Why Physicians Should Practice Medicine in Nebraska

Rheumatologist Robert Valente, based in Lincoln, Neb., recently told Physicians Practice what he loves about practicing in The Cornhusker State.

What do you enjoy most about practicing medicine in Nebraska?

I have a very loyal and stable and educated patient population. Most of my patients
are quite motivated to work with me in the management of their arthritis.

Lincoln, Neb., is large enough to support a large, diverse and competent medical community, but
small enough for me to be able to get to work in less than eight minutes.

We have an established "town and gown" relationship with the University of
Nebraska Medical Center which we confer with on a regular basis, just 60 minutes away.

The town's economic engine depends on very stable employers including the state government and the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. This also promotes a social and entertainment-rich environment.

Our practice still revolves around a fee-for-service model which has been very rewarding and has allowed us to adopt and maintain state-of-the-art EHRs and services.

What are the drawbacks of practicing medicine in Nebraska?
Small private medical practices are the rule, and larger medical organizations, with improved economies of scale, efficiency, and infrastructure to support the next generation of medical practice and interdependence, lag compared to other parts of the country.

Because the current fee-for-service model is so attractive, we have a good number of specialists and face significant competition for new patients.

Local government, private industry, and community organizers are behind other areas in the country in efforts to promote wellness and community-wide health improvement.

There is no covenant for new communities to have parks, bike trails, or walking paths to promote fitness.

Get additional physician perspectives on these states:Alabama / Alaska / Arizona / California / Colorado / Connecticut / Florida / Georgia / Hawaii / Idaho / Illinois / Indiana / Iowa / Kansas / Kentucky / Louisiana / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Michigan / Minnesota / Mississippi / Missouri / Nebraska / Nevada / New Hampshire / New Jersey / New Mexico / New York / North Carolina / North Dakota / Oklahoma / Oregon / Pennsylvania / South Carolina / Tennessee / Texas / Vermont / Washington, D.C. / Washington / Wisconsin

Return to the main Best States to Practice topic resource center.