Today, on National Rural Health Day, Jefferson Community Health & Life announced it has been recognized by The Chartis Center for Rural Health/iVantage Health Analytics and the National Organization of State Office of Rural Health (NOSORH) for overall excellence in quality, outcomes and patient perspective, reflecting top quartile performance among all rural hospitals in the nation. This is the second consecutive year for JCH&L to receive the Performance Leadership award in all three categories which are currently recognized.

“This recognition affirms that our emphasis on quality, performance and satisfaction are making a difference to the community we serve. It is because of the work and care of our staff, physicians and board, and the support of our community that we are able to meet and surpass the benchmarks for recognition,” said Chad Jurgens, JCH&L chief executive officer.

The rankings are determined each year using iVantage Health Analytics’ Hospital Strength INDEX®, the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. In partnership with NOSORH, iVantage Health Analytics has developed a data-driven program designed to identify excellence across a broad spectrum of indicators relevant to hospital performance and patient care. The Hospital Strength INDEX captures performance metrics for all rural and Critical Access Hospitals. Leveraging data from public data sources, INDEX aggregates data from more than 50 individual metrics into three major categories and eight pillars to derive a single strength overall rating for each facility.

“On this important day, as we celebrate the power of rural, it’s great to recognize these top performers who are excelling in managing risk, achieving higher quality, securing better outcomes, increasing patient satisfaction, or operating at a lower cost than their peers,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader of the Chartis Center for Rural Health. “These leaders serve as a benchmark for other rural facilities as they strive to achieve similar results and provide a blueprint for how to successfully run a hospital and serve their communities amidst today’s uncertainty and mounting pressures.”

Jefferson Community Health & Life has previously been recognized with the NOSORH/iVantage Performance Leadership award for financial strength and patient satisfaction in 2016; named as a Top 100 critical access hospital for 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018; named as a Top 20 critical access hospital in 2018; and named a HEALTHSTRONG hospital in 2015.

Jenny Kumpf, outpatient clinic services unit clerk, was named Jefferson Community Health & Life’s Caring Kind Employee for 2018. Kumpf was among 76 recognized at the Nebraska Hospital Association (NHA) annual convention on October 26, 2018.

Kumpf’s nominates said she exemplifies the Caring Kind spirit with her smile, her eagerness to help both patients and coworkers, and her dedication to go above and beyond in her job. Nominators commend her for taking customers where they need to go, and for working well with all departments for services patients might need. Patients appreciate your willingness to work with their schedules, and communicate any changes.

For 39 years, the Caring Kind award has been given to Nebraska’s most caring and compassionate hospital employees. The award honors outstanding health care employees who have demonstrated compassion for patients, cooperation with co-workers and dedication to excellence in their job responsibilities.

“The Caring Kind Award has truly become a rich tradition for the NHA and our members. The recipients demonstrate a level of kindness, caring, dedication and commitment to their patients that goes above and beyond,” said NHA President Laura J. Redoutey, FACHE. “I look forward to this event every year – it celebrates all that is good in serving others.”

Hospitals across the state each select one Caring Kind award recipient from within their respective institutions to be recognized during the NHA Annual Convention.

Nearly 2,500 skilled and dedicated health care professionals have received this award since its inception in 1979. This year, 76 employees were honored before more than 500 people in attendance at The Caring Kind Awards Luncheon held at the Embassy Suites Omaha-La Vista Hotel & Conference Center in La Vista.

The event showcases the exemplary work and care hospital employees provide every day throughout the year. Every Nebraska hospital employee plays a critical role in providing high-quality, cost-effective treatment and ensuring the safety of themselves, their co-workers and patients each and every day. These honorees are star performers through their dedication to patients and teamwork, ensuring that care is safe, quality-driven and cost-effective for consumers, as well as for the organizations they represent.

The NHA congratulates The Caring Kind award recipients for 2018:

• Eltaib Abdellah | Chase County Community Hospital | Imperial
• Peggy Adams | Community Medical Center, Inc. | Falls City
• Emily Afrank | Faith Regional Health Services | Norfolk
• Sean Akers | Children’s Hospital & Medical Center | Omaha
• Becky Antes | Community Memorial Hospital | Syracuse
• Jennifer Arnold | Regional West Health Services | Scottsbluff
• JoAnn Aschoff | St. Joseph’s Retirement Community | West Point
• Tim Bader | Kearney Regional Medical Center | Kearney
• Florence Basilio | Oakland Mercy Hospital | Oakland
• Shannon Beck | Merrick Medical Center | Central City
• Matthew Benn | VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System | Omaha
• Ann Bergman | Cozad Community Health System | Cozad
• AAron Blanchard | Memorial Community Health | Aurora
• Rachel Brabec | Boys Town National Research Hospital | Omaha
• Kyle Broadfoot | Tri Valley Health System | Cambridge
• Hanna Brumbaugh | Pawnee County Memorial Hospital | Pawnee City
• Jason Calhoon | Harlan County Health System | Alma
• Peggy Casey | Fillmore County Hospital | Geneva
• Sue Creekmore | York General | York
• Laura Daro | Butler County Health Care Center | David City
• Michelle Dick | Thayer County Health Services | Hebron
• Jill Doolittle | CHI Health St. Elizabeth | Lincoln
• Joan Fillipi | Providence Medical Center | Wayne
• Cynthe Ford | Methodist Women’s Hospital | Omaha
• Amanda Fossler | Beatrice Community Hospital & Health Center | Beatrice
• Sharon Fowler | CHI Health Midlands | Papillion
• Eduardo Freitas, MD | Great Plains Health | North Platte
• Beth Grant | Friend Community Healthcare System | Friend
• Michael Gray | Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals | Lincoln
• Jill Hardy | CHI Health St. Mary’s | Nebraska City
• Karen Hart | Antelope Memorial Hospital | Neligh
• Jolynn Hartman | Fremont Health | Fremont
• Janine Harvey | Nemaha County Hospital | Auburn
• Theresa Hawk | Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital | O’Neill
• Colleen Hoff | Jennie M. Melham Memorial Medical Center | Broken Bow
• Christine Johnson | CHI Health St. Francis | Grand Island
• Emily Johnson | Sidney Regional Medical Center | Sidney
• Krystal Kaup | Rock County Hospital | Bassett
• Deb Kessler | Columbus Community Hospital | Columbus
• Lorrie Klepper | Memorial Health Care Systems | Seward
• Jenny Kumpf | Jefferson Community Health & Life | Fairbury
• Melissa Lindauer | OrthoNebraska | Omaha
• Megan Loeffler | Mary Lanning Healthcare | Hastings
• Sarah Lunbery | Box Butte General Hospital | Alliance
• Dan Lygrisse | Brodstone Memorial Hospital | Superior
• Marla Martin | Crete Area Medical Center | Crete
• Tegwin Matthews | CHI Health Immanuel | Omaha
• Kristina Messersmith | Lexington Regional Health Center | Lexington
• Patricia Minnick | Franklin County Memorial Hospital | Franklin
• Christi Moock | Bryan Health | Lincoln
• Brian Moody | CHI Health Good Samaritan | Kearney
• Joy Nelson | CHI Health Plainview | Plainview
• Julie Nelson | Regional West Garden County | Oshkosh
• Tammy Nelson | Phelps Memorial Health Center | Holdrege
• Paul Nepal | CHI Health Lakeside | Omaha
• Lisa Nissen | Osmond General Hospital | Osmond
• Alisha Obando | Chadron Community Hospital & Health Services | Chadron
• Mary Ogorzolka | Community Hospital | McCook
• Jean Peck | CHI Health CUMC Bergan Mercy | Omaha
• Elizabeth Perkins | Nebraska Medicine | Omaha
• Michelle Peterson | Nebraska Methodist Hospital | Omaha
• Colette Powell | Ogallala Community Hospital | Ogallala
• Roy Robbins | Saunders Medical Center | Wahoo
• Jacob Runyan | Brown County Hospital | Ainsworth
• Ardanna Sepers | Dundy County Hospital | Benkelman
• Joy Setlik | Valley County Health System | Ord
• Rebecca Seybold | Kearney County Health Services | Minden
• Carla Smith | Pender Community Hospital | Pender
• Louise Stewart | Annie Jeffrey Memorial County Health Center | Osceola
• Marissa Stoklasa | CHI Health Schuyler | Schuyler
• Jane Stone | Howard County Medical Center | St. Paul
• Kathy Swanda | Johnson County Hospital | Tecumseh
• Jayson Talaue | Avera Creighton Hospital | Creighton
• Jessica Thomassen | West Holt Medical Services | Atkinson
• Lorilee Titus | Memorial Community Hospital & Health System | Blair
• Kathy Young | Boone County Health Center | Albion

The Nebraska Hospital Association is the unified voice for Nebraska’s hospitals and health systems. The Association offers collaborative leadership, assisting its members to provide comprehensive care to their communities, improving the health status of those communities. For more information, visit the NHA website at www.NebraskaHospitals.org.

Lifestyle change program helps participants learn to live healthy

FAIRBURY — The seventh session of a successful lifestyle change program is being offered beginning in January 2019 at Jefferson Community Health & Life in Fairbury. The year-long program is designed for those who are at risk for diabetes and want to change their lifestyle to avoid getting diabetes. A free no-obligation introductory class will be held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 14. Anyone who thinks they might be interested in Smart Moves is encouraged to attend this session. To sign up for the introductory class, call Lisa Edeal RD, LMNT, at 402-729-6846.

The full year-long program begins on Tuesday, Jan. 22. Classes will meet at 4 p.m.

Lifestyle coaches who lead the program are JCH&L Dietitian Lisa Edeal RD, LMNT; Bekah Kimberlin, PharmD; and Craig Bontrager, director of JCH&L Burkley Fitness Center.

“This program has been successful in helping participants to make lifestyle changes which positively impact their health,” Edeal said.

JCH&L’s program has received Full Recognition from the Centers For Disease Control (CDC). This designation is reserved for programs that have effectively delivered a quality, evidence-based program that meets all the standards for CDC recognition.

Studies show that diabetes can be prevented. Diabetes risk can be lowered by losing weight, eating healthy, exercising regularly, and taking part in a lifestyle change program, such as Smart Moves. Smart Moves is a program of the National Diabetes Prevention Program. JCH&L is participating with the support of Public Health Solutions District Health Department.

For the first part of the program, participants meet in a small-group setting weekly for one-hour presentations. For the second portion of the program, participants will meet twice a month.

The program provides lifestyle coaching and group support, promotes healthier eating and weight loss, explores ways to be physically active, creates strategies to overcome barriers, and teaches participants how to apply coping skills to stay successful.

The cost of the program is $225 for the full year. This fee includes not only the program, but also a six-month membership to the JCH&L Burkley Fitness Center (a $200 value.) Financial assistance is available for those who meet certain financial eligibility criteria.

Anyone interested in Smart Moves is encouraged to attend the free no-obligation introductory class. Call Lisa Edeal RD, LMNT, at (402) 729-6846 or email lisa.edeal@jchealthandlife.org to register or for more information.