Jefferson Community Health & Life

For the tenth time in 12 years, Jefferson Community Health & Life has been named a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in the United States by The Chartis Center for Rural Health.?Chartis’ annual Top 100 award program honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX?. “JCH&L has a great track record of providing quality and compassionate care to area residents. We are pleased to be recognized for the results of our commitment to providing the best health care possible to residents of Jefferson County and beyond,” said Holly Wolff, MHA, CEO of Jefferson Community Health and Life. “Our providers and care teams are proud to provide exceptional care and inspire our community to a lifetime of health.” Jefferson Community Health & Life scored in the top 100 of critical access hospitals (CAHs) on the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX? for 2025, and previously in 2024, 2023, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, and 2014. The annual Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals award is based on the results of the Hospital Strength INDEX ? from iVantage Health Analytics, and is regarded as one of the industry’s most significant designations of performance excellence. “These recognitions are because of the work and care of our providers, staff and board, and the support of the people of Jefferson County and beyond. The recognition reaffirms what we work hard to accomplish every day – provide exceptional health care to our area residents,” Wolff said. The list of this year’s Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals can be found at: https://lnkd.in/gMA2edfG JCH&L is among 15 Nebraska critical access hospitals to make the Top 100 list for 2025.

Holly Wolff, MHA, began her position as CEO?of Jefferson Community Health and Life in January. Wolff followed Bill Welch who has served as interim CEO since September. ???????????????Wolff most recently served as administrator at Mount Edgecumbe Medical Center/SEARHC, in Sitka, Alaska. She was previously chief executive officer at Roundup Memorial Healthcare in Roundup, Montana, and Ashley Medical Center in Ashley, North Dakota, and Family Practice Center and Family Medicine Residency Administrator at the Northeast Iowa Medical Education Foundation in Waterloo, Iowa. She said she loves rural health care, and the communities they serve. “The intersection between rural communities and local healthcare is where we can be dynamic in our approach to addressing specific needs and create a gold standard of care that surrounds the whole person's well-being,” Wolff said. “Growing up rural made a lasting impression on my love of small towns and commitment to serve the community.“ ???????????????She has more than 10 years of experience in balancing strategic decisions and financial discipline with a hands-on approach to leadership. She has experience in several areas of health care, including long-term care. She said she strives for excellent employee, customer and provider satisfaction. “Our staff, clinical and non-clinical alike, are the cornerstone of a strong foundation in the organization.?When staff are supported and valued, patients will be on the receiving end of amazing care.?My leadership approach is centered on being accessible and visible, to really create a workplace that is second to none,” she said. ???????????????She said she is excited to learn about JCH&L’s strategic initiatives and current programs, as well as the community JCH&L serves. “My focus in the early days at JCH&L will be to listen and learn so I can continue the strong initiatives that are already in place,” Wolff said. “I want to empower?the staff and providers to help me understand the opportunities and challenges, creating?strong communication channels.?Living and volunteering?in the local community, through civic engagement, is important to me so I can support the greater initiatives in the region.”???? ???????????????Wolff was chosen by the JCH&L board of directors from among more than 100 applicants for the position. Four candidates brought to Fairbury for on-site interviews. ????????????She has two sons, Tripp, 17, a high school junior, and Finn, 15, a high school freshman. Both will be students at Fairbury High School.?? ???????????????The Jefferson Community Health & Life board of directors announced Wolff’s selection to JCH&L staff on Dec. 4. Jefferson Community Health & Life began serving residents of Jefferson County and the surrounding area in September 1963. Wolff will be the tenth CEO to lead JCH&L since it opened.?

JCHL awarded for efforts to improve rural stroke care FAIRBURY – ?People who live in rural communities live an average of three years fewer than urban counterparts and have a 40% higher likelihood of developing heart disease and face a 30% increased risk for stroke mortality — a gap that has grown over the past two decades.[1],[2] Jefferson Community Health & Life is committed to changing that. For efforts to optimize stroke care and eliminate rural health care outcome disparities, Jefferson Community Health & Life has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines? - Stroke Rural Recognition Bronze award. The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, recognizes the importance of health care services provided to people living in rural areas by rural hospitals that play a vital role in initiation of timely evidence-based care. That's why all rural hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines - Stroke are eligible to receive award recognition based on a unique methodology focused on early acute stroke performance metrics. “We are proud that our team at Jefferson Community Health & Life is being recognized for the important work we do every day to improve the lives of people in Jefferson County who are affected by stroke, giving them the best possible chance of recovery and survival,” said Erin Smith, JCH&L chief nursing officer. ?“As a hospital in a rural community, we deal with characteristics, such as extended interfacility transportation times, and limited staffing resources. We've made it a goal to make sure those hurdles do not affect the standard of care our stoke patients receive.” JCH&L’s goal is to provide exceptional quality care. “Rural communities deserve high quality stroke care. I'm proud of our team for their commitment to stroke care excellence and this achievement,” Smith said. The award recognizes hospitals for their efforts toward acute stroke care excellence demonstrated by composite score compliance to guideline-directed care for intravenous thrombolytic therapy, timely hospital inter-facility transfer, dysphagia screening, symptom timeline and deficit assessment documentation, emergency medical services communication, brain imaging and stroke expert consultation. [1] American Heart Association. American Heart Association issues call to action for addressing inequities in rural health. February 10, 2020. https://lnkd.in/grwHppqx; American Heart Association. Public Health AmeriCorps to address health inequity in rural communities. April 6, 2022. https://lnkd.in/g8NyhQGu. [2] Harrington R, et al. Call to Action: Rural Health: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. Circulation. 2020;141:e615–e644.

Bill Welch Named Interim CEO at JCH&L FAIRBURY – ?Bill Welch of Fairbury will serve as the interim CEO at Jefferson Community Health & Life starting on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Lana Likens has served as temporary interim CEO since Aug. 19 when previous CEO Burke Kline resigned. Welch served as CEO of Jefferson Community Health & Life from 1993 to 2013. ?Since his retirement he has served as interim CEO at Crete, Friend, Central City, and Geneva. “I look forward to return to JCH&L as ?interim CEO and assisting Jefferson Community Health & Life through this transition,” Welch said. During Welch’s tenure at JCH&L he helped JCH&L become a charter member of the Heartland Health Alliance, and served as chairman of the board. JCH&L became a Critical Access Hospital, which was advantageous to funding. Welch led JCH&L to become the first critical access hospital in Nebraska to apply for and receive an Edgerton Award for Commitment to Quality in 2004. He led JCH&L to begin the process of a Balanced Scorecard for the facility. He has led JCH&L through the remodeling of emergency and outpatient areas; the addition of a community fitness center; the addition of an assisted living facility; the addition of a new surgical area and expanded outpatient area; and the addition of 8 new units at Cedarwood assisted living. In 2009, Bill received the NHA’s Excellence in Service Award. In 2013 he received the NHA’s Meritorious Service Award. JCH&L is now accepting applications for the CEO position. “Our board is committed to find a leader for JCH&L who will help us continue to inspire our team, drive innovation, and lead JCH&L toward continued growth and success. We strive to inspire our area residents to a lifetime of health, and be a vital and trusted health care partner in Jefferson County and beyond,” said Trevor Steinmeyer, board chairman. JCH&L is a 17-bed Critical Access Hospital which offers inpatient and outpatient services, family medicine clinic, Burkley Fitness Center, Gardenside long-term care, and Home Health Services. It is governed by an 8-member board. JCH&L has served Jefferson County and the surrounding area since 1963.