Meet state Sen. Lavon Heidemann

State Sen. Lavon Heidemann, chairman of the Nebraska Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, toured UNMC and met with medical center leaders on Friday. Below we learn more about Sen. Heidemann.

• Name: Lavon Heidemann
  
• Hometown: Elk Creek
  
• Legislative district: District 1

What stood out about your tour of UNMC?

State Sen. Lavon Heidemann, right, talks with College of Pharmacy researcher Jonathan Vennerstrom, Ph.D., during the legislator’s visit to UNMC on Friday.

I am very appreciative of all that UNMC does for the state. It is an outstanding medical school and research center. I was very impressed with the facilities and the educational opportunities for students. The Clinical Skills Lab was very interesting to see and I think that it is a very innovative way to prepare students for what they will encounter with patients when they are in the field. It is great that they get to have the hands on experience, and then review what they did afterward, as well.

What are the biggest health care issues that face the state and how do you see UNMC helping the state confront these issues?

To me it seems the biggest health care issue facing Nebraska is the shortage of health care professionals that we are seeing now in rural areas and the shortage we will be facing all across the state in the near future with the implementation of the federal health care reform. UNMC will play a huge role in helping to educate and prepare our future doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc., to meet the medical needs in our state.