A new four-story Nebraska Medicine facility located at 42nd and Farnam streets in midtown Omaha is scheduled to open its doors to patients in the fall of 2027, following the completion of construction next summer. Valued at $99.3 million, the center will be officially designated as the Shikhar & Kristin Saxena Health Center in honor of a leadership philanthropic gift made by local physicians Shikhar and Kristin Saxena through the University of Nebraska Foundation.
Services and Strategic Growth:
The facility is designed to serve as a centralized hub for multiple medical specialties, housing dermatology, general internal medicine, behavioral health services, and outpatient gastrointestinal care. Notably, it will operate as the primary home base for Nebraska Medicine’s dermatology program while addressing the expanding regional demand for outpatient behavioral health and gastrointestinal treatments.
Philanthropic Backing and Background:
The naming rights and project details were formally announced on August 17 during a special event where attendees signed the building’s final structural beam. Funded partially through community contributions highlighted by the Saxenas’ principal gift the initiative reflects deep ties to the local medical community. Both Shikhar and Kristin Saxena graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) College of Medicine in 2007 and subsequently established the Shikhar & Kristin Saxena Family Foundation.
Shikhar Saxena is a practicing cardiologist who co-founded Milan Laser and serves as its board chairman, while Kristin Saxena practiced as a pediatrician with Boys Town Pediatrics and later served as Milan Laser’s chief medical officer until stepping down in 2020 to concentrate on family philanthropy. Explaining their motivation, the couple emphasized their commitment to supporting Omaha and recognized Nebraska Medicine’s vital healthcare delivery role.
Leadership Perspectives:
University and health system leaders underscored the broader impact of the project during the announcement. Nebraska Medicine CEO Michael Ash noted that the facility will consolidate essential services into a single accessible location, expanding patient access close to home. UNMC Chancellor H. Dele Davies emphasized that the development exemplifies the critical value of public-private partnerships and community philanthropy in advancing regional healthcare infrastructure. Drawing from their dual backgrounds as clinicians and patients, the Saxenas remarked that their personal experiences profoundly validated the dedication of the entire healthcare team including physicians, researchers, nurses, and staff who drive patient care.
