---

Description

---

OUR MISSION AND VISION AND VALUES
The Mission of Thayer County Health Services
our reason for existence what we do and for whom
Together with the citizens of Thayer County we shall work to improve the health of our region by providing high quality compassionate health care close to home

The Vision of Thayer County Health Services
what we strive to be the overall direction toward our desired future

Through innovation technology sound business practices and a caring holistic approach we will be the valuesdriven provider of choice for comprehensive community healthcare and wellness to all who seek our services

Our Values
those guiding principles by which we lead follow and carry out our mission
Concernfor the total wellbeing of everyone in our community and
ourselves

Compassionfrom each of us toward those we serve

Respectfor the dignity of each other and our patients

Professionalismin all that we do

Teamworkknowing that all of us are stronger than each of us

Laughterour work should be fun we shouldnt be afraid to laugh at
ourselves and with our patients

Stewardshipof the public resources with which we are entrusted

---

History

---

A Tradition of Caring
Thayer County Health Services tradition of caring began long before its first patient was admitted on Oct 17th 1948 It began in 1944 when members of the community gathered to discuss the possibility of using what was then the Hebron College and Academy for their hospital Fred Knaut general manger of the Lutheran Hospital and Homes Society of Fargo North Dakota was asked whether his organization would be interested in operating the hospital from Thedora Hall the girls dormitory of the vacant junior college Knaut and several Lutheran pastors discussed the proposal but could not come to an agreeable solution and the dream of a hospital in Thayer County was put on hold

A Dream Becomes Reality
Two years later on April 26th 1946 the dream became a reality The American Lutheran Church received an offer from a private corporation to purchase the building for apartment use Without time to spare the Hebron Chamber of Commerce hospital Committee met Within 30 minutes they decided to purchase the building Thedora dormitory was offered to the Chamber for 4500 with the stipulation that the building be used for hospital purposes Signing the final agreement were chamber members ML Christensen JK Musgrave Paul Korff GR Taylor WE Baker and WF Powell Financing the project fell on the shoulders of Thayer County residents They met the challenge headon and during the summer and fall of 1946 raised 35000 to remodel and finance the project Twentyfive incorporators representing the entire county were selected a nonprofit corporation was formed and officers were elected as follows HF Nacke Chairman GH Wrightsman ViceChair FO Woodard Secretary and HR Killinger Treasurer The organization was completed on December 27 1948 Lutheran Hospital and Homes Society LHHS provided the technical help with the hospital and later contracted to lease and operate the hospital

Remodeling
Remodeling of the building stared in September 1947 When more funds were needed to complete the project an additional 30000 was raised by residents of the county

An estimated 1000 1500 people attended the hospitals dedication ceremony on Sunday Sept 18th 1948 The laundry room was located in an old coal bin and an Army generator was used for backup power The operating room and kitchen were located in the basement of the building with the patients rooms located on the first and second floors The nurses made everything one of the jobs during quotidle timequot was to sharpen the stainless steel needles then in use on syringes

Thayer County Memorial Hospitals as TCHS was then known tradition of quality care began with its first patient a Hebron resident was admitted on October 17th The first baby was born on October 26th

The first 20 years of the hospital proved very successful By the early 1960s the Hospital Board and Lutheran Hospital and Homes Society outlined the first plans for the present hospital building

In 1968 a thoroughly uptodate 22bed facility was opened marking a new era for healthcare and Thayer County Memorial Hospital The Hebron Clinic was added in 1978 As time marched on and technology improved it became apparent the further remodeling would have to be accomplished in order for the hospital to continue to meet the needs of its population

New Management
In early 1988 Thayer County ended its 38 year relationship with the LHHS A Management Services Agreement was then entered into with St Elizabeth Community Health Center in Lincoln That relationship continues to this day and one in which the County and the TCHS Board of Directors is very pleased

The 90s Building for the Future
In the mid1990s the Hospital Foundation began an aggressive fundraising campaign for an expansionremodel of the facilities Completed in 1999 the project built a new clinic onto the hospital building and modernized or expanded many of the facilities and spaces

2004 Campaign
In the Spring of 2004 the Foundation for Thayer County Health Services conducted a second Capital Campaign to help raise 15 million to allow for a 25000 sq foot expansion project to the hospital

This project was completed in January 2007 and included a new modernized Radiology and Laboratory Department Six new patient rooms and lower level administrative space were also included in this project

ORLDR Remodel
Thayer County Health Services is currently remodeling the area of the hospital vacated by the Xray and Laboratory Departments when they moved to their new locations The new modernized Surgery Center was made possible by a generous gift from the Erwin A Dunker estate When completed the new surgery center will include a recover room and updated equipment

Thayer County Health Services is a comprehensive primary care system providing health and wellness services to the citizens of Thayer County and surrounding communities in Nebraska and Kansas Thayer County Health Services is comprised of a 19bed Critical Access Hospital and a clinic in Hebron and five satellite clinics in Bruning Chester Davenport Deshler and Milligan TCHS is a county facility that serves a 50 mile radius from Hebron Patients come to our facilities from over 288 communities Besides its patientcentered inpatient facility the hospital also supports a full spectrum of preand posthospital services along with programs designed to improve the community health and maintain community wellness To Learn about our facilities Click Here

The Futures So Bright
TCHS is also in the process of converting to Electronic Medical Records EMR for all patients seen in the clinics or at the hospital The new technology and equipment to implement this project were made possible through the 16 million dollar Health Information Technology HIT grant received by TCHS in the Fall of 2007