Nemaha County Hospital Taking Measures to Manage Coronavirus

Auburn, Nebr. (March 19, 2020) – Nemaha County Hospital announced today it is taking further action to handle the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).  Effective immediately, there will be NO visitors allowed in the hospital. The only exception will be 1 adult that is the health care decision maker for the patient and the guardian of a minor patient.  In addition, any potential patients will need to sign in and be pre-screened for the virus at the hospital entrances by hospital employees. 

The pre-screening is an assessment recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The patient will be asked if they have come into close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, if they have a fever greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, lower respiratory symptoms like shortness of breath or coughing, or a sore throat. Patients who answer “no” to all these questions can enter the hospital after using hand sanitizer prior to entering the facility. 

The ER will remain open. Nemaha County Hospital asks that patients call ahead regarding symptoms or recent travel before going to the hospital or emergency room.

“We are implementing this next level of precautions to attempt to flatten the curve of the virus and keep our community safe and healthy,” said Marty Fattig, Chief Executive Officer at Nemaha County Hospital. “We are doing our best to keep everyone informed and updated as this situation progresses but we are asking for the community’s help in making sure these restrictions are followed.”

Nemaha County Hospital recommends the following preventative actions suggested by the CDC: Wash hands frequently, avoid touching your face, stay home if you are sick, and cover your cough or sneeze.

These guidelines will be updated as recommendations are received. 

Visit www.nemahacountyhospital.com for more information.

About Nemaha County Hospital 

Located in Auburn, Nebr., Nemaha County Hospital is a county-owned critical access hospital serving the Southeast Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri regional area. Nemaha County Hospital was named a 2020 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital.

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Website: https://nemahacountyhospital.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NemahaCountyHospital/ 

Nemaha County Hospital Taking Measures to Manage Coronavirus

Auburn, Nebr. (March 10, 2020) – Nemaha County Hospital announced today it is taking action to handle the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). Effective immediately, visitor restrictions are in place. Anyone entering Nemaha County Hospital will be pre-screened for the virus at the hospital entrances.

The pre-screening is an assessment recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The patient will be asked if they have traveled internationally within 14 days of their symptoms starting, if they have come into close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, and if they have a fever greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, lower respiratory symptoms like shortness of breath or coughing, or a sore throat. Patients who answer “no” to all these questions can enter the hospital. 

The ER will remain open. Nemaha County Hospital asks that patients call ahead regarding symptoms or recent travel before going to the hospital or emergency room.

“We are using these precautions as a measured response to unpredictable circumstances,” said Marty Fattig, Chief Executive Officer at Nemaha County Hospital. “We are doing what we can to keep everyone informed and updated as this situation progresses. I want to emphasize that we are asking for restricted visitors at this time.”

Nemaha County Hospital recommends the following preventative actions suggested by the CDC: Wash hands frequently, avoid touching your face, stay home if you are sick, and cover your cough or sneeze.

These guidelines will be updated as recommendations are received. 

Visit www.nemahacountyhospital.com for more information.

About Nemaha County Hospital 

Located in Auburn, Nebr., Nemaha County Hospital is a county-owned critical access hospital serving the Southeast Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri regional area. Nemaha County Hospital was named a 2020 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital.

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Website: https://nemahacountyhospital.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NemahaCountyHospital/ 

Nemaha County Hospital Named Top 100 Critical Access Hospital

The Chartis Center for Rural Health selects hospitals based on performance

Auburn, Nebr. (February 25, 2020) – Nemaha County Hospital today announced that it has been named a 2020 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health.  This annual award honoring rural hospital performance is determined by the results of iVantage Health Analytics; Hospital Strength INDEX®, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2020.

“We are honored to be acknowledged for the care we provide to the rural community,” said Marty Fattig, Chief Executive Officer.  “Our skilled staff works hard to provide high quality care and patient satisfaction while trying to keep operating costs low and I am proud of the outcomes they achieve.”

Based entirely on publicly available data, the INDEX is the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Utilizing 50 independent indicators, the INDEX assesses performance across eight pillars of performance that span market-, value- and finance-based categories. Hospitals recognized as a Top 100 facility had one of the 100 highest overall scores among all Critical Access Hospitals nationally.

“The Top 100 Critical Access Hospital award program reminds us that rural providers haven’t lost touch with their mission and are committed to delivering better quality, better outcomes and better patient satisfaction. It’s a pleasure to be able to not only recognize this year’s recipients, but our larger group of top 100 alumni as we celebrate 10 years of The Hospital Strength INDEX,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health.

Top 100 Hospital Resources:

The list of this year’s Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals as well as the INDEX methodology can be found at www.ivantageindex.com/top-performing-hospitals.

To learn more about The Chartis Center for Rural Health or to speak with someone regarding the INDEX and the Top 100, please email Billy Balfour at wbalfour@chartis.com. 

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Page Two: Nemaha County Hospital Named Top 100 Critical Access Hospital

About Nemaha County Hospital 

Located in Auburn, Nebr., Nemaha County Hospital is a county-owned critical access hospital serving the Southeast Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri regional area.  


Website: https://nemahacountyhospital.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NemahaCountyHospital/ 

Nemaha County Hospital Home Care Named to Top Agency List

HomeCare Elite selects Top 25 Percent

Auburn, Nebr. (December 4, 2019) – Nemaha County Hospital announced that it has been named a Top Agency in the 2019 HomeCare Elite, a recognition of the top-performing home health agencies in the United States. For 14 years, HomeCare Elite has annually identified the top 25 percent of agencies and highlighted the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall.

The ranking is developed by ABILITY® Network, a leading information technology company helping providers and payers simplify the administrative and clinical complexities of healthcare. It is sponsored by DecisionHealth, publisher of Home Health Line and the Complete Home Health ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Coding Manual.

“We’re pleased to recognize Nemaha County Home Care for exemplifying best practice in patient care,” said Christine Lang, senior director for ABILITY Network. “Nemaha County Hospitals home health professionals have demonstrated exceptional commitment to care quality and the patient experience.”

Marty Fattig, Chief Executive Officer, credits their individual commitment to high standards of practice combined with an organizational culture of caring to achieve recognition as one of the HomeCare Elite. “We are honored to be acknowledged for our quality care. Our skilled staff, combined with personalized care techniques helps deliver superior outcomes allowing us to deliver quality care, every time to our communities,” said Fattig.

“Congratulations to Nemaha County Hospital from all of the staff at DecisionHealth,” said Marci Geipe, product manager at DecisionHealth. “Your leadership and staff have placed a premium on the patient care your agency provides, as showcased by your quality outcome scores. The entire community benefits from the compassion that your staff shows toward your patients, leading to cost savings for the entire healthcare system.”

HomeCare Elite agencies are determined by an analysis of performance measures in quality outcomes, best practices implementation, patient experience (HHCAHPS), quality improvement and consistency, and financial health. In order to be considered, an agency must be Medicare-certified and have data for at least three outcomes in Home Health Compare. Out of 8,818 agencies considered, 2,207 are recognized on the 2019 HomeCare Elite winners list overall. The entire list of 2019 HomeCare Elite agencies can be downloaded by visiting the ABILITY Network website at abilitynetwork.com/homecare-elite.

About Nemaha County Hospital
Located in Auburn, Nebr., Nemaha County Hospital is a county-owned critical access hospital serving the Southeast Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri regional area. 

About ABILITY® Network
ABILITY Network, an Inovalon Company (NASDAQ:INOV), is a leading cloud-based, SaaS information technology company helping providers and payers simplify the administrative and clinical complexities of healthcare through innovative applications and data analytics. The combination of myABILITY and the Inovalon ONE™ Platform creates a vertically integrated cloud-based platform empowering the achievement of real-time value-based care from payers, manufacturers and diagnostics, all the way to the patient’s point of care. For more information, visit www.abilitynetwork.com or write to resources@abilitynetwork.com. For more information about HomeCare Elite, call 888.572.4009, write to homecareelite@abilitynetwork.com or visit www.abilitynetwork.com/hce.

About H3.Group
In March 2017, Simplify Compliance LLC announced the merger of DecisionHealth, LLC with existing brands HCPro and HealthLeaders Media, to form the H3.Group! H3.Group, with its three pillars of thought leadership, expertise, and application, provides critical insight, analysis, tools and training to healthcare organizations nationwide empowering today’s healthcare professionals with solution-focused information and intelligence to guide their organizations’ efforts in achieving compliance, financial performance, leadership, and organizational excellence. The creation of the H3.Group comes as healthcare faces an unprecedented period of transition that brings uncertainty and opportunity. As policies and regulations are revisited and payment models changed, the need for clarity, actionable guidance and expert training for all provider settings and functional areas will increase dramatically.

About DecisionHealth
For over 30 years, DecisionHealth, an H3.Group brand, has served as the industry’s leading source for news, analysis and instructional guidance with brand names such as Home Health Line and Part B News. Our unique blend of award-winning on-staff journalists and unmatched access to health care executives, providers and their administrative staffs results in business management advice and operationally focused editorial that has captured the attention of nearly 100,000 home health care professionals and specialty physician practices.

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Website: https://nemahacountyhospital.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NemahaCountyHospital/

Nemaha County Hospital Employee Selected for Prestigious Caring Kind Award

Nebraska Hospital Association award given to Barb Jenkins 

Auburn, NE (November 4, 2019) – Nemaha County Hospital is proud to announce that Barb Jenkins has received the Nebraska Hospital Association (NHA) prestigious The Caring Kind award.  This award was given out at The Caring Kind awards luncheon held at the Embassy Suites Conference Center in LaVista, Nebraska on October 18, 2019.

The Caring Kind award has been given to Nebraska’s most caring and compassionate hospital employees for 40 years.  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.

“Barb Jenkins has been a Phlebotomist at Nemaha County Hospital for 20 years and is known for her cheery disposition and willingness to be part of the team,” said Marty Fattig, Chief Executive Officer.  “We are thrilled that she has been recognized and feel this is a well-deserved award.”

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.  Barb is a star performer through her dedication to patients and teamwork, ensuring that care is safe, quality-driven and cost effective for consumers, as well as the hospital.

Nemaha County Hospital congratulates Barb Jenkins on being a 2019 The Caring Kind award recipient.

About Nemaha County Hospital 

Located in Auburn, Nebr., Nemaha County Hospital is a county-owned critical access hospital serving the Southeast Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri regional area.  


Website: https://nemahacountyhospital.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NemahaCountyHospital/ 

Nemaha County Hospital Congratulates Susi VonBergen

Bryan College of Health Sciences Alumni Association selects award recipients

 Auburn, NE (June 20, 2019) –  Nemaha County Hospital is pleased to announce that Susi VonBergen, Director of Quality for the hospital, recently received the 2019 Clinical Excellence Award for outstanding clinical expertise, leadership and achievement from the Bryan College of Health Services Alumni Association.

Each year at their annual celebration, Bryan College of Health Services honors alumni and other school supporters with a variety of awards for their unique services.  The Clinical Excellence awards are given for exemplifying outstanding clinical expertise, leadership and achievement in their chosen field or practice as well as promoting their profession through activities that advance and enhance professionalism.  Susi was nominated by Kermit L. Moore, Chief Operating Officer at Nemaha County Hospital.

  “Susi has been an inspiration to others and made significant impacts to our organization, staff and nursing students,” said Kermit L. Moore.  “She is very deserving of this award because of her significant contributions to the hospital, her dedication to the nursing profession and her loyalty to upholding a standard of excellence.”

After graduation in 1992, Susi began as a staff nurse at Nemaha County Hospital where she repeatedly exceeded patients’ expectations and received recognition from administration and her peers.  She went on to help develop policies for best practices, mentored nursing students, and assisted in the implementation of the hospitals electronic medical record for which the hospital has received national recognition for enhancing patient care for ten consecutive years.  

Susi helped the hospital become the first in the State to receive ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 9001:2015 certifications, an international standard for a quality management system.  These certifications contributed greatly to Nemaha County Hospital receiving the Nebraska Hospital Association Quest for Excellence Award in 2016 and the Rural Provider of Excellence Award in Quality in 2018.  Susi is the Strategic Quality Support System (SQSS) expert and is sought after by other quality directors across the country for her knowledge and expertise.

About Nemaha County Hospital 

Located in Auburn, Nebr., Nemaha County Hospital is a county-owned critical access hospital serving the Southeast Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri regional area.  


Website: https://nemahacountyhospital.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NemahaCountyHospital/

Nemaha County Hospital Patients Can Now Access Health Records on iPhone

Works with Apple Health app offers a simple and secure way to access your medical data

 Auburn, NE (May 17, 2019) –  Nemaha County Hospital announced today that it supports Health Records on iPhone, which brings together hospitals, clinics and the existing Apple Health app to make it easy for patients to see their available medical data from multiple providers whenever they choose.

Patients will now be able to easily access and visualize their health records in the Health app on iPhone in a simple, aggregated timeline view.  Setup is simple and getting the health records from Nemaha County Hospital into an iPhone is secure and as easy as going to the Health Records section of the Health app, searching for the institution, and logging in.  After you log in once, your health records will start to appear in the Health app, and you will be notified when new records are ready to view. 

  “We are excited to be able to offer this convenient service to our patients,” said Marty Fattig,

  Chief Executive Office.  “Our patients are important to us and allowing them to access all their health information in one secure location will give them a better experience.” 

Previously, patients’ medical records were held in multiple locations, requiring patients to log into each care provider’s website and piece together the information manually. Apple worked with the healthcare community to take a consumer-friendly approach and created Health Records based on FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources), a standard for transferring electronic medical records.

Now, patients will have medical information from participating institutions organized into one view, covering allergies, conditions, immunizations, lab results, medications, procedures and vitals, and will receive notifications when their data is updated. Health Records data is encrypted and protected with the user’s iPhone passcode, Touch ID or Face ID.

For more information on Health Records, visit: https://www.apple.com/healthcare/health-records/

About Nemaha County Hospital 

Located in Auburn, Nebr., Nemaha County Hospital is a county-owned critical access hospital serving the Southeast Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri regional area.  


Website: https://nemahacountyhospital.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NemahaCountyHospital/

Nemaha County Home Care Meets All Conditions of New Regulations

Deficiency Free Medicare/Medicaid Survey Completed

Auburn, Nebr. (April 8, 2019) The Nemaha County Home Care has once again met all the conditions of the Medicare regulations during a recent state survey January 28-31, 2019.   New Conditions of Participation were implemented January 1, 2018.   It has been nearly 30 years since significant changes had been made to the Conditions of Participation that affect Home Health guidelines.  The new rule expanded patient rights, care planning and care coordination standards.  It required a strong quality and performance improvement program and a detailed plan for Emergency Preparedness.  Medicare is stressing the importance of individualized, high quality patient-centered care and patient engagement.  Although the conditions went into effect January 1, 2018, the final ruling/explanation to the agencies was not available until October 2018 which did not give home health agencies much time to finalize their processes to meet these requirements.

It is an attribute to the dedication of the Nemaha County Home Care staff that these conditions were met with no deficiencies.  “We are proud of our home care staff and the care they give patients every day.  Their ability to implement the new guidelines so quickly shows their dedication to providing superior service,” said Marty Fattig, Chief Executive Officer.

All aspects of the department are reviewed during this survey to include the care given to patients, all documentation and communication with the patient, caregiver, and all members of the health care team.  The agency’s policies and procedures are inspected. The surveyor attended home visits with nurses and therapist to observe the care given to patients.  The home health staff holds a strong belief in providing the best care possible to their patients in the hopes that the patients can heal and regain their strength, knowledge and independence in the safety of their own home.

The staff’s dedication to providing the best home care is also recognized by their reception of

Home Care Elite awards since 2006.  Nemaha County Home Care has been awarded the 

distinction of being named to the Top 100 and Top 500 home health agencies in the nation numerous times.  Recent patient satisfaction surveys show patients are willing to recommend this agency 95% of the time.  They also have a 4.5-5.0 star rating for their “quality of patient care.”

About Nemaha County Hospital 

Located in Auburn, Nebr., Nemaha County Hospital is a county-owned critical access hospital serving the Southeast Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri regional area.  

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Website: https://nemahacountyhospital.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NemahaCountyHospital/

Nemaha County Hospital Recognized by Nebraska Office of Rural Health for Delivering Excellence in Quality

Auburn, Neb (November 28, 2018) – Nemaha County Hospital today announced it is the recipient of a 2018 Rural Provider Excellence in Quality Award from the Nebraska Office of Rural Health. Presented during the recent Nebraska Critical Access Hospitals Conference on Quality, the Rural Provider Excellence in Quality Award honors top 10 overall performance among Nebraska’s Critical Access Hospitals in the area of Quality.

This award is evidence of our hard work in patient care in all areas of our facility. Thanks go out to all our staff for making this possible,” Kermit Moore, Chief Operating Officer.

The Rural Provider Excellence in Quality Award is based on analysis of Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) measures for all of Nebraska’s Critical Access Hospitals. The analysis was conducted by The Chartis Center for Rural Health utilizing iVantage Health Analytics’ Hospital Strength INDEX® framework. The INDEX is rural healthcare’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural provider performance and the data foundation for several national rural recognition programs, advocacy efforts and legislative initiatives.

“Quality is such a vital component of the care process and we established the Rural Provider Excellence in Quality Award as a way to honor the ability of our Critical Access Hospitals to deliver outstanding quality to their communities,” said Nancy Jo Hansen, Flex and SHIP Program Manager, Nebraska Department of Health. “The 10 hospitals recognized with this 2018 award have set a benchmark which I am sure other Critical Access Hospitals in Nebraska will work diligently to reach – and surpass.”

“For years, rural hospitals have been tracking a consistent body of data under MBQIP, reflecting quality, outcomes, safety and patient satisfaction,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “This exciting new state-level recognition program – the first of its kind in the country to utilize INDEX – celebrates the efforts of the very best Critical Access Hospitals in Nebraska.”

About Nemaha County Hospital

Located in Auburn, Nebr., Nemaha County Hospital is a county-owned critical access hospital serving the Southeast Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri regional area. 

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Website: https://nemahacountyhospital.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NemahaCountyHospital/

Nemaha County Hospital Named to Top 500 of the 2018 ABILITY HomeCare Elite

Auburn, Nebr. (November 14, 2018) – Nemaha County Hospital announced that it has been named to the Top 500 of the 2018 HomeCare Elite, a recognition of the top-performing home health agencies in the United States. For 13 years, HomeCare Elite has annually identified the top 25 percent of agencies and highlighted the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall.

The ranking is developed by ABILITY® Network, a leading information technology company helping providers and payers simplify the administrative and clinical complexities of healthcare. It is sponsored by DecisionHealth, publisher of Home Health Line and the Complete Home Health ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Coding Manual.

“I would like to congratulate the team at Nemaha County Hospital and thank them for their commitment to providing consistently high-quality care,” said Christine Lang, senior director for ABILITY Network. “During a time of increasing demands on home health professionals’ time and attention, these caregivers and leaders have demonstrated that they have prioritized their patients and created a solid foundation for serving their communities and partnering with other healthcare providers.”

Marty Fattig, Chief Executive Officer, credits their individual commitment to high standards of practice combined with an organizational culture of caring to achieve recognition as one of the HomeCare Elite. “We are honored to be acknowledged for our quality care. Our skilled staff, combined with personalized care techniques helps deliver superior outcomes allowing us to deliver quality care, every time to our communities,” said Fattig.

“Congratulations to Nemaha County Hospital from all of the staff at DecisionHealth,” said Marci Geipe, product manager at DecisionHealth. “Your leadership and staff have placed a premium on the patient care your agency provides, as showcased by your quality outcome scores. The entire community benefits from the compassion that your staff shows toward your patients, leading to cost savings for the entire healthcare system.”

HomeCare Elite agencies are determined by an analysis of performance measures in quality outcomes, best practices implementation, patient experience (HHCAHPS), quality improvement and consistency, and

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Page Two: Nemaha County Hospital Named to Top 500 of the 2018 ABILITY HomeCare Elite

financial health. In order to be considered, an agency must be Medicare-certified and have data for at least three outcomes in Home Health Compare. Out of 8,898 agencies considered, 2,223 are recognized on the 2018 HomeCare Elite winners list overall. The entire list of 2018 HomeCare Elite agencies can be downloaded by visiting the ABILITY Network website at abilitynetwork.com/hce.

About Nemaha County Hospital

Located in Auburn, Nebr., Nemaha County Hospital is a county-owned critical access hospital serving the Southeast Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri regional area. 

About ABILITY® Network

ABILITY Network, an Inovalon Company (NASDAQ:INOV), is a leading cloud-based, SaaS information technology company helping providers and payers simplify the administrative and clinical complexities of healthcare through innovative applications and data analytics. The combination of myABILITY and the Inovalon ONE™ Platform creates a vertically integrated cloud-based platform empowering the achievement of real-time value-based care from payers, manufacturers and diagnostics, all the way to the patient’s point of care. For more information, visit www.abilitynetwork.com or write to resources@abilitynetwork.com. For more information about HomeCare Elite, call 888.572.4009, write to homecareelite@abilitynetwork.com or visit www.abilitynetwork.com/hce.

About H3.Group

In March 2017, Simplify Compliance LLC announced the merger of DecisionHealth, LLC with existing brands HCPro and HealthLeaders Media, to form the H3.Group! H3.Group, with its three pillars of thought leadership, expertise, and application, provides critical insight, analysis, tools and training to healthcare organizations nationwide empowering today’s healthcare professionals with solution-focused information and intelligence to guide their organizations’ efforts in achieving compliance, financial performance, leadership, and organizational excellence. The creation of the H3.Group comes as healthcare faces an unprecedented period of transition that brings uncertainty and opportunity. As policies and regulations are revisited and payment models changed, the need for clarity, actionable guidance and expert training for all provider settings and functional areas will increase dramatically.

About DecisionHealth

For over 30 years, DecisionHealth, an H3.Group brand, has served as the industry’s leading source for news, analysis and instructional guidance with brand names such as Home Health Line and Part B News. Our unique blend of award-winning on-staff journalists and unmatched access to health care executives, providers and their administrative staffs results in business management advice and operationally focused editorial that has captured the attention of nearly 100,000 home health care professionals and specialty physician practices.

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Website: https://nemahacountyhospital.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NemahaCountyHospital/