History

Lexington’s Tri-County Hospital celebrates more than 30 years of service to south central Nebraska. Designated a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital in 2005, Tri-County Hospital (TCH) is unique for what it offers the community.

Upon opening September 1, 1976, Tri-County Hospital featured 40 beds and transported seven patients from the former Lexington Community Hospital. Back then the TCH staff included five family practice physicians, a physician’s assistant and a board-certified surgeon. Specialists in urology, orthopedics and obstetrics/gynecology visited every week.

Over the next ten years, medical technology advances led to expanded services in the radiology department, along with the addition of a physical therapy department, cardiac and respiratory rehabilitation programs and hospice services.

In 1989, a 4,300 square-foot expansion was built on the east side of the building. The expansion allowed the physical therapy department to relocate to six treatment rooms, allowing for a renovation of the radiology department. The expansion included a new meeting room, providing space for community wellness programs.

Home Health Care services were added in 1994, offering coverage to homebound patients within a 45-mile radius of Lexington.

The Physical Therapy department expanded again in 1996 with the opening of The Community Health & Fitness Center, featuring a public fitness facility with a walking track, treadmills and circuit training equipment. The center also houses a community education room for wellness programs, along with live and interactive video presentations.

Tri-County Hospital was designated a Critical Access facility in 2005. Critical Access Hospitals have a maximum of 25 acute care inpatient beds, provide 24-hour emergency care services and maintain an average length of stay of 96 hours or less for patients.

Today, Tri-County Hospital offers acute care, swing-bed care, out-patient surgeries, private labor and delivery rooms, a full-service laboratory, a full range of radiological services including CT scans and in-house MRI services, cardiac and respiratory rehabilitation services, sleep studies, physical therapy, home health and hospice care.

Specialists using TCH facilities include cardiologists, general surgeons, nephrologists, neurologists, oncologists, ophthalmologists, orthopedic specialists, sports medicine specialists and ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists.