon coming out of executive session, the board acted on several items.  First, they tabled the resignation of Schrage to seek further legal advice.  Then they took action to appoint Joyce Seward as acting CEO until an interim CEO external to Valley County Health System can be placed.  Finally, the board hired Gary Bieganski to help place an interim CEO and for consulting services during this period.  Bieganski is the former CEO of McCook Community Hospital.

Hospital operations will continue as usual.  The new building project is still on schedule for a public open house on September 26 and grand opening on October 4.