MED Magazine, June 2023

LIFE in the FAST LANE

Dr. Stephen Dick, Emergency Physician Monument Health Rapid City Hospital

1.855.850.KIDS (5437) is your 24-hour link to pediatric specialists for physician-to-physician consults, referrals, admissions and transport.

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Working Hand in Hand: The Value of Community Health Workers (CHWs)

A Community Health Worker is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the worker to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.

– American Public Health Association, 2022

CHW SCOPE OF WORK:

Health system navigation and resource coordination,

Health promotion and coaching,

Health education to teach or promote methods and measures that have been proven effective in avoiding illness and/or lessening its effects.

Learn more by visiting www.chwsd.org

Life in the Fast Lane

Dr. Stephen Dick, Emergency Physician

Monument Health Rapid City Hospital

■ By Alex Strauss

Dr. Stephen Dick has been a fixture in the region’s busiest ER for more than three decades. We spoke with him about his long career, the last few volatile years, and the joys and challenges of emergency medicine in the Black Hills.

PAGE 6 | [SPONSORED]

Total Vascular Care for Your Patient at Sanford Vascular Associates

When your patient needs vascular treatment, Sanford Vascular Associates is here. Dr. Thekla Bacharach, South Dakota’s only female vascular surgeon, is one of four fellowship-trained and boardcertified surgeons on the growing team at Sanford Health.

PAGE 8 | This Month Online

SD Named Second Best State for Doctors, Exclusive website content including events, tips for physician transitions, and expert advice for completing a death certificate

PAGE 12 | NEWS & NOTES

Healthcare leadership changes, building expansions, new alignments, award recipients, and more.

PAGE 17 | USD School of Health Sciences Success Spotlight: Lindsay Weber, CNP

PAGE 22 | [SPONSORED]

‘Hidden Treasure’ Grand Falls Casino and Golf Resort Offers a Place to Recharge

■ By Kim Lee

Whether it’s a quick staycation or a full vacation, Grand Falls Casino and Golf Resort is ready to accommodate you for a relaxing play and stay at its scenic property just minutes from Sioux Falls.

CONTACT INFORMATION

STEFFANIE LISTON-HOLTROP

VP Sales & Marketing

FROM US TO YOU

Of all the medical specialties, Emergency Medicine has the highest rate of physician burnout. And yet, this issue's featured provider has not only stuck with it for decades, but has provided vital leadership during a time of unprecedented change and growth for the Monument Health Rapid City Hospital's ED. We hope you will enjoy his story.

Also in this issue, we introduce you to South Dakota's only female vascular surgeon, showcase award-winning providers from around the region, and offer you a look inside a gem of a vacation destination just minutes from Sioux Falls. As always, you'll also find a roundup of all the latest regional healthcare news.

Remember, we always want to hear from you and your organization, too. Send your news, announcements, and events to News@MidwestMedicalEdition.com any time and stay up-to-date between issues with our bi-monthly digital newsletter. Subscribe for free on the website.

—Alex and Steff

Publisher / MED MAGAZINE, LLC

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Vice President Sales & Marketing

STEFFANIE LISTON-HOLTROP

Editor in Chief / ALEX STRAUSS

Staff Writer / KIM LEE

Graphic Design / CORBO DESIGN

Web Design / SAMPSON HOUSE

Intern / ELLYSIA McELROY

605-366-1479

Steff@MidwestMedicalEdition.com

ALEX STRAUSS

Editor in Chief

605-759-3295

Alex@ MidwestMedicalEdition.com

WEBSITE

MidwestMedicalEdition.com

MAILING ADDRESS

PO Box 90646, Sioux Falls, SD 57109

2023 ADVERTISING DEADLINES

NEXT ISSUE

Editorial contributions due June 5

Ads due June 10

Cover Photo Robert Slocum, Monument Health

TOTAL VASCULAR CARE FOR YOUR PATIENT AT SANFORD VASCULAR ASSOCIATES

WHEN YOUR PATIENT NEEDS vascular treatment, Sanford Vascular Associates is here.

Dr. Thekla Bacharach, South Dakota’s only female vascular surgeon, is one of four fellowship-trained and boardcertified surgeons on the growing team at Sanford Health. She and the team are committed to using new technologies to provide innovative vascular care to patients across the region.

“Our team offers the full range of vascular care. From surgery to medical management, we focus on finding the best option for your patient,” Dr. Bacharach said.

In 85% of cases, they use minimally invasive procedures, which lead to shorter hospital stays and quicker recoveries.

Sanford Vascular Associates

Treats:

• CAROTID ARTERY DISEASE

• COMPLEX AORTIC DISEASES

• DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS (DVT)

• HYPERHIDROSIS

• PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE

• PULMONARY EMBOLISM

• THORACIC OUTLET SYNDROME

• VARICOSE VEINS

• DIALYSIS ACCESS

• LIMB PRESERVATION

• MISCELLANEOUS VASCULAR PROBLEMS

The vascular team’s board certifications mean each physician has years of targeted training and experience. This commitment to vascular health ensures patients receive unsurpassed care.

CARE All in One Place

Sanford Vascular Associates is a part of Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the U.S.

“Being a part of the integrated health system allows patients to get comprehensive care in one location,” Dr. Bacharach said. “It provides a streamlined patient experience with access to multiple specialty providers.”

As a health system, Sanford Health prioritizes research and innovation to bring the latest treatments, procedures and devices to patients. Research is an essential component of the comprehensive care offered at Sanford Health. The system provides access to clinical trials that

advance vascular care.

From minimally invasive procedures to complex surgeries, Sanford Vascular Associates is committed to understanding and utilizing advanced technology. For example, the team specializes in TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR), a clinically proven treatment for carotid artery disease. The minimally invasive procedure can clear blockages and open a narrowed carotid artery. Benefits of TCAR include exceptional stroke prevention (even in high surgical risk patients) and a shorter length of hospital stay versus open surgery. There’s also less risk of post procedure heart attack (MI) and nerve injury.

CARE Close to Home

We understand it can be challenging for patients to drive a long distance to get care. Our goal is to offer convenient care closer to home across South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa. Your patients have access to our teams in the following locations:

South Dakota

• Aberdeen

• Chamberlain

• Mitchell

• Vermillion

• Watertown

Minnesota

• Canby

• Jackson

• Ortonville

• Tracy

• Worthington

Iowa

• Rock Rapids

• Sheldon

The Sanford Vascular Associates team accommodates new patient referrals, self-referrals and patient follow-ups. We provide evaluation of patients, diagnostic testing and, in some cases, outpatient procedures. Prevention and screenings are vital components of our vascular program. With the advanced tools and diagnostics available, critical details about a patient’s vascular health can be discovered. ❖

For more information or to refer a patient, call (605) 312-7300.

Exclusive Online Content

Upcoming Events from Around the Region

Access a variety of upcoming spring and summer events on our website, including SDAHO’s Rural Health Leaders Conference in June. Send us your events and we’ll share them online for free!

Physician Transitions: Start Planning Today to Secure Tomorrow

The natural progression for physicians in a medical practice can present challenges but planning ahead can make all the difference and ensure a successful transition. In this exclusive online article, Eide Bailly CPA Dan Swan has advice to make it easier.

May Is Brain Tumor And Brain Cancer Awareness Month

May is Brain Tumor and Brain Cancer Awareness Month, and Oncology is one of the subspecialty areas that may qualify a child for Make-A-Wish. Read David's wish story and learn more about patient eligibility on our website.

READ the full version of these articles on our website MED is Hiring!

MED is looking for a Client Relationship Manager/Administrative Assistant passionate about healthcare and ready to join our fast-growing communication company. Click the ‘All Jobs’ category on our website for details and guidelines for applying.

The Final Act of Care

Completing a Death Certificate for Your Patient

BY COPIC’S PATIENT SAFETY & RISK MANAGEMENT

THE ACCURACY of the death certificate is vital to the patient’s family and public health reporting. It can also have long-term ramifications, including provider defensibility.

About Death Certificates

Laws vary from state to state about who can certify a death certificate. Typically, providers can complete a death certificate in cases that are 1) not reportable to the coroner, or 2) do not require forensic inquiry, per coroner investigation. Though there can be differences state by state in what a certificate requires, most conform to the U.S. Standard Certificate of Death provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most states require a completed death certificate within a certain timeframe.

To ensure accuracy, it’s important to understand the two parts of death certification: cause of death and manner of death.

PART 1: Cause of Death (i.e., WHY they died)

The first step of a death certification requires documentation of the pathophysiologic derangement or disease/injury state that led to the death. This is documentation of the causal chain of events (disease or injury) that directly led to the death and includes both the immediate and underlying cause of death.

PART 2: Manner of Death (i.e., HOW they died)

The manner of death section documents how the death came about. For this section, the burden of proof is a “reasonable degree” of medical probability.

For a detailed explanation of important considerations in each part, including why specificity is key, as well as links to the CDC's guidance on death certificates, SEE THE FULL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE ON OUR WEBSITE.

SOUTH DAKOTA NAMED SECOND BEST STATE FOR DOCTORS

The personal-finance website WalletHub recently released its report on 2023’s Best & Worst States for Doctors.

To identify the best states for those in the business of saving lives, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 19 key metrics. The data set ranges from the average annual wage of physicians to hospitals per capita to the quality of the public hospital system.

PRACTICING

4th

6th Annual Malpractice Liability Insurance Rate

Visit our website to see the full report as well as a video summary.

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LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

Dr. Stephen Dick, Emergency Physician Monument Health Rapid City Hospital

BY ALEX STRAUSS

EVERY YEAR, an estimated 65,000 patients come through the Level 2 Trauma Center at Monument Health Rapid City Hospital, the largest and busiest ER in the tri-state area. For more than three decades, Dr. Stephen Dick has been the personification of hope for many of those patients as well as a model of compassion, strength, and humility for his ER colleagues.

As a past member of the Monument Health Board of Directors and former Director of the Emergency Department, Dr. Dick helped shepherd the ED during a time of both unprecedented pressure and unprecedented growth.

Go online to see more photos of the Monument Health Rapid City Hospital expanded Emergency Department.

Photos: Robert Slocum, Monument Health

Now, as he prepares to reduce his hours (or “ride off slowly into the sunset,” as he puts it), we spoke with him and current ED Director, Jennifer Murray, RN, about his long career, the last few volatile years, and the joys and challenges of emergency medicine in the Black Hills.

From SD to CA and Back Again

Dr. Stephen Dick describes himself as “just a dumb farm kid from Nisland”, a small town near Belle Fourche, South Dakota, who more or less stumbled into a career in medicine when he switched his major at the University of Nebraska from religion to biology.

“Most of the other science students were pre-med and since they were my friends, I took a medical school entrance exam, too,” he says. “Once you get accepted to med school, you get on a bullet train that you can’t get off.”

Not that he wanted to. During medical school and later residency at Loma Linda University, he grew to enjoy the pace and variety of the ED. But after a year of working amidst drug wars and gang violence in California, he was grateful for the chance to return to Western South Dakota in 1990.

Growth and Expansion

As Dr. Dick grew as a physician, the Monument Health Rapid City Hospital Emergency Department also grew, serving more patients and higher acuity patients each year. On the cusp of the COVD 19 pandemic in September of 2019, the hospital expanded the footprint of its emergency room by 129 percent, enabling it to accommodate up to 40 patients at a time.

Dr. Dick not only oversaw the design and opening of the expanded ER, but ED Director Jennifer Murray, RN, says he also helped foster a vital sense of unity when COVID threatened to pull the department apart.

“During the pandemic, we started

to see a breakdown in the relationship between our physicians and the rest of the staff,” says Murray. Physical separation because of construction, mask-wearing, and the addition of traveling staff made communication harder just when it was needed most. In response, Dr. Dick instituted regular, casual off-site get-togethers for the entire department, which still happen quarterly.

There have also been new workflow challenges since the pandemic. With the hospital keeping patients longer as it struggles to find places to send them, the ED now often has to hold sick patients until a bed opens for them. At the same time, they are charged with triaging and moving patients out of ER waiting areas faster, and with fewer nurses.

“It is not always easy, but part of the beauty of the ED is that people who stay tend to thrive on the challenge,” says Murray. “Once you realize that this is where you belong, you can’t imagine working anywhere else.”

ED as ‘Safety Net’

Emergency Medicine had only been a recognized specialty for 14 years when Dr. Dick began his career in 1987. It was highly competitive and 99 percent of residency positions were filled. In contrast, last year only 80 percent of emergency medicine residencies were filled. Dr. Dick says the pandemic played a role in that, too.

“When people rotate through the ER, they see that their mentors are burned out,” says Dick, who worked

through his own struggles with burnout 15 years ago. “The ER has become a safety net for a failing system. Drug abuse, alcoholism, firearms violence, child abuse. It takes such an emotional toll.”

Which begs the question: How has Dr. Dick stayed in Emergency Medicine so long?

“What has kept me is the relationships that I’ve developed,” he says. “But I’ve also come to accept that what we see in the ER is part of the human condition. We have all had heartbreak and pain. I now know that I can minister to that condition without allowing it to erode something in me.”

In spite of the many challenges, Dick says better medications, improved efficiencies, and the “human capacity to heal” continue to give him hope for the future.

“If I had to do it again, I wouldn’t do anything differently,” he says. “I’d still go into Emergency Medicine.” ❖

News & Notes

AVERA BOB SUTTON

Avera announced in April that President and CEO

Bob Sutton is stepping down due to a recently diagnosed serious medical condition that requires an intensive treatment regimen. Under Sutton’s leadership in the last ten years, Avera has opened numerous building projects and completed renovations in communities across its 72,000-square-mile footprint. Some of these projects include the campuses in Gregory and Gettysburg that include new hospital, clinic and long-term care facilities; the Avera Specialty Hospital in Sioux Falls; the opening of the Helmsley Center in Pierre, which brought radiation oncology to that region; the opening of South Dakota’s first free-standing emergency departments; and the expansion of the Avera Behavioral Health Hospital, adding the first psychiatric urgent care to the area.

Sutton’s last day at Avera will be September 30.

RONALD

Place, MD, has been Regional

Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center in Sioux Falls. David Flicek, who has been in this role, will move to the position of Chief Operating Officer for Avera Health while retaining his work as Chief Administrative Officer of Avera Medical Group. Originally from Huron, Place is a recently-retired 3-Star Army General who has led a $53 billion operation for the Department of Defense. In his medical training, Place completed a general surgery residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington as well as a colon and rectal surgery fellowship at the University of Texas–Southwestern in Dallas. He has previously served as a Chief Surgeon, Deputy Commander and Commander at multiple Army medical centers.

DZENAN BERBEROVIC,

Dzenan Berberovic, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Avera Health, has been named among the 2023 Class of Tomorrow’s Leaders by the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA). Since becoming Chief Philanthropy Officer in March 2020, Berberovic has led his team to achieve record-setting fundraising years in 2020, 2021 and 2022, raising a total of over $118 million over these three years alone. Berberovic joins nine other emerging leaders from across the country to receive this honor, and the class will be recognized virtually during CHA Assembly 2023.

MONUMENT

Monument Health recognized 10 physicians and providers in seven award categories at the second annual Physicians and Providers Awards Banquet in March.The awards were open to Monument Health medical providers.

THE 2023 WINNERS ARE:

Kyle Schmidt, MD New Physician of the Year

Courtney Carmichael, PA-C New Provider of the Year

Joseph Tuma, MD and Julie Raymond, MD, Distinguished Clinician

Drew Purdy, MD and Roger DeRaad

Distinguished Researcher

Joy Falkenburg, MD and Andrew VanOsdol, MD Distinguished Educator

Margaret Becker, MD and Mark L. Harlow, MD, Distinguished Community Leader

Stephen Kovarik, MD and Deborah Kuehn, CNP

The Robinson-Howe Legacy Award

The American Cancer Society has awarded $40,000 in grants to Monument Health Cancer Care Institute to help patients pay for transportation and lodging related to their care.The grants are part of more than $8 million in grant funding awarded to over 400 health systems to alleviate the financial burden of transportation for cancer patients. Cancer patients and their caregivers can use the money to cover patient and caregiver expenses such as gasoline, bus fare, hotel rooms and temporary lodging during treatment. The grants are available through March 31, 2024. For more information, contact the Cancer Care Institute at 605-755-2300.

More than $106,000 was raised during the 26th annual Northern Hills Hospice Ball held on Saturday, April 1.

Monument Health hosts the annual event to help raise awareness and support for hospice patients and their families. Proceeds from this year’s event equally support hospice care in the Northern Hills and the expansion of the Monument Health Spearfish Hospital. The event also honors those who have dedicated their lives to hospice programs throughout the Northern Hills and the greater Black Hills region. Deborah Kullerd, MD, at Monument Health Spearfish Clinic received this year’s Dignity Award.

SIOUXLAND

CNOS Northside Clinic location on Outer Drive is also getting a makeover to better serve the growing needs of Siouxland. The expansion includes five new exam rooms, three physician/provider offices, a new clinical support work station, sub-waiting area for patients, lactation room, new parking lot lighting, and an updated storage area.

Siouxland patients now have even more options for life saving diagnostic tools thanks to expansion of the Imaging Center at the CNOS Dakota Dunes Clinic location. The expansion consists of a 6500 square foot addition housing a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Caring Suite (GE Signa Voyager 1.5T 70cm wide-bore) and Computed Tomography (CT) as well as 1730 square foot shell space for future growth. There is also a new Imaging Center entrance to help offset patient traffic at the main entrance.

ASHLESHA KAUSHIK

Ashlesha Kaushik, MD, pediatric infectious disease physician for UnityPoint Clinic, has been appointed to represent Iowa on the CDC’s newly formed national Vaccine Access Cooperative. As the Iowa American Academy of Pediatrics representative on this new cooperative, Dr. Kaushik will be part of a diverse group of leaders from state departments of health, immunization programs, Medicaid programs, as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, pharmacy associations, and other key immunization partners. The goal of the cooperative is to develop strategies to break down barriers to the successful vaccination of children.

Becker’s Healthcare has included UnityPoint Health on their 2023 list of “150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare”. UnityPoint Health, which provides care across Iowa, western Illinois and southern Wisconsin, is the only

health system in Iowa and Wisconsin to be named to this year’s list and is one of only a handful of health systems in Illinois to be included. Being named to the 2023 Becker’s Healthcare list is the latest in a series of top workplace recognitions UnityPoint Health has received over the last two years.

KEITH VOLLSTEDT

Keith Vollstedt, MD, FACS, is the new chief medical officer (CMO) of MercyOne Western Iowa. Dr. Vollstedt brings more than 30 years of experience in healthcare including as a bariatric and laparoscopic surgeon in the Siouxland community. He attended the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, VAMC, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and Morningside University. In 2021, he briefly retired from surgical practice but decided to return to apply his experience to serve MercyOne’s Mission. He has served in the role on an interim basis since October 2022.

SANFORD

ADAM STYS

Sanford Research was recently awarded a $6.2 million grant from the NIH for its continued cancer research in the upper Midwest. For the past decade, Sanford Research has worked to create a Center of Biomedical Research for basic science and translational cancer researchers. The core of Sanford’s cancer research is uncovering the basic mechanisms underlying the development of cancer, understanding the importance of the immune system and in turn developing novel approaches to treat cancer.

The USD School of Health Sciences, in partnership with Sanford Research, will begin offering a Clinical Research Coordinator Certificate program. Led by clinician investigators, CRCs facilitate and coordinate the daily research activities to ensure participant safety, protocol compliance, quality data collection and entry, and overall best practices. Sanford Research and USD’s School of Health Sciences connected to collaborate in the development of the certificate in response to workforce needs. Sanford will provide faculty support for advanced-level courses and hands-on learning modules required within the certificate.

Mental Health America

(MHA) has awarded Sanford Health the 2022-23 Gold Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health. Sanford Health has led efforts to combat work-related stress and burnout through resiliency groups, training, a clinician assistance program, counseling, a physician wellness council and comprehensive mental health resources to help employees take care of themselves physically and emotionally while caring for patients and residents. The Bell Seal is a first-of-its-kind workplace mental health certification that recognizes employers who strive to create mentally healthy

Adam Stys, MD, interventional cardiologist at the Sanford Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, was recently inducted into the Copernican Academy by Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland. The Copernican Academy is a new institution in Polish science, based on five pillars illustrating the areas of Nicolaus Copernicus’ achievements. The five pillars include astronomy, economics, law, medicine and theology and philosophy. The Academy is an international institution, consisting of half Polish and half foreign scientists from across the globe. Other inductees include five Nobel Peace Prize winners, a cardinal from the Vatican and other world leaders in science and research

The Minnesota Hospital Association has selected Sanford Health as its inaugural winner of the Organizational Team Culture Award. The MHA Workforce Innovation Awards recognize the outstanding work of Minnesota hospitals and health systems to invest in and support their employees. Sanford Health ranks in the top 25% among peers in the healthcare industry for meaningful work and inclusiveness as a strength based on employee experience survey results. Sanford Health has significantly grown its diversity councils, employee resource groups and multilingual capabilities

as well as advancing work focused on health disparities among certain populations. The award was presented during the MHA’s Workforce Innovation Conference in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.

Fortune has named Sanford Health one of America’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023. The list honors 300 companies who do business in the United States and “transform industries inside and out.” Sanford Health ranks in the top 200 and is the only company in the Dakotas to be named to the list, which includes businesses from a multitude of sectors across the United States.

Sanford Health was also recently named in Becker’s Healthcare 2023 edition of 150 top places to work in healthcare. According to Becker’s, the hospitals, health systems and companies included on this list are exceptional employers, many of which invest in team members’ professional development, wellness benefits, and continued education. Sanford Health, along with its senior care division, the Good Samaritan Society, has 44,000 employees in 25 states and nine countries. Sanford Health ranks in the top 25% among peers in the healthcare industry for meaningful work and inclusiveness as a strength based on employee experience survey results.

Nathan Skelley, MD, orthopedic surgeon at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, is the recipient of the 2023 Chester B. McVay Award for Excellence in Teaching and Research for his outstanding teaching and commitment to medical students at the University of South Dakota School of Medicine. Dr. Skelley, who is fellowship trained in sports medicine and treats a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, is the first Sanford Health surgeon to be presented with the award. Dr. Skelley received the award at the Sanford School of Medicine Graduation Convocation

INDEPENDENTS

NIEL BURN

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System welcomes Niel Burns, MD to the ER staff at the Prairie Lakes Emergency Department. Dr. Burns is a boardcertified family physician and has nine years of experience in the emergency medicine setting. He earned his medical degree from the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine in Vermillion, SD and completed his residency in family medicine at Siouxland Medical Education Foundation—Family Medicine Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Dr. Burns joins Dr. Erickson, Dr. Filler, and Dr. Singh in triaging and treating patients with urgent and emergent medical needs and conditions.

In early May, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System and Brown Clinic announced the signing of a letter of intent for Prairie Lakes Healthcare System to acquire Brown Clinic within approximately 90 days, pending successful completion of due diligence and a definitive agreement. “Unifying both organizations’ patient-centered healthcare services would formalize a long-standing and successful working relationship between Brown Clinic’s primary care physician group and Prairie Lakes’ specialty care and hospital services,” said John Allen, CEO of Prairie Lakes Healthcare System.

STEPHENIE VANDEN BERGE

Stephenie Vanden Berge, certified nurse practitioner (CNP), has joined the family care team at HRMC Physicians Clinic. Vanden Berge earned her Master of Science in family nursing from Mount Marty College in Yankton. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from South Dakota State University in Brookings and Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Community Health from Winona State University in Winona, MN. She is the newest member of the clinic’s family care team consisting of Vincent Oyler, MD, Kristina Boetel, CNP, Rebekah Storm, DNP, and Kristin VanBuskirk, CNP.

A renovation project to expand local access to dialysis is on track to be finished by early summer. Upon completion, Huron Regional Medical Center dialysis services will relocate to the renovated space at 142 Third Street SE in Huron. The $2.45 million project will provide a convenient, single-level entrance for dialysis patients, who currently receive treatment in the Central Towers building on the HRMC campus, which requires navigating stairs or a ramp for entry. The renovated center will also provide more local access to the vital service by adding five additional treatment stations, increasing the capacity for HRMC dialysis services to treat 36 patients per week, up from the current capacity of 21 patients per week. The Huron Community Foundation (HCF) recently presented a contribution of $75,000 to support the expansion.

RAUL OCTAVIANI

Internal medicine physician Raul

Octaviani, MD, has joined the Huron Regional Medical Center medical staff as a primary care physician and hospitalist. The son of a physician, Dr. Octaviani was raised in both the United States and Puerto Rico and is fluent in English and Spanish. Dr. Octaviani earned his MD at Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico and completed his internal medicine residency at Baystate Medical Center, The Western Campus of Tufts University in Bedford, Massachusetts. He completed a fellowship at the University of California Physician Leadership Academy in San Francisco.

Huron Regional Medical Center wound care services have relocated to the HRMC Physicians Clinic and the HRMC wound care team, led by Rebecca McCaskell, CNP, is now offering expanded treatment options. McCaskell holds a special certification in wound and ostomy care. Some of the wound care treatment options available include:

• Wound ass essment, care and dressings

• Placental grafts, synthetic grafts and autografts

• Arterial, venous and diabetic foot ulcers

• Osteomyelitis with open wounds

• Ultrasound and electrical stimulation to promote wound healing

• Total contact cast application

• Negative pressure wound therapy application and management

• Compression wrapping

• Debridement

computerized tomography (CT) system that scans patients faster and allows for some additional diagnostic tests. The 64-slice GE Revolution Ascend CT machine uses low-dose radiation and artificial intelligence to create high-resolution, digital images on par with a 128-slice system. The system auto-centers the patient for the most accurate imaging and removes glare created by metal inside the body, such as with artificial joints. The new machine also features a wider bore and longer table and the images produced have enhanced contrast, texture, and detail.

LINDSAY WEBER

Degree: Doctor of Nursing Practice

Current Position: President and CEO of Avera St. Benedict Health Center

Well before Lindsay Weber became President and CEO of Avera St. Benedict Health Center in Parkston, South Dakota last year, she already had a solid understanding of the ins and outs of patient care.

Weber came to leadership from a career in nursing, earning her BSN in 2007 and working as an RN, first at Mayo Clinic and later in Parkston. After settling in Parkston, Weber continued to grow as a nurse. She became a Certified Nurse Practitioner, providing family medicine in the Emergency Department and overseeing the care of inpatients as a Hospitalist.

Three years ago, she started looking for ways to hone her leadership skills. “Healthcare is changing fast,” says Weber. “I knew that getting more education in this area would put me in a better position to understand the complexity of healthcare management.”

She chose the USD School of Health Sciences Doctor of Nursing Practice program for its flexibility (in addition to her duties as CEO, she also has a young family) and for the chance to apply all that she had learned in her years in nursing.

“This program was attractive and intriguing to me,” says Weber. “Especially in a high level leadership position, we need to understand both the business end of healthcare and the healthcare part of healthcare.”

When Weber was named President and CEO in September 2022, she could immediately see how the interdisciplinary collaboration she experienced in the DNP program USD would help her in her new role.

“Being in this role and in the DNP program at the same time means I’m learning things that are applicable to everything I’m doing every day at work,” says Weber. “It also helps me relate to other students in the cohort. This program has really helped me to see the bigger picture better.”

Weber expects to finish her degree next May.

Horizon Health Care received the Partner in Health Award from the South Dakota Department of Health, particularly for their efforts surrounding Family Planning. Horizon’s Family Planning Program services include pregnancy testing, education, counseling, and screenings to provide patients with personalized care while growing a family. Registered nurse Lindsey Heath, from Martin, SD, has played a pivotal role in the expansion of Horizon’s Family Planning services. As a part of the 2022 Department of Health Leadership Awards, the Partner in Health Award is given to a team or organization that goes above and beyond in providing healthcare opportunities in rural communities.

Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) taking place June 27-28, Associates presenting on Eligibility and Enrollment, SD DSS Medicaid Director Future of Rural Healthcare, Systems Director of Case Management, Monument Health who will speak on Improving Care Transitions Through Communication & Data.

The 65 newest graduates of the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine accepted their diplomas at its graduation convocation ceremony, held on May 5 in Sioux Falls. Destinations for USD medical student residencies include 27 states. South Dakota takes the lead with keeping 15 USD medical school graduates from the Class of 2023. Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan and Wisconsin will host four graduates each, while Arizona, California and Kansas will host three apiece. The most popular residency is family medicine followed by pediatrics.

The Sioux Falls and Pierre Rural Family Medicine Residency welcomed eleven new doctors to their program on Match Day in March. The new class of residents will join the program at the end of June and begin rotations at their Center for Family Medicine base clinic, as well as Sanford, Avera, Falls Community Health, and more.

In April, Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana received a $100,000 donation from the Ty Eschenbaum Foundation. The organization granted Eschenbaum a wish when he was a teenager suffering from leukemia. Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana headquarters in Sioux Falls and grants wishes to seriously ill children in both states. The donation is expected to grant nearly a dozen wishes.

The University of South Dakota broke ground on the new $31.25 million Wellness Center expansion on April 10. The expansion will add an estimated 45,800 gross square feet to the Wellness Center and will house a new indoor competition pool, wellness pool, aquatic obstacle course, wet classroom, hot tub, steam room, athletic locker rooms, expanded wellness locker rooms, meet management rooms, coaches’ offices and lifeguard rooms. The new facility will allow USD to host everything from public swim classes to large swim competitions, providing many new opportunities in water fitness and wellness for all age groups. The expansion will also be home to USD’s swimming and diving program. The project is set to be completed in the fall of 2024.

L E A R N M O R E

MATCH DAY IN MARCH

MAKE-A-WISH SOUTH DAKOTA AND MONTANA

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has granted $682,498 to Avera and Access Health and more than $1.2 million to Sanford Health locations in southwest Minnesota to purchase equipment as part of an ultrasound initiative. The initiative includes nearly $18.3 million to help Minnesota hospitals and health centers purchase ultrasound imaging devices and an additional $8.1 million to boost sonography and point of care ultrasound training opportunities across the state. The grants will provide equipment in three Avera hospitals, three Access Health clinics, and in six Sanford Health communities.

BEST OF THE BEST

DAISY Award for extraordinary nursing

Tayven Aga, RN , Monument Health Rapid City Hospital

Jennifer Stewart, RN, Monument Health Lead-Deadwood Clinic

Tracy Prins, RN, Monument Health Rapid City Hospital Emergency Department

Nicole Garman, RN, Monument Health Spearfish Hospital

Stefani Gillette , RN, Monument Health Spearfish Hospital Wound Care

Taylor Burr, RN, Monument Health Spearfish Hospital

Skyler Langer, RN, Monument Health, Monument Health Spearfish Hospital

Koressa Weems, BSN, RN, Avera McKennan Oncology (3 East)

Manuela Bogdanovic, BSN, RN, Avera McKennan Cardiopulmonary (1 East)

Molly Hohn, BSN, RN, Avera McKennan ICU

Exceptional Employees

Trey Hendrick son , RN, Huron Regional Medical Center —Employee of the Month

Rochelle Reinke, OT, UnityPoint Health–Sioux City — Employee of the Year

Natalie Engle, RN, UnityPoint Health–St. Luke’s

— LEGACI Award for Clinical Excellence from the Iowa Donor Network:

Rebecca Lange, Direct Support Professional, LifeScape — Direct Support Professional of the Year by national disability provider association, ANCO R

❱ Intrigued by something you’ve read here? Want to go deeper? Read the full versions of these and other recent news items on our website.

‘Hidden Treasure’

Grand Falls Casino and Golf Resort Offers a Place to Recharge

WHETHER IT’S A QUICK STAYCATION OR A FULL VACATION, Grand Falls Casino and Golf Resort is ready to accommodate you for a relaxing play and stay at its scenic property just minutes from Sioux Falls.

On the outskirts of Larchwood, Iowa, Grand Falls is a place for relaxation and entertainment. In just a 20-minute drive, you’ll find a luxe golf course, beautiful outdoor pool area and 163-room hotel with indoor spa and pool along with great places to relax, game and dine.

Greta Stewart, marketing director for Grand Falls, says that the resort offers something for everyone. “’Casino’ is in our name but we’re a resort as well, a place for fine dining, entertainment, and to just get away and disconnect from the hustle and bustle of Sioux Falls.”

Some of the most popular areas of the resort are the Aveda spa, 18-hole championship golf course designed by Rees Jones, and Ruthie’s Steak & Seafood. A new wing of hotel rooms opened just two years ago.

Get pampered at the full-service Aveda spa, boasting a hot tub, sauna and steam room and offering facials, manicures, pedicures, massage, dermabrasion and more. Lounge in

“the resort offers something for everyone”

a cabana at the lavish outdoor pool area with food and beverage service available. The pool is free for hotel guests and wrist bands are $25 a day, available for purchase Monday through Thursday, whether you are staying at the resort or not.

For the golfer, Grand Falls’ world-class course accommodates every ability level, from novice to champion. “Even people who have been golfing for years find something different on the course every time they play,” said Stewart. “No two days are ever the same on the course.”

For the foodie, Ruthie’s Steak & Seafood restaurant features fine cuisine, wines and signature cocktails. Big Drop Café is a more casual venue that offers burgers, salads and other casual faire. Grand Falls also has a Sports Bar & Grill, featuring local beers on tap and gameday menu of handcrafted burgers, wings and pizza.

If you’re looking for an informal place to take recruits or a larger event space, Grand Falls’ meeting spaces and event center can accommodate up to 1,100 people. On-site catering makes hosting your event easy.

Free, live entertainment comes to the resort every Friday and Saturday night on its center stage, featuring a new artist and genre—like 50s, 60s, 80s, variety—each weekend. Starting Memorial Day weekend, regional musicians such as Danica Michaels and John Scalia play next to the outdoor pool in the afternoons from 1-4 p.m. The events center draws big artists for entertainment, recently featuring comedy duo Williams and Ree, comedienne Whitney Cummings and country artist David Lee Murphy, coming in September.

“This is such a fun place, there’s always something happening,” says Stewart. “This truly is much more than just a casino.”

Grand Falls, which celebrates its 12th anniversary in June, offers stay and play packages for rooms and golfing. ❖

The brightest minds in health care, working together for your peace of mind.

When you need medical care, knowing you have the brightest minds in medicine working together for you is the first priority. Being able to stay close to your loved ones while getting the care you need can set your mind at ease. Through our membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network, Monument Health doctors have access to Mayo Clinic expertise and team of specialists. It’s just one more way Monument Health is bringing you exceptional care, close to home.

Learn More: monument.health/mayo