SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. - In working toward the goal of realigning the health system’s core services, Regional West will close the family medicine clinics in Chappell and Sidney, Nebraska, effective Sept. 21, 2023.

Healthcare providers in Sidney and Chappell are available to treat patients for at least the next 30 days. Patients are encouraged to visit with their provider or a clinic employee regarding the specific date their provider will no longer schedule future visits.

Family medicine providers in Regional West’s Scottsbluff and Gering locations are available to assume patient care. To schedule an appointment, please call 308-630-2100.  

If preferred, patients can contact their medical plan/health insurance company for a list of area physicians. They may also contact the local medical society – or the physician referral service at a hospital of their choice – for names of nearby physicians.

If seeking care elsewhere, upon receiving written authorization, Regional West will forward a copy of a patient’s medical record to his or her new physician.             

After the Sidney and Chappell clinics close, patients can request a copy of their records by contacting Regional West Physicians Clinic, ATTN: Health Information Management, 4021 Avenue B, Scottsbluff, Nebraska 69361, or calling 308-630-1109.

Volunteers & Friends of Regional West Awards Over $47,000 in Scholarships

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., ? The Volunteers & Friends of Regional West recently awarded $47,250 in scholarships to area students pursuing healthcare careers.

Twenty-nine students received scholarships to further their educations at Western Nebraska Community College, Regional West’s School of Radiologic Technology, Chadron State College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, the University of Nebraska Medical Center School of Nursing, and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Omaha, and Kearney. The one-year scholarships varied in amounts from $750 to $2,000.

Scholarship funds are raised through proceeds from the Gift Shop and the Emporium Express coffee cart at Regional West. Volunteer Services Director Ally Berggren said she’s grateful for the community’s patronage.

“When you shop at the Gift Shop, or purchase a beverage at the Emporium Express at Regional West, you’re helping support the future of healthcare,” Berggren said. “We are thrilled to offer scholarships to these students.”

Volunteers & Friends of Regional West scholarships are awarded annually to students studying in medical fields. Application forms are available at the schools. Applications are due in June each year.

Regional West Physicians Clinic Family Medicine and Surgery, Vascular Diagnostics Welcomes Two Family Medicine Residents and Two Nurse Practitioners

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., ? Regional West recently welcomed two new family medicine residents and two new providers to its medical team.

Bryant Carlson, MD, is a family medicine resident through the University of Nebraska Medical Center Family Medicine Rural Training Track, Scottsbluff. Dr. Carlson earned a medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha.

Hleb Davydzenkau, MD, is a family medicine resident through the University of Nebraska Medical Center Family Medicine Rural Training Track, Scottsbluff. Dr. Davydzenkau earned a medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean, St. Maarten.

As part of the Family Medicine Residency program, Regional West Medical Center partners with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, to provide a two-year family medicine residency program in Scottsbluff.

Erin Holcomb, APRN-NP, sees patients at Regional West Physicians Clinic-Surgery, Vascular Diagnostics. The clinic provides comprehensive surgical services for the panhandle of Nebraska and eastern Wyoming and, as the state’s only Level II trauma center west of Kearney, provides emergency and trauma surgery services for an even larger area. Holcomb earned a Master of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing. She is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a family nurse practitioner.

Aubrey McLellan, FNP-C, sees patients at Regional West Physicians Clinic-Family Medicine, Scottsbluff. Regional West’s Family Medicine providers care for every member of the family, including newborns, children, teens, adults, and seniors. McLellan earned a Master of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing. She is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners as a family nurse practitioner.

Regional West is nationally recognized for its commitment to providing high-quality stroke care

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., ? Regional West has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

Regional West also received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster alteplase. 

In addition, Regional West also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.

“Regional West is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Leslie Cavazos, MD, medical director of Regional West’s stroke program. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in western Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, and South Dakota can experience longer, healthier lives.”

Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Regional West for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, MD, volunteer chairperson of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group and professor of neurology and director of fellowships of neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

Thirty-Fifth Annual Regional West Foundation Golf Scramble Winners Announced

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., ? For more than three decades, on the second Monday in July, more than 170 golfers, volunteers, and community sponsors gather at the Scotts Bluff Country Club for the annual Regional West Foundation Golf Scramble.

This year, the winning team was FNBO (First National Bank of Omaha) and included Dawne Wolfe, Jeff Wolfe, Kim Smith, and Mark Smith.

Regional West Foundation also dropped golf balls down the Scotts Bluff Country Club’s pool slide for the first Floating Golf Ball Race. Paul Mohr won the $1,000 first place ball, and William Bostic won the $500 second place ball. Paul Mohr also won the $250 third place ball.

“We want to thank everyone who helped make this year’s event a success,” said John Massey, Regional West Foundation chair. “We are looking forward to seeing everyone again next year!”

All proceeds from this year’s golf scramble will go toward a new Varian Edge™ linear accelerator for The Cancer Treatment Center at Regional West.