It’s About Care

by Julie Nichols

Known nationwide for excellence in treatment, Lincoln’s Hospitals support our community with more than just medical care. Specialized, diverse, innovative treatment and state-of-the-art facilities put our healthcare system on the leading edge.

Bryan Health 

Bryan Health employs more nearly 5,000 healthcare workers. Its award-winning state-wide network of doctors, hospitals and medical providers delivers care directly to rural communities through mobile diagnostic and treatment services, telemedicine services, and mental health counseling.

As Lincoln’s largest hospital, Bryan Medical Center maintains two facilities: Bryan East Campus on South 48th and Bryan West Campus on 16th and South streets. A Nebraska-governed, nonprofit health system, Bryan not only ministers to patients, its fitness programs motivate Lincoln residents to seek a healthier lifestyle. Specialists are available in cardiology, neuroscience, women’s and children’s health, orthopedics, physical therapy and rehabilitation, emergency/trauma, cancer care, behavioral health, and other areas. 

Bryan’s Level II trauma center on 16th and South streets is the likely destination for life-flight emergencies and in-bound patients from rural communities. A helipad, large ICU unit, and extensive ER services make Bryan a top-notch trauma care destination. The Bryan system is verified by the American College of Surgeons, and is locally considered the best in town for emergency care.

Bryan Heart, always known for excellence in cardiology treatment since its inception 50 years ago, remains on the leading edge of cardiology research, surgery and treatment.

A state-of-the-art Family Birthplace and an advanced Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Bryan Women’s and Children’s Health puts labor and delivery into a warm private setting, and is equipped to deal with obstetric complications.  

Bryan Urgent Care’s full-service clinic (7501 S. 27th Street) is open to both adults and children. This walk-in clinic is open 7 days a week, from 8 am to 8 pm, and 9 to 5 on Saturday and Sunday. No appointment is necessary. 

Bryan Health also offers 3D mammography technology for early detection of breast cancer when it is most treatable. Bryan ezVisit, a 24-hour online urgent care option providing care for minor illnesses (www.bryanhealthezvisit.com). Bryan Independence Center supplies substance abuse treatment for those battling addiction. Additionally, Bryan’s online screenings urge patients to better preventive care. 

For more details about Bryan Health, visit www.bryanhealth.org.

Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals

For nearly 60 years, Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital has led the nation as an integral part of rebuilding patients’ lives after disabling illness or traumatic injury. As the only independent rehabilitation hospital in the region and one of the largest in the U.S., Madonna specializes in comprehensive rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, neurological diseases, and pulmonary conditions. 

Madonna holds the unique distinction as the only hospital nationwide to offer a secured, pediatric rehabilitation unit and all levels of rehabilitative care in one facility. Madonna treats the highest number of both adults and children in the region who suffere traumatic injury or illness. 

Comprehensive teams of physiatrists, pediatricians, pulmonologists and internists collaborate with each patient to develop personalized treatment plans. Offering the greatest number of CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accredited programs for both inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, Madonna offers all-inclusive services from diagnostics to release.

Madonna’s rehabilitation programs offer rooms throughout the facility, a 5,000 square foot therapy gym, a warm-water pool, and in-house classrooms. Within Independence Square, a simulated community, patients can rehearse everyday life skills as they recover. On-campus housing permits patients’ families to stay nearby so they can learn about and actively participate in the rehabilitation process.

University researchers, clinicians, scientists and industry business leaders use the on-site Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering to develop cutting edge rehabilitative technology. 

As part of the Institute’s living laboratory, clinicians and patients collaborate in project development to find user-friendly solutions for patients. The Institute team develops technological strategies to improve rehabilitation outcomes so that patients can fully participate in life. One very successful solution is the ICARE, a therapeutic elliptical device created by the Institute. This device received two U.S. patents and won international recognition for innovative technology. The ICARE is now marketed to more than 80 countries worldwide, and is used in prominent rehabilitation facilities throughout the U.S.

Madonna now collaborates with the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha through a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) residency program. The expansion to Omaha includes a new 110-bed, freestanding hospital delivering world-class rehabilitative care. Serving as primary training site for medical residents, the program was the first of its kind within a five-state area. For details about Madonna’s rehabilitation services, visit www.madonna.org.

Besides Madonna, quality rehabiliation is available at skilled nursing facilities throughout Lincoln, including Tabitha, Sumner Place, Homestead and Lancaster Rehabilitation Center.

Lancaster Rehabprovides excellent care at 10th and South streets. The facility has 293 licensed beds in private and semi-private rooms. Besides rehabilitation services, they provide memory care, long-term care, respite care, and hospice care.  

Lancaster Rehabilitation Center’s short-stay rehab program has 30 private rooms for rehabilitation patients who are typically coming from a hospital following surgery, a fracture, stroke, or cardiac event. Tours are available. Future patients can reserve suites and plan their post-operative placement.  

In additional to physical and occupational therapy, Lancaster Rehabilitation Center provides speech therapy—including VitalStim, which improves swallowing ability by strengthening muscles with neuromuscular electrical stimulation. They also offer stroke rehabilitation, orthopedic injury and fracture therapy, and post-surgical recovery programs with new equipment, like the anti-gravity treadmill which helps gait patterns full weight-bearing.  

Many of the Lancaster Rehabilitation Center’s patients come for post-acute cardiac care services provided by staff that is specifically trained by clinicians and cardiologists.  

To schedule a tour or for more information call 402-441-7101 or go to lancasterrc.com.  

CHI Health St. Elizabeth

St. Elizabeth’s excels in a variety of oncology services, ranging from treating colorectal cancer to using HDR brachytherapy to perform precise, non-surgical treatment for skin cancers. In addition to medical care, the Breast Care Center offers “Preparing for Breast Cancer Surgery,” a free class open to patients.  St. Elizabeth also offers Selective Internal Radiation 

Therapy (SIRT) a major advancement in the treatment of liver cancer. SIRT targets tumors with precision, which spares healthy surrounding tissue. The hospital offers robotic surgery as well as Cyberknife radiation therapy.

St. Elizabeth’s coaching model (post-release) aids patients in actively pursuing recovery–focusing on value-based health care: providing the right care, at the right time in the right place—including at home. Health coaches called nurse navigators work with patients at their homes after their surgery or hospital stay. These specialized workers help patients manage the challenges of chronic disease and provide encouragement and assessment after orthopedic surgery. 

Internationally recognized for wound and burn care research, St. E’s provides cutting edge treatment for patients struggling with challenges in healing, and now offers Advanced Burn Laser Therapy which helps burn patients avoid multiple reconstructive surgeries. One of only 25 in the nation, St. Elizabeth’s Regional Burn and Wound Care Center houses Nebraska’s only Verified Burn Center, certified by the American College of Surgeons and the American Burn Association. Not only does treatment concentrate on physical recovery, but assists in emotional and psychological healing for patients, with the goal of reclaiming the highest degree of pre-injury health for survivors. 

Providing exceptional care for its tiniest and most vulnerable patients, St. Elizabeth’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is also nationally recognized. The NICU and High Obstetrics became the first obstetric hospital unit in the nation to receive two Gold Seals of Approval for its exceptional standards of care. The NICU has also received awards for Pre-Term Labor and Prematurity.

For other information regarding St. Elizabeth, visit the website at chihealthstelizabeth.com/.

Nebraska Heart Institute and Heart Hospital

Founded in 2003, the Nebraska Heart Institute and Heart Hospital in South Lincoln continues to deliver exceptional cardiac, vascular and thoracic health care.  Focus in treatment is on individual patient needs; physicians and staff forge strong relationships with patients, families, and referring physicians throughout the treatment process. NHH concentrates NHH strives to provide continuity of care by minimizing room-to-room transfers, employing team-based care and ensuring proximity of services under one roof. The quiet and calm atmosphere of NHH and its centralized services give both patient and family a stable environment in which to recover.

With its goal of keeping all services in reach at all times, Nebraska Heart provides on-site imaging, four types of cath labs, four operating suites and 24-hour on-site physicians. With a team of 25 cardiologists, seven surgeons, four anesthesiologists, nearly 30 advanced-practice clinicians, exceptional cardiac nurses and several hundred support staff, Nebraska Heart is an excellent choice for cardiac treatment.  

For more information about the Nebraska Heart Institute and Heart Hospital, visit www.neheart.com.

Lincoln Surgical Hospital 

Located at 1710 South 70th Street, LSH’s extraordinary personal care has captured many awards throughout its 25-year history. Lincoln Surgical takes first place in Nebraska for joint replacement and overall excellence in inpatient satisfaction. Women rate Lincoln Surgical Rated in the top 100 hospitals in the nation for patient experience. As a physician-owned, nationally-esteemed small hospital, Lincoln Surgical administers an impressive variety of services in gynecological, spinal, orthopaedic, pediatric care and neurosurgery. 

For more information, go to lincolnsurgery.com.