For Dr. Christopher Vanderneck, there was no question where he would be practicing medicine.
“I knew when I went to med school that I wanted to practice in a rural area,” Vanderneck said. “And the more remote, the better. Henderson was that perfect rural area and I have never looked back.”
Dr. Christopher Vanderneck
Born into a military family in Fairbanks, Alaska, Vanderneck spent a short stint there as a child before his family moved to Bellevue, Nebraska, where he lived out most of his childhood. The avid outdoorsman attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, followed by five years abroad on submarines after his graduation from nuclear engineering school in Orlando, Florida.
Following his departure from the military, he returned to Nebraska for his doctor of medicine degree. Vanderneck began working at Henderson part-time in 1999, eventually becoming a full-time family medicine physician in 2002. He thanks his wife for bringing him to Henderson, her hometown, where they now reside with their two daughters, Eve and Isabelle.
This year marks his 27th as a primary care physician at Henderson Health Care.
Vanderneck works closely with Henderson Health Care cohorts Dr. James Ohrt, MD, and Dr. Lindsey Nelson, DO. They are joined by four physician assistants.
From disease prevention and patient education to inpatient and outpatient care, Henderson offers comprehensive healthcare services for central Nebraska residents. The diverse, modern healthcare system includes two rural health clinics, a 13-bed critical access hospital, a wide variety of specialty clinics, diagnostic and laboratory services, long-term and assisted living facilities, and a state-of-the-art surgical suite.
The nonprofit has been offering primary, specialty and wellness services “in the name of Christ” for more than 75 years. Henderson is consistently ranked among the top 20 Critical Access Hospitals for patient satisfaction in the U.S.
The network completed a $15 million multiyear hospital expansion in late 2024 and upgraded its laboratory with advanced chemistry analyzers in 2025 for faster diagnostic results. The ambitious project marks a significant investment in the health and well-being of the community, reinforcing its commitment to providing compassionate, patient-centered healthcare. A new 10,250-square-foot clinic addition is scheduled for completion in summer 2026. The facility will add 12 exam rooms, two procedure suites and on-site laboratory services.
“We continue to address the evolving needs of our patients,” Vanderneck said. “The recent expansion and newest addition mean greater access to our services and a state-of-the-art campus where we can continue to deliver exceptional care.”
Vanderneck is pleased with patient feedback.
“My husband and I were passing through on our way east to see family when my appendix ruptured,” reports one former patient in a recent issue of The Pulse, Henderson’s quarterly newsletter. “Luckily the hospital was a few miles away from our campground. The staff was very caring and attentive. I feel very fortunate that we were so close to this small but wonderful hospital.”
And for Vanderneck, that’s what it all comes back to. Being a rural provider, caring for and lifting up his own community every single day.
Visit hendersonhealthcare.org for more information.
