10/22/2026
Did you see our latest feature in Our Nevada - Iowa? Learn more about how we Rethink Rural day in and day out in the article below!
Rethink Rural
Meaningful careers meet meaningful community impact at Story Medical
For Story Medical, rural healthcare has never meant thinking small.
It means knowing the people you care for. It means having the flexibility to respond when a community need emerges. And it means understanding that a strong healthcare organization can make an impact that extends well beyond the walls of a hospital or clinic.
That idea is at the heart of Story Medical’s Rethink Rural initiative, which challenges some of the common assumptions healthcare professionals may have about practicing in a rural community.
At Story Medical, rural doesn’t mean small, remote, outdated or limited. Instead, providers have opportunities to build meaningful relationships with patients, practice with autonomy and make a difference that can be felt throughout an entire community. With hundreds of employees, its own ambulance service, the only helipad in Story County and continued investment in technology and facilities, Story Medical offers a scope that can be surprising to those unfamiliar with rural healthcare.
Pride in Service, Community
For CEO Nate Thompson, that starts with pride in being deeply rooted in the community Story Medical serves.
“There is something special about caring for people you know and living in the same community as the patients and families who trust you with their care,” Thompson says. “Our team sees the impact of what they do every day. These are our neighbors, our friends and the people we see at school activities, community events and around town. There is a tremendous sense of purpose that comes from that.”
Story Medical’s location also challenges the idea that choosing rural medicine means sacrificing access or opportunity. Sitting so close to Ames and Des Moines, Story Medical is able to offer employees all the unique benefits of working in a small-town environment with convenient access to larger communities and amenities.
Investing in Our Workforce
Story Medical has also continued investing in the tools providers need to deliver advanced care locally.
A recent overhaul of Diagnostic Radiology added new CT and MRI capabilities, while providers across Story Medical are encouraged to develop broad practices and help shape how care is delivered.
And as one of the area’s largest employers, with more than 300 professionals on staff, jobs at Story Medical support families, generate economic activity and contribute to the stability of Nevada and the surrounding communities.
That investment matters, and Thompson says the impact of a strong rural hospital reaches further than the kind of care delivered.
“A rural hospital has an important responsibility as a healthcare provider, but we also have a responsibility as an employer and community partner,” Thompson says. “When Story Medical is strong, we are able to provide good jobs, support local businesses and organizations, and help create a community where families and employers can feel confident about their future. Rural healthcare really can be an economic engine.”
Work that Really Matters
For physicians and other healthcare professionals considering what comes next in their careers, Story Medical hopes Rethink Rural encourages them to reconsider what rural practice can offer.
It can mean more connection. More autonomy. More balance. More opportunity to influence how care is delivered.
Most importantly, it can mean becoming part of a community where the work you do truly matters.
At Story Medical, that is what it means to Rethink Rural.
Learn more about our commitment to serving our rural communities at storymedical.org/rethinkrural
