Stay Fit and Healthy in Kearney, NE
New faces and partnerships aim to strengthen health care in Kearney.
A positive and promising prognosis is ahead for health care in Kearney as the region warmly welcomed new faces and partnerships to the health and wellness community.
Kearney Regional Medical Center recently joined Bryan Health, and CHI Health Good Samaritan has a new president at the helm – both excited to be a dynamic part of their new home.
The area’s first physician-guided, full-service, acute care hospital, Kearney Regional Medical Center opened in 2014. State-of-the-art services today include a 24-hour emergency department, maternity care center and a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
One-Stop Shop
Opened in 2014, the Kearney Regional Medical Center also includes a full-service medical clinic and 93-bed surgical and outpatient center utilizing the latest technology and medical practices.
Many of its physicians have served the medical needs of their neighbors for generations. In less than a decade, the facility grew to provide inpatient care to central and western Nebraska, as well as northern Kansas counties through the outreach of Platte Valley Medical Clinic, a multispecialty clinic located on the hospital’s campus.
With an eye on the future, the hospital joined Bryan Health, a Nebraska-owned and governed nonprofit health system that treats patients from every Nebraska county and surrounding states.
The Kearney Regional name will remain the same and will build on the well-established relationship the hospital and Bryan Medical Center have had for years.
“Bryan’s operational and acute-care capabilities, along with its track record of shared governance and decision-making with physicians, make it a perfect partner as we look to extend services and meet the health care needs of central and western Nebraskans,” says Bill Calhoun, Kearney Regional Medical Center CEO.
Positive Changes for Health Care in Kearney
The move created several positive changes. Among them:
» Employees can take advantage of Bryan Health’s $80 million investment in workforce initiative, resulting in wage increases and educational/student loan assistance.
» Following the merger, the hospital now has a nonprofit status and can offer more financial assistance programs as well as start it own charitable foundation to support future philanthropic projects.
» Bryan Heath will be making major community investments in Kearney Regional Medical Center during the next few years to accelerate growth by adding physicians and more space to the existing hospital and clinic.
“We were looking for a partner that respected and understood what we’ve accomplished and would continue to support our ideals and culture,” says Dr. Scott Smith, director of medical affairs at Kearney Regional Medical Center. “That’s what we’ve found with Bryan. Together, we’re going to grow into a really special regional medical center that will be here for years to come.”
New Leadership at CHI Health Good Samaritan
A new face is in the leadership seat at CHI Health Good Samaritan, a 268-bed hospital founded in 1924. An Iowa native, Curt Coleman came aboard as the president of the hospital in 2022, succeeding Mike Schnieders, who led the facility for nearly 12 years.
“We are excited to welcome Curt to Good Samaritan to help continue our mission that began almost 100 years ago,” says Kimber Bonner, vice president, patient care services at Good Samaritan. “We are called to serve and it’s our honor to have him join us in ensuring advanced care is provided to our region.”
Caring for the Community
CHI Health Good Samaritan focuses on the area’s health and wellness with support of community programs like HealthyMINDS, a behavioral health coalition, and HelpCare Clinic, which coordinates care and chronic disease management for individuals without financial means.
Coleman says he and his wife, Judy, see Kearney as a place they can call home for years.
“I was moved by the friendliness and kindness I experienced firsthand at Good Samaritan during our visit,” says Coleman, who served as president of critical access hospitals for Genesis Health System in Davenport, Iowa, and CEO of Jackson County Regional Health Center in Maquoketa, Iowa.
“Leading a larger hospital has always been a goal of mine. Knowing Good Samaritan also affords me the opportunity to build relationships with our critical access hospital neighbors makes it a great fit for me,” Coleman says. “I’m optimistic about our future thanks to the work of the wonderful people at Good Samaritan.”
The hospital offers a Level II emergency trauma center with AirCare emergency helicopter transport, a Level II NICU and the freestanding Richard Young Behavioral Health facility.
Staying Fit in Kearney
The Kearney Family YMCA has built a solid legacy of being a force for positive change, serving people of all ages for nearly 30 years. An exciting time of expansion is on the horizon, as the organization is in the final stretch of the $8.8 million “Healthier Tomorrows” capital campaign.
Some of the eagerly anticipated changes will be doubling the size of the current center to more than 13,500 square feet to include a community meeting room and learning kitchen, group activity studios and more.
“We are on a mission to improve the health of our community through programs that promote active and healthy lifestyles. The expanded footprint will better enable the YMCA to reduce risk factors for chronic diseases and offer new and innovative community-integrated health initiatives like teaching people how to properly prepare meals and what a healthy diet looks like,” says CEO Ray Longoria. “The Y provides a safe place for youth to learn and grow. We are excited about a bold, bright and healthy future for our community.”
Get to Know Kearney
Want to learn more about living and working in Kearney, NE? Check out the latest edition of Livability Kearney, Nebraska.
