Methodist Fremont Health awarded $100,000 nursing innovation grant to enhance dementia care program

Methodist Fremont Health was selected from nearly 30 nominations nationwide as the recipient of the 2026 ANCC Pathway Award®, earning national recognition and a $100,000 grant to expand an innovative program designed to improve the lives of people living with dementia and the family members who care for them.

Presented by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and sponsored by Qualtrics and Press Ganey, the award recognizes organizations demonstrating extraordinary nurse-led innovation that improves patient care and strengthens healthcare delivery.

Methodist Fremont Health received the award for Dementia Care Connect, a program developed by Fremont nurses and clinical teams who saw firsthand the challenges local families face when navigating dementia care. The initiative brings together hospital providers, primary care teams and community resources to create a more coordinated approach that helps individuals living with dementia remain safe and independent in their homes for as long as possible.

The $100,000 award will allow Methodist Fremont Health to expand the program across the community through enhanced care coordination, caregiver education, remote monitoring tools, individualized care plans and stronger connections to community-based services.

 “Our team of nurses at Methodist Fremont Health didn’t stand idly by when they realized the impact that fragmented care had on the dementia patients in our community,” said Bill Vobejda, president and CEO of Methodist Fremont Health. “This award is more than a recognition. It’s empowering coordinated, compassionate support that helps individuals living with dementia stay safe at home for as long as possible while giving caregivers the education, resources and backup they need.”

As part of the initiative, Methodist Fremont Health will implement several innovative tools to help identify and support individuals at higher risk for hospitalization, including a high-risk dementia registry within the electronic medical record, nurse-led care coordination and dementia-friendly care pathways designed to reduce avoidable emergency department visits and hospital stays.

“By bringing nurses, clinicians and community partners together around a shared plan of care, this award will allow us to reduce preventable crises and improve quality of life for families throughout Fremont and the surrounding region,” Vobejda said.