Jefferson Comm Health Center

Description

Jefferson Community Health Center offers a 25bed hospital facility in Fairbury NE a professional and caring staff offers professional care and personal service to patients and visitors alike

Our mission is to provide comprehensive uptodate medical services for residents of southeast Nebraska and northeast Kansas

The staff continually monitors the use of existing services and the need for new services JCHC wants to offer the kinds of service you need and want

History

For many years Fairbury and Jefferson County were served by two privately owned hospitals operated in conjunction with the medical clinics at Fairbury and surrounding communities As outlying communities began losing their physicians and Fairbury became more and more the health center for these communities the need for expanded hospital facilities became more apparent

A public effort began in the 1950s Jefferson County Memorial Hospital Inc now Jefferson Community Health Center Inc was incorporated in 1960 The first board included EC Krueger president Mrs HB Boyden vice president Ivan Riley treasurer and Robert Denney secretary Morris Speir Margaret Howell Roy Schainost Ernest Kriesel Harold Hummel LaRue Beachler Allen Tintsman Robert Pearson Clarence Henkel Florence Milne IE Tilger and Max Logan

The first meeting of the board of directors was held on Jan 11 1961 An option was entered into for an acreage for a hospital site in the McLucas Subdivision of Fairbury A hospital consultant was employed an architectural firm was hired and an application for HillBurton funds was made In March 1962 bids were opened and contracts were let to start the hospital building program

Due to a special gift designated for a nursing home the plan to add a nursing home wing was incorporated into the building plans and became part of the program

Groundbreaking was April 24 1962 Construction of the 28bed hospital and 33bed nursing home was complete Sept 15 1963 The facility was dedicated Sept 22 1963 Architects were Helleberg and Helleberg of Kearney The hospital and nursing home began operating in October of that year

Changes to the facility include
1968 Addition of south wing increasing hospital capacity by 21 beds to 49
beds

1970 Addition of administrators office conference room and business
office space

1978 Expansion of physical therapy area

1983 Addition of eightbed wing to nursing home bringing total to 41
nursing home beds

1988 Expansion of nursing home dining room addition to laundry area

1995 Renovation of emergency and obstetrics departments and outpatient
clinics

1996 Addition of Bob and Wauneta Burkley Wellness Center new occupational
therapy area expanded physical therapy area new front entrance and waiting
area

2000 Became a Critical Access Hospital a special designation which helps
gives rural hospitals a different type of reimbursement This change did not
affect services offered and will improve the longterm financial strength
of JCHC

2001 Began design process for the 40unit Cedarwood assisted living
facility The facility is a private notforprofit joint venture between
JCHC and BryanLGH It is be governed by the Cedarwood board of directors
made up of equal representation from JCHC and BryanLGH

2004 Completed Cedarwood Assisted Living on the JCHC campus

2005 Completed major remodeling of radiology department and cafeteria

2006 Remodeling at Gardenside longterm care

2007 Addition of new surgical addition began