Nebraska Medicine is expanding its emergency medicine department

The ER at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE

Nebraska medicine announced plans on Wednesday to begin a $2.2 million expansion of Nebraska Medical Center's current emergency department, starting on January 3rd.

Dr. Michael Wadman, chairman of the emergency medicine department at the
University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE

The expansion is intended to accommodate an anticipated increase in patient volume as Omaha's population ages.

The medical center will add seven private exam rooms, extra workstations, and complete minor upgrades to eight existing critical-care emergency department rooms at the Nebraska Medical Center emergency department. The medical center also plans to add two emergency room doctors and several nurses to its existing staff.

Existing administrative office spaces, a staff lounge, and a conference room in the current facilities will be demolished to make room for the expansion.

Existing patient care areas will not be affected during construction, and the expansion construction project is expected to wrap up by early June.

"The timing is right," said newly appointed University of Nebraska Medical Center's emergency medicine chairman Dr. Michael Wadman, M.D. “The ED expansion will allow us to accommodate an anticipated increase in patient volume over the next several years. Our mission is to provide timely, high quality emergency care for all of our patients, and this project will provide the space we need.”

Dr. Amy McGaha named new chairwoman of Creighton's family medicine department

Dr. Amy McGaha of Creighton  University

On Friday, Creighton University School of Medicine's family medicine department promoted its residency program director, Dr. Amy McGaha, M.D., to the post of chairwoman of the department.

McGaha's appointment becomes effective October 1 and is subject to approval by the Creighton University Board of Regents.

She also serves on the regional board of CHI Health and the combined CUMC Bergan Medical Executive Committee.

Before coming to Creighton, McGaha previously served on the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine and as assistant director of medical education for the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) in Leawood, Kansas, the professional certification board for family physicians.

Prior to those appointments, Dr. McGaha provided inpatient and outpatient care for Freeman Health Systems in Missouri.

Dr. Michael Wadman named new chairman of UNMC's emergency medicine department

UNMC's new chairman of ER, Dr. Michael Wadman

Yesterday, the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) named Dr.Michael Wadman, M.D. as their new chairman of the medical center's emergency medicine department. 

According to university officials, Dr. Wadman has been a key figure in the UNMC/Nebraska Medicine emergency medicine program for more than 20 years.

The appointment, which is subject to approval by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, was announced by Dr. Bradley Britigan, dean of the UNMC College of Medicine, and would become effective Oct. 15.

"Dr. Wadman was selected from a very competitive, highly talented pool of applicants," said Dr. Britigan. “He is an outstanding clinician who is also committed to achieving excellence in our education and research missions. At a time when major changes are taking place in emergency medicine in our community, his knowledge of the local emergency medicine environment is also a major plus."

Wadman joined UNMC's faculty back in 1994 as an assistant professor. He became an associate professor in 2004 and full professor in 2014. In 2003, he was the founding residency director of UNMC’s emergency medicine residency program, a role he served in for more than seven years.

Samuel Bierner named to head new physical medicine & rehabilitation program at UNMC

Dr. Samuel Bierner to head new PM&R department at UNMC at Omaha 

Dr. Samuel Michael Bierner, M.D., a Texas physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) physician or physiatrist as they are more commonly known as, has been selected as the founding chairman of the new PM&R program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMBC) at Omaha. (See www.unmc.edu). 

Dr. Bradley Britigan, Dean of the UNMC
College of Medicine on appointing the
founding chairman for the UNMC's
newest PM&R department

The announcement came yesterday from Dr. Bradley Britigan, M.D., dean of the UNMC College of Medicine at Omaha, pending the approval of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

His appointment on March 1, 2016 marks the end of a nationwide search for the position of the new chairmanship for the new fledgling department at UNMC. Dr. Bierner’s appointment is effective April 1, 2016.

"The biggest attraction for me to come to Nebraska is to be a part of establishing a brand new program at UNMC," Dr. Bierner said. "It's a great opportunity for me to have an impact that would put a capstone on my career."

Dr. Bierner has more than 25 years of experience in the specialty of PM&R, which in recent years has been given the unflattering nickname of "Pleasure, Money & Relaxation" by other more serious disciplines in medicine.

PM&R is a relatively unknown medical specialty that cares for adults and children who experience disabling medical conditions such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and impairments from stroke, musculoskeletal and neurological diseases.