When Michelle Van Der Wege was a nurse-practitioner student, she performed a clinical requirement at Heart of Kansas Family Health Care, 1905 19th, Great Bend.

Today, she is the new nurse practitioner at the Heart of Kansas Larned location, 522 Broadway.

“I was so impressed by my earlier experience here,” recalled Van Der Wege, a Russell native. “Everyone worked together to ensure patients received the highest quality of care. I am excited and honored to be on the team again.

“In addition, I gained a better understanding of how essential it is for everyone to have access to quality healthcare,” she elaborated. “If it wasn’t for Heart of Kansas, there are countless people in our geographical area who may not have access to physical, mental and dental care.”

The nurse practitioner noted she was “blown away by the mission and vision of the clinic, and its ability to meet healthcare goals every day. I carry the lessons I learned at Heart of Kansas into my family practice and am excited to come full circle.”

Van Der Wege treats a variety of chronic and acute conditions and illnesses, while focusing on prevention.

“I work with patients to achieve their goals,” Van Der Wege emphasized. “My role is to provide education and support so patients can make the best decisions. It is an honor to be trusted with someone’s most valuable resource – their health.”

Van Der Wege sees patients one or two days a week in Larned. She also is an associate professor at Fort Hays State University (FHSU) where she is program coordinator for the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program. She helps in the FHSU Student Health Clinic when needed.

She received an associate’s degree in applied science in 2003 at Barton Community College. Van Der Wege then earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2007 at FHSU where she also received her master’s in nursing in 2016 and doctor of nursing practice in 2020.

Previous employers include First Care Clinic in Hays and USD 407 in Russell.

Van Der Wege lives with her husband, Andy, and daughter, Alayna, in Russell where she is coordinator of the Russell County Adopt-a-Child Christmas program.

“I moved away from Russell after high school to live in a metropolitan area,” she said. “I enjoyed that but western Kansas is home.”

Brett Middleton, Heart of Kansas chief executive officer, said “we are extremely fortunate because someone of Michelle’s caliber is difficult to find. As a doctor of nursing practice and professor, she is taking our services to a new level.

“Michelle genuinely cares for her patients and is an invaluable member of our team,” Middleton added.

Heart of Kansas Family Health Care is a Federally Qualified Health Center, which allows it to be a safety net for patients who are uninsured or underinsured. Its professional providers also welcome those with insurance at the Great Bend, Larned and Stafford locations. Heart of Kansas is open to everyone.