Press Releases

Pender, Neb. (May 5, 2025) – Pender Community Hospital and Medical Clinics (PCH) is proud to announce a new partnership with Pioneer Ambulance, an advanced ambulance service that will be based directly at the hospital to provide dedicated, around-the-clock patient transfer services. This collaboration brings faster, more reliable care to the community, ensuring patients have… Read more: Pender Community Hospital Partners with Pioneer Ambulance to Enhance Patient Transfer Services

Pender, Neb. (April 2, 2025) – Pender Community Hospital and Medical Clinics (PCH) is pleased to introduce Dr. Ihsan Balkaya, a skilled pain management specialist from Faith Regional Physician Services, who began seeing patients on March 27. Dr. Balkaya will be available once a month on the fourth Thursday at PCH, expanding access to advanced… Read more: Pender Community Hospital Welcomes Pain Management Specialist Dr. Ihsan Balkaya

Pender, Neb. (November 25, 2024) – Pender Community Hospital is proud to announce that it has been awarded a prestigious 5-star rating by the National Rural Rating System (NRRS), a program recognizing dedication and excellence in rural healthcare, as well as being named to the National Rural Honor Roll. “We are honored to be one… Read more: Pender Community Hospital earns prestigious 5-Star Rating from the National Rural Rating System and named to National Rural Honor Roll

Pender, Neb. (September 9, 2024) – Pender Community Hospital and Medical Clinics (PCH) is excited to announce the arrival of Anthony Ridder, Nurse Practitioner (NP), to its team of healthcare providers. Anthony’s addition represents a new chapter for PCH as it continues to expand its skilled provider network. Anthony Ridder joins PCH after completing his… Read more: Pender Community Hospital Welcomes New Nurse Practitioner Anthony Ridder to the Team

Pender, Neb. (August 26, 2024) – Pender Community Hospital is pleased to announce the arrival of David Daniels, M.D., F.A.C.S., a board-certified urologist, to its visiting provider staff in the outpatient clinic. Dr. Daniels brings extensive expertise and a strong educational background to Pender Community Hospital. A native of Sioux City, he earned his undergraduate… Read more: Pender Community Welcomes Dr. David Daniels, Board-Certified Urologist

Pender, Neb. (August 22, 2024) – Pender Community Hospital is pleased to invite community members to a special educational event focused on understanding the fundamentals of Medicare and other insurance options. This informative session, held in collaboration with Nebraska SHIP, the Nebraska Hospitals Association, and the Nebraska Rural Health Association, is an excellent opportunity for… Read more: Pender Community Hospital to Host Medicare Basics Education Session

Pender, Neb. (August 19, 2024) – Pender Community Hospital and Medical Clinics (PCH) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to implement a comprehensive Chronic Disease Management Program. This initiative, funded under the CDC-RFA-DP-23-0004, aims to improve community health by focusing on… Read more: Pender Community Hospital & Medical Clinics Awarded CDC Grant for Chronic Disease Management Program

PENDER, Neb. (August 5, 2024) – Pender Community Hospital and Medical Clinics (PCH) is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Nathan Shumway, DPM, a highly skilled podiatrist, to its visiting provider staff in the outpatient clinic. “We are thrilled to have Dr. Shumway visiting our PCH outpatient clinic. His proven expertise and dedication to… Read more: Pender Community Hospital Welcomes Additional Podiatrist to Outpatient Clinic

PENDER, Neb. (July 8, 2024) – Pender Community Hospital and Medical Clinics are pleased to announce their partnership with Magnet Solutions, a statement generating company from Scottsbluff, Nebraska. This sets a major milestone in providing patients with user friendly and timely statements. “Our goal with these new statements is to give patients a better understanding… Read more: Pender Community Hospital & Medical Clinics Announces New Billing Partner

Pender, NE (April 1) – Pender County Hospital District (PCHD) is proud to announce that Brandi Anderson, Infection Control Nurse, recently achieved the Certified Healthcare Infection Prevention Professional-Basic (CHIPP-B) certification. This certification, which helps to standardize infection-prevention practices, underlines PCHD’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards in infection control and quality healthcare.    “Everyone at PCHD… Read more: Pender Community Hospital District’s Infection Control Nurse  Achieves Specialized CHIPP-B Certification

Pender, NE (March 27) – Pender Community Hospital District (PCHD) has announced the hiring of Kim Hixson as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Hixson will begin her new role as CFO at the end of March 2024. “We’re delighted to welcome Kim Hixson to the PCHD family as our new Chief Financial Officer. Her extensive… Read more: Pender Community Hospital District Hires Kim Hixson as New CFO

PENDER, Neb. (March 18, 2023) – Pender Community Hospital (PCH) is expanding services, providing substance use services for patients through telemedicine. The new substance use service is now available for patients. Substance use services are provided in the Pender Community Hospital Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic by the Bryan Independence Center in Lincoln, NE. Licensed Counselors… Read more: Pender Community Hospital Adds Substance Use Services

PENDER, Neb. (February 12, 2023) – Pender Community Hospital District (PCHD) has announced the establishment of a new endowment for Pender Community Health Care Foundation. This endowment was created in December 2023 through a partnership with Nebraska Community Foundation, a statewide nonprofit organization that serves more than 265 Greater Nebraska communities across the state. “I’m… Read more: New Endowment Established for Pender Community Health Care Foundation

Pender, NE (January 29, 2024) – Pender Community Hospital (PCH) has received a $550,000 behavioral health grant from the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN), in partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The grant’s funds come from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), distributed through the state of Nebraska. “These funds… Read more: Pender Community Hospital Receives Behavioral Health Grant

Pender, NE (December 11, 2023) – Pender Community Hospital (PCH) has welcomed David Denman, MD, as its new visiting otolaryngologist, also known as an ear, nose, throat doctor (ENT). “We are dedicated to elevating local healthcare. With Dr. Denman joining our ranks, we can keep setting new standards for healthcare excellence,” said Laura Gamble, PCH’s… Read more: Pender Community Hospital Welcomes New Ear Nose Throat Provider

Pender, NE (October 23, 2023) – Pender Community Hospital and Medical Clinics have announced a partnership with AblePay, allowing patients access to a free program to save on medical bills. “At Pender Community Hospital and Medical Clinics, we’re proud to partner with AblePay to offer this exciting new program.” said Laura Gamble, CEO at PCH.… Read more: Pender Community Hospital and Medical Clinics Announce Partnership with AblePay Health

Pender, NE (October 16, 2023) – Pender Community Hospital is expanding services, providing outpatient rheumatology care for patients through telemedicine. Rheumatology services will be available for patients starting October 23rd and will occur every fourth Monday of the month. Dr. Rasha Alqadi with Teledigm Health and Bryan Telemedicine specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of… Read more: Pender Community Hospital Adds Outpatient Rheumatology Service

Pender, NE (October 9, 2023) – Pender Community Hospital (PCH) will host All About HER: Thriving through Women’s Health and Wellness, on Thursday, October 19. This open-house event will take place in PCH’s main lobby from 4 to 7 pm. With a focus on women and their specific health-and-wellness needs, All About HER will feature… Read more: Pender Community Hospital to Host Women’s Health and Wellness Event on October 19

Pender, NE (October 2, 2023) – Pender Community Hospital (PCH) and Medical Clinics were awarded $35,000 in funds by the 2023 Cattlemen’s Ball of Nebraska to fund health and wellness initiatives for the community. “We are honored to have been chosen to receive this award by the Cattlemen’s Ball and are excited for the impact… Read more: Pender Community Hospital and Medical Clinics Awarded $35k Grant from Cattlemen’s Ball

Pender, NE (September 18, 2023) – Pender Community Hospital (PCH) has announced the expansion of its wound care services through the hire of Janis Harrison, RN, BSN, CWOCN, CFCN. Harrison has more than 30 years of nursing experience and has achieved national recognition for her work as a certified wound, ostomy and continence nurse (CWOCN),… Read more: Janis Harrison Joins Pender Community Hospital, Enables Expansion of Wound Care Services

Patients at Pender Medical Clinics will conveniently receive appointment confirmationand reminders via text message service for streamlined communication. Pender, NE (August 31, 2023) – On September 11, Pender Medical Clinic and its satellite clinics will launch a new appointment reminder texting service. First, this will be rolled out for patients of the medical clinics. Soon… Read more: Pender Medical Clinics to Launch Appointment Communications via Texting Service

Pender, NE (March 27, 2023) – Pender Community Hospital District and Little Sprouts Child Development Center, in partnership with Pender Public Schools, have been approved for a childcare license for Little Pendragon Summer Program, a school-age childcare center to be operated at Pender Public Schools during the summer. Little Pendragon Summer Program will provide care… Read more: New Community Partnership to Provide Licensed School-Age Child Care During the Summer

Pender, NE (March 20, 2023) – Pender Community Hospital today announced it has been recognized as a 2023 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, this annual recognition program honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™. “I’m… Read more: Pender Community Hospital Recognized as a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health

Pender, Nebraska (December 27, 2023) – Pender Community Hospital recently announced that Shane Schuster has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer for the hospital district. Schuster acted as interim CEO until Laura Gamble was hired in that role in late 2022. As COO, Schuster will maintain many of his current responsibilities in addition to maintaining… Read more: Schuster Announced as Pender Community Hospital District Chief Operating Officer

Pender, NE (December 19, 2022) – Pender Community Hospital and Medical Clinics have announced that it will be utilizing Bryan Health Connect as its Accountable Care Organization (ACO), effective January 1, 2023. The organization had previously worked with a different organization for ACO services. An ACO is a collection of healthcare providers who work together… Read more: Pender Community Hospital & Medical Clinics to Use Bryan Health Connect for ACO Services

Amy Schantz, LIMHP recently joined Pender Community Hospital’s staff as a licensed independent mental health practitioner in its Outpatient Clinic.  Schantz, who has specialized training in trauma, parent-child interaction therapy, autism spectrum disorders and child behaviors, is available for both in-person and telehealth appointments the first and third Tuesday of each month.   As part of… Read more: New Mental Health Practitioner at PCH’s Outpatient Clinic

Pender Community Hospital District recently announced that Laura Gamble, RN has been hired as its new CEO. With more than 30 years of experience in rural healthcare in the surrounding area, Gamble has a myriad of administrative and nursing experience in critical access hospitals.  A native of northeast Nebraska, Gamble was most recently employed at Twelve… Read more: Pender Community Hospital District Hires New CEO

Pender Community Hospital welcomed Kate Mueller to its staff on Monday, Aug. 22. As a new part-time physician assistant in family medicine, Mueller will see patients in PCH’s ER, as well as at both the Pender and Emerson Medical Clinics.  Prior to joining PCH, Mueller was employed at NuWest Medical Clinic in Norfolk; before that, she… Read more: PCH Welcomes Family Medicine Physician Assistant

Pender Medical Clinics’ Director of Nursing, Cyndi Conroy, has been selected as a winner of Huron Consulting Group’s “What’s Right in Healthcare 2022 Hero Award”. Nominees for the award were required to “have significantly impacted results related to enhancing the patient experience, employee/physician engagement, improvement of their organization with innovative ideas or outstanding service to… Read more: Pender Medical Clinics’ Director of Nursing Wins National Healthcare Award

Pender Community Hospital recently announced that it has received a $1 million USDA Emergency Rural Healthcare Grant to increase its telehealth capabilities through an improved electronic health record (EHR) system. The current EHR will be phased out in December 2022. The new EHR will provide seamless integration of all patient data, from scheduling clinic appointments… Read more: PCH Awarded USDA Rural Healthcare Grant

Pender Community Hospital is pleased to welcome Josh Ridder, PA-C, to its outpatient specialty clinic, where he will see pulmonology patients twice a month. Ridder earned his degree as a physician’s assistant at Pennsylvania College of Technology, a Penn State affiliate located in Williamsport, Pa. and earned his certification from the National Commission on Certification… Read more: PCH Welcomes Pulmonology Provider Josh Ridder, PA-C

Pender Community Hospital is pleased to welcome interventional cardiologist Mir Rauf Subla, MD, FACC, FSCAI to its outpatient specialty clinic. Dr. Subla is quadruple board-certified in internal medicine, critical care medicine, cardiology and interventional cardiology. Dr. Subla completed a Heart Failure Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic, as well as a Cardiovascular disease Fellowship at Mayo Clinic,… Read more: PCH Welcomes Cardiology Provider Dr. Mir Rauf Subla

Pender Community Hospital is pleased to welcome orthopedic surgeon Dr. Justin Deans to its skilled surgical team. Dr. Deans specializes in hip and knee replacement procedures. Dr. Deans earned his bachelor’s degree in neuroscience at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and a master’s degree in physiology from Georgetown University before completing his medical degree at Touro University… Read more: PCH Welcomes Dr. Justin Deans to Orthopedic Staff

Legacy Garden Rehabilitation & Living Center in Pender, Nebraska has announced their planned closure of May 14th, 2022, after exhausting all efforts to keep the facility open. “We are extremely saddened to be closing the doors of our long-term rehabilitation and living center, operated by the Pender Community Hospital District,” said Mike Minert, chairman of… Read more: Legacy Garden Rehabilitation & Living Center Announces Closure

Pender Community Hospital welcomes wound care specialist Janis Harrison, RN, BSN, CWOCN, CFCN, to our Outpatient Specialty Clinic in Pender. Harrison, owner of Harrison W.O.C. Services is now seeing patients at the outpatient specialty clinic each Wednesday. In addition to operating her own wound care business, Harrison works as an independent contractor for medical entities… Read more: Pender Community Hospital Welcomes Wound Care Specialist Janis Harrison

Pender Community Hospital is pleased to welcome Dr. Hemantha Koduri to our Outpatient Specialty Clinic in Pender. Dr. Koduri completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Illinois’ St. Joseph Hospital in Chicago, and then worked as an assistant professor of medicine and teaching hospitalist in internal medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in… Read more: PCH Welcomes Interventional Cardiologist and Vascular Medicine Specialist, Dr. Hemantha Koduri

Pender Community Hospital is pleased to welcome Dr. Steve Henao to our Hospital Outpatient Specialty Clinic in Pender. Dr. Henao obtained his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch and was a Southern Medical Association scholar. He completed his residency at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and subsequently completed his fellowship in… Read more: PCH Welcomes Vascular Surgeon, Dr. Steve Henao

Pender Medical Clinics today announced it has been named a 2021 Guardian of Excellence Award® winner by Press Ganey, the national leader in healthcare consumer and workforce engagement. Press Ganey recognizes Pender Medical Clinics as a top-performing healthcare organization achieving the 95th percentile or above for performance in patient experience. The Press Ganey Guardian of… Read more: Pender Medical Clinics Receive 2021 Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award®

Pender Community Hospital is pleased to welcome a new dermatology provider, Deb Baker, DNP, FNP-BC, to the outpatient specialty clinic in Pender. Baker will offer a wide variety of dermatological services. She will treat skin conditions of the body including eczema, acne, mole removal, skin cancer and also help patients with concerns involving the hair,… Read more: PCH Welcomes New Dermatology Provider, Deb Baker

Pender Community Hospital is pleased to announce Shane Schuster, current ancillary services director, will be stepping into the role of interim chief executive officer while the search for a permanent CEO continues. “I am honored to be chosen by the Pender Community Hospital Board of Directors to serve as our facilities’ interim CEO,” said Shane… Read more: Pender Community Hospital Announces Interim CEO

Pender Community Hospital is pleased to welcome Timothy G. Kneib, M.D., F.A.C.S. to our Outpatient Specialty Clinic in Pender.

Pender Community Hospital is pleased to welcome Hearing Instrument Specialist Melisa Sternberg to our Outpatient Specialty Clinic.

Pender Community Hospital is pleased to welcome new CFO Beth Wewel, MPA, and the new director of Little Sprouts Child Development Center, Ashley Tremayne-Ziska, to the community.

Pender Community Hospital & Medical Clinics welcomes Chelsea (Brinkman) Moore, PA-C to their list of providers. She will primarily care for patients in the PCH emergency department.

Pender Community Hospital received the 2021 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital honor, making this the third year in a row that the healthcare system has been recognized with the distinction. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, this 11thannual recognition program honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of… Read more: Pender Community Hospital Honored as Top 100 Critical Access Hospital for Third Consecutive Year

ender Community Hospital welcomes Dr. Lawrence T. Volz, MD, FACS, of Midlands Clinic, who will provide general surgery services at the healthcare system.

Pender Community Hospital in Pender, NE, welcomes four new providers to supplement care offerings for patients in the communities the PCH healthcare system serves.

Pender Community Hospital & Medical Clinics urge the community to be proactive when dealing with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Pender Community Hospital in Pender, NE today announced it has been named a 2020 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health.

The Nebraska Statewide Trauma System standardizes trauma care throughout the state, and a Level 4 distinction means that Pender Community Hospital can now provide basic trauma care, from treating minor traumas to stabilizing major traumas prior to transfer to a higher level of care.

ender Community Hospital announced it has received a 2020 Women’s Choice Award as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Obstetrics. Only 10% of hospitals meet the robust qualifications to achieve this certification which identifies a health care organization as a stand-out for providing superior obstetric care.