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medical services

Inpatient and Outpatient Care

NVCH has a dedicated nursing staff who offer inpatient care for acute hospital stays.  We also provide observation services and outpatient services.

Emergency Services

Nemaha Valley Community Hospital’s Emergency Department provides emergency services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a physician on call at all times.  

The Emergency Department is equipped to handle all situations, from acute emergencies such as heart attacks, to other urgent illnesses and injuries.  We are also certified as a Level IV Trauma Center. 

In case of a true emergency, call 911 or go immediately to the Emergency Department. Notify the hospital staff if you have time.

Surgery

NVCH has a very dedicated surgery staff consisting of nurses with a combined work experience of 105 years, and the best surgery nurses around.

Harry Stewart, CRNA has been with NVCH since 1989 and is a very dedicated and knowledgeable anesthetist. He constantly strives to improve services to have the best options here for anesthesia and pain management. 

NVCH offers several inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures, including General surgery, Orthopedic, Ophthalmology, Gastrointestinal, Ear-Nose-Throat, Urology, and Podiatry.

Surgical Associates, Dr. Denis Jimenez, Samuel Bruna and Aaron Brown, provide 24-hour on-call coverage here at NVCH. They provide extensive surgical procedures, such as an Appendectomy, Bowel resection Hernia repair, Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal), Hysterectomy, Cesarean-Section, Colonoscopy and EGD’s.

Dr. Bartkoski and Dr. Snyder also provide endoscopic procedures. Dr. Bartkoski’s are primarily done on Tuesdays and Dr. Snyder’s are on Thursdays, but an EGD or Colonoscopy can be scheduled on other days of the week if it works better for the patient.

Other Surgical Procedures provided at NVCH by Outreach physicians:

Dr. Lepse: ENT

  • Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy
  • Nasal and sinus surgery
  • Septoplasty
  • Bilateral Myringotomy with Tubes (Tubes in ears)

Dr. Teter: Orthopedic

  • Total Knee
  • Arthroscopic Knees
  • Arthroscopic Shoulders
  • Carpal Tunnel Release
  • Rotator Cuff Repair

Dr’s  Rupp, & Devine: Urology

  • Cystoscopy
  • TURP
  • TURBT

Laboratory Testing

The Nemaha Valley Community Hospital Laboratory plays an essential role in supporting the health of our community. Laboratory medicine is a highly technical and critical part of the diagnostic process, helping clinicians accurately diagnose, treat, and monitor a wide range of medical conditions. Our goal is to provide timely, precise results while delivering safe, professional, and compassionate care to every patient we serve.

Our laboratory performs hundreds of tests in partnership with our in-house and reference laboratories. Testing can be done on blood, urine, stool, and other body fluids for patients of all ages—from newborns to older adults. Our staff are highly skilled in specimen collection and committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and patient comfort.

The NVCH Laboratory is open for outpatient services Monday from 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Appointments are encouraged to ensure prompt, convenient service, though walk-ins are accepted as time allows.

We also provide urine drug screens and K-DOT collections for companies with established accounts through our business office. These are typically scheduled between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

All laboratory results are faxed directly to the ordering clinician, who will review and communicate them with the patient. For privacy and accuracy, results are not given over the phone by laboratory staff. This process ensures that your provider can interpret your results and discuss how they fit into your overall care plan.

Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy

Nemaha Valley Community Hospital has a well trained and dedicated Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy staff. Currently the rehab staff consists of 2 Licensed Occupational Therapists, 1 Licensed Speech Therapist, 3 Licensed Physical Therapists, 3 Certified Physical Therapist Assistants and a Certified Athletic Trainer. The current staff is locally raised, and therefore we have a low staff turnover rate resulting in continuity and familiarity for the patient. The Department is open from 7a.m. to 5:00p.m. Monday through Friday and as needed on weekends. The Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy Department is located within Nemaha Valley Community Hospital.

The Physical Therapy Staff treats patients with various diagnoses including:

  • Post surgical patients
  • Total Joints
  • Generalized Weakness
  • Acute and Chronic Pain
  • Sports Injuries
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • Vestibular Training
  • Wound Care
  • Post CVA patients
  • Work Comp patients

Therapy is performed in a variety of settings including In-Patient, Out-Patient and Home Health. Physical therapy results are accomplished through a variety of exercises, modalities, stretches, and evaluation tools. The Athletic Trainer travels to 2 surrounding schools to treat sports injuries on a weekly basis. Another service that is offered is onsite work station evaluations to ensure safe and ergonomic work sites, therefore decreasing the opportunity for injury or re-injury. Home Health is offered through Nemaha County Home Health and Hospice of Sabetha.

The Occupational Therapy Staff offers services in the same setting as Physical Therapy as well as in the schools. The department treats patients with a variety of diagnosis including:

  • Upper extremity injuries
  • Fine motor difficulties
  • Post CVA patients
  • Post-surgical patients
  • Difficulties with activities of daily living
  • Generalized weakness
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • Work Comp Patients
  • Developmental Delays

The Occupational Therapy staff utilizes exercise and stretches, modalities, assistive devices and evaluation tools to assist patients with their recovery. The Occupational Therapy Department also has contacts with the local school districts to provide Occupational Therapy services to students whom have developmental delays or physical/cognitive limitations. Therapy is provided to the students while at school and addresses fine motor manipulation, handwriting, visual-perceptual skills, visual-motor integration, handwriting and other classroom related difficulties.

The Speech Therapist treats patients with various diagnoses including: 

  • Apraxia  
  • Articulation & Phonology Disorders
  • Auditory Processing
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Cerebral Palsy 
  • Cognitive-Linguistic Deficits
  • Dementia
  • Down Syndrome
  • Dysarthria
  • Dysphagia or Swallowing Issues
  • Expressive & Receptive Language Delays
  • Feeding Problems & Picky Eaters
  • Fluency or Stuttering Disorders
  • Memory Problems
  • Oral Motor Deficits
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Stroke & Other Neurological Disorders
  • Traumatic Brain Injuries
  • Voice Problems

Speech therapy is performed in multiple settings including In-Patient, Out-Patient, and Home Health. Speech therapy consists of diagnosing and treating speech, language, cognitive, communication or swallowing disorders.  Speech therapy is focused on restoring or compensating with communication, cognitive, or swallowing changes through direct intervention and patient/family education.

Additional Community Services Provided by Therapy: 

LVST Big & Loud

Fall Prevention

Learn to Ride Bike Camp

Ergonomics Presentations

Other Community Wellness Presentations

Cardiac Rehab

Cardiopulmonary Rehab (Cardiac Rehab) at NVCH provides a comprehensive Medicare-covered Phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation program designed to support long-term heart health through prescribed exercise, risk-factor modification, and patient education.

Phase 2 Cardiac Rehab is an outpatient, medically supervised program that meets three times per week following discharge from an acute setting. Participants receive continuous heart monitoring during exercise and individualized support from trained staff. A physician referral is required to begin Phase 2.

Diagnoses covered under Phase 2 include:

  • Heart stents
  • Heart attack
  • Bypass surgery
  • Stable angina
  • Heart valve surgery (within the last 12 months)
  • Heart failure with an ejection fraction ≤ 35%

Our outpatient clinic also welcomes monthly cardiology visits from:

For individuals who complete Phase 2 or who wish to participate in a structured exercise program, NVCH offers Phase 3 Cardiac Rehab. This self-pay program provides supervised exercise in a supportive group environment with occasional monitoring. It is ideal for individuals with risk factors such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes, or for those who want to maintain their progress after Phase 2.

Additional Services Offered

Mobile Nuclear Stress Testing
Provided through the Cotton O’Neal Heart Center, this imaging test evaluates blood flow to the heart at rest and during exercise. Exercise can be performed using a treadmill or through IV medication for individuals unable to walk on a treadmill. A doctor’s order is required for this test.

Supervised Exercise Therapy (SET) for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
SET is an evidence-based exercise program designed for patients with PAD—a condition caused by atherosclerosis that limits blood flow to the extremities and results in leg pain or weakness with walking. SET has been shown to increase walking ability, decrease symptoms, and reduce the need for lower-extremity procedures such as angioplasty or stenting. A physician referral is required for this program.

For questions about Cardiac Rehab or the services offered, please contact your primary care provider or reach out to
Kylee Feldkamp, Cardiac Rehab Department at 785-336-0445.

Respiratory Therapy

Most people take breathing for granted. Its second nature and an involuntary reflex. But, for those who suffer from breathing problems, each breath is a major effort. The range of people who suffer from breathing problems range from newborns to senior citizens. They suffer from chronic lung disorders such as asthma, bronchitis, COPD and emphysema. People with breathing problems might also include heart attack, stroke, pneumonia, and accident victims, premature infants, and people with cystic fibrosis, lung cancer or AIDS.

Under the direction of a physician, respiratory therapy practitioners are the health care specialists who evaluate, treat, educate and care for patients with breathing disorders.

At NVCH a specially trained and licensed Respiratory Therapist is available in-house from 7:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Monday through Friday with on-call personnel available for after hours, weekends, and holidays. We provide a range of respiratory therapy modalities and work with all age groups on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. Some of the modalities and diagnostic procedures provided are:

Therapeutic Modalities including:

  • Nebulizer treatments
  • MDI and MDI instruction
  • Aerosol therapy
  • Postural Drainage and Percussion
  • Suctioning,
  • High Humidity Therapy
  • O2 Therapy
  • Vapotherm to treat RSV
  • Incentive Spirometry
  • Flutter Therapy
  • Sputum Collection
  • Trach Care
  • Airway Care
  • CPAP/BiPAP Therapy
  • Ventilator Care prior to transport

Diagnostic Testing including :

  • ACHC Accredited Sleep Apnea Studies– A sleep study provides information about how a person breathes during sleep. The data that is collected will enable your physician to determine the type and severity of sleep apnea (if present), and determine treatment options. All sleep studies are performed on-site at Nemaha Valley Community Hospital by one of our licensed Respiratory Therapists. Our newly renovated, two-room Sleep Lab features full-sized Sleep Number beds and a calm, quiet environment designed to ensure your comfort throughout the night.
  • Pulmonary Function Testing– They are ordered to evaluate the condition of the lungs and diagnosis of lung disease.
  • Arterial Blood Gases (ABG’s)- They measure acid/base balance, carbon dioxide and oxygen content in the blood
  • Pulse Oximetry– Including overnight pulse oximetry, exercise pulse oximetry, and continuous pulse oximetry.

Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Services– We provide prompt in-home delivery, patient/caregiver education, and equipment inspections and repairs. Our services include but are not limited to:

  • oxygen concentrators
  • cylinder oxygen for portability
  • oxygen supplies
  • nebulizer therapy and supplies
  • CPAP and BiPAP supplies for obstructive sleep apnea.

To contact our Respiratory Therapist call 785-336-0489.

Pharmacy

The Nemaha Valley Community Hospital Pharmacy provides all of the pharmaceutical services for the hospital. All patients’ medications are screened for drug interactions, appropriate dosing, and appropriate indication. The pharmacy consults with the doctors and practitioners to determine the best medication therapy for each patient’s medical conditions.

The pharmacy provides medication education to the doctors, nurses, and patients. We are also responsible for stocking an appropriate inventory of medications and ordering any specialty medications to be administered to our patients.

The Nemaha Valley Community Hospital Pharmacy Department consists of:

Emily Dunsing, Doctor of Pharmacy

Kelli Olberding, RN (Pharmacy Nurse)

Chelsie Ronnebaum, RN

Diagnostic Imaging & Radiology

With state-of-the-art technology and a wide range of imaging modalities, the NVCH Imaging Department plays a vital role in the diagnostic process. Our department is staffed by technologists certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) and licensed by the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts. In addition, our Mammography Department holds ACR accreditation, ensuring the highest standards of image quality and patient care.

The Radiology Department is open Monday–Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and during Saturday morning clinic hours, with a technologist on call 24/7 for emergencies.

For questions or to schedule an appointment, please call 785-336-0455.

Services Offered:

  • Computerized Tomography (CT Scans)
  • General X-rays
  • Fluoroscopy / C-Arm
  • 3D Mammography
  • Breast Cancer Risk Assessment (English & Spanish)
  • General Ultrasound Therapy
  • Vascular Ultrasound
  • Cardiac Ultrasound (Echocardiograms)
  • Bone Density Testing (Osteoporosis Services)
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
  • Holter Monitoring & EKG

Mental Health Therapy

We are excited to welcome Ben Piper, LCPC, NCC, RPT-S to Nemaha Valley Community Hospital and Seneca Family Practice as our newest Mental Health Practitioner.
 
With over 11 years of experience as a Licensed Therapist, Ben specializes in working with depression, anxiety, behavioral disorders, and trauma. He is also a National Certified Counselor and a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor.
 
To schedule an appointment with Ben, please call Seneca Family Practice at 785-336-6107. Referral required.