The Nebraska Medical Association elected Robert Wergin of Seward as the president-elect of the NMA at its annual membership meeting and awards ceremony on Aug. 16.
xvoted on by NMA members. The NMA, which advocates for physicians and the health of Nebraskans, is made up of nearly 3,000 physicians, residents and medical students in the state. Wergin represents a portion of the NMA called the Greater Nebraska Caucus, which encompasses everything outside of Omaha and Lincoln.
Wergin graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, then called Kearney State College, in 1976 with a double major in biology and chemistry. He graduated from medical school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1979.
He then completed his family medicine residency at St. Mary’s Family Medicine program through the University of Colorado.
Wergin became assistant director of a family medicine residency in Grand Junction, Colorado, where he focused on the emergency room and obstetrics. In 1982, he opened a practice for the first time in Grand Junction.
Wergin, who graduated from Milford High School in 1972, moved back to Nebraska in 1989 and served as an educator, faculty member and eventually assistant director at a family medicine residency in Lincoln.
He then practiced family medicine for 21 years in Milford and nine years in Seward.
He was president of the American Academy of Family Physicians from 2015 to 2016. He met Barack Obama and was in the White House eight times.
“I was very honored,” he said. “I’m the only Nebraskan to ever be elected to that position.”
He then spent five years on the American Board of Family Medicine, which sets the standards for certifying family physicians.
This month, he will receive the Dedication to Student Excellence Award from the UNMC Alumni Association for his work mentoring and training medical students over the years.
Wergin chose to go into family practice because he enjoys caring for the whole person rather than focusing on one specific aspect of health. He said he enjoys building a relationship with his patients and helping them achieve good health, take preventative measures and guide them in the right direction when it's time to find a specialist.
“There's studies that show if you know your doctor and your doctor knows you, your outcome is better by any diagnosis,” he said.
Wergin said one of his main focuses as an NMA leader will be to expand rural healthcare access by looking at ways to recruit and retain primary care physicians in rural areas.
“We're fortunate in Seward County to have a strong health care system, but if you go to the national statistics, I think there are 29 critical access hospitals at risk of closure in the next two years,” he said. “If they go under, then there's the people living in those areas that may have to drive quite a distance to get health care, not to mention obstetrics care. In central and north central Nebraska, some people who are pregnant have to drive 100 miles to get care.”
He also plans to take steps to help ease the administrative burdens on physicians, reduce physician burnout and increase physicians’ mental health and well-being.
“All the physicians at NMA love seeing patients and helping them achieve good health,” he said. “I don't know if too many of them like to fill out pre-authorization forms and trying to get things covered through insurance and the electronic health record.”
He will also work with lawmakers to advocate for the health of Nebraskans and for physicians of all specialties. Wergin said he uses “cheerful persistence” when trying to get a bill created.
“I feel I can impact individual patients one at a time in my office, but being involved in these organizations you can impact public health, the health of everybody,” he said.
Wergin said he is honored to serve in this role as someone from Milford and Memorial Healthcare Systems.
He will help assist the current president, David Ingvoldstad, in his role as president-elect until August of 2025. He will then be inaugurated as the president of the NMA and serve until August of 2026. He will then be past president, meaning he will help guide the president, from then until August of 2027.
Amy Reynoldson, executive vice president of the NMA, said Wergin has spent years being heavily involved with NMA initiatives and serving on its committees and the Board of Directors.
“Throughout his 35 years of membership, Dr. Wergin has been dedicated to helping make Nebraska one of the best places to practice medicine and provide quality health care to all Nebraskans,” she said. “Dr. Wergin is a well-respected leader among his colleagues, and the NMA is delighted to have him as our 2024-2025 president-elect.”
