Local healthcare is returning to Elm Creek through a collaborative transition supported by the Development Council for Buffalo County, the Village of Elm Creek, private investment and Lexington Regional Health Center.
Lexington Regional Health Center hosted an open house on July 15, giving residents an opportunity to tour the clinic, meet the care team and learn about the services that will be available. The clinic, located at 515 W. Boyd Ave., will officially open Monday, July 27.
The reopening follows the October 2024 retirement of longtime Elm Creek physician Dr. J.D. Nelson. Recognizing how important the clinic was to the community, the Village of Elm Creek began working with the Development Council to find a sustainable path forward.
The Development Council helped identify a transition plan and develop a financial model that would keep the existing clinic building in use while making it possible for a new healthcare provider to serve the community.
That solution included a public-private arrangement through which a private developer purchased the clinic building and is leasing it to Lexington Regional Health Center. Working in partnership with the Village of Elm Creek, the arrangement addressed both the facility and operational needs required to restore local healthcare services.
“This project is a strong example of economic development partners working behind the scenes to solve an essential community need,” said Trevor Lee, president of the Development Council for Buffalo County. “Access to healthcare is fundamental to quality of life and the long-term vitality of our rural communities. We were proud to help bring the right partners and financial structure together to make this transition possible.”
The clinic will initially be open Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Physician Assistant Leigh-Anne Lehmann will primarily staff the location, offering primary care, annual wellness visits, women’s wellness exams, basic laboratory work, acute illness care and treatment for minor injuries. Both appointments and walk-in visits will be accepted.
Maintaining local access to care is especially important in rural communities, where residents may otherwise need to travel considerable distances for routine appointments, minor illnesses or timely treatment. The Elm Creek clinic will allow more residents and families to receive care close to home.
The successful transition demonstrates what can be accomplished when local leadership, economic development organizations, private investors and regional healthcare providers work together.