ALUMNI NOTES
’20s
’80s
Audrey Smeenk, PA ’20, is the newest Physician
Duane Strand, MD ’85, recently earned a 5-Star
Assistant (PA) to join the Philip Health Services team
Award from Essentia Health in Wahpeton, N.D.
of providers in Philip, S.D.
This award means a provider scored in the top 10
’10s
percent (at or above the 90th percentile) of PRC national client database for percentage of patients
Emily Bromley, MD ’16, recently joined the medical
who rate the overall quality of care by the provider
team at Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital, Big
as “Excellent.” Each year, Essentia Health contracts
Rapids, Mich., to provide obstetrics, gynecology and
with Professional Research Consultants (PRC) to
urology services to women in the community.
randomly survey patients about their experiences
’90s
in its hospitals and clinics. PRC uses results from these surveys to rank Essentia physicians, staff, and
Dr. Jeffrey Sather, MD ’98, chief of staff at Trinity
facilities within its national database of approximately
Health in Minot, N.D., has been appointed to the
400 health care organizations. The 2020 awards are
board of directors of the American Heart Association,
based on patient surveys conducted throughout
Midwest Region, for a two-year term. The American
2019. In Essentia’s West Market, which encompasses
Heart Association is the world’s leading voluntary
eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota,
health organization devoted to fighting cardiovascular
two physicians received PRC’s Top Performer Award
disease.
meaning they scored at the 100th percentile for
Cathy Sulentic-Morcom, MPT ’93, recently
Audrey Smeenk, PA
overall quality of care.
celebrated the 25th anniversary of her clinic, Black
Erling Martinson, MD ’83, medical director for
Hills Physical Therapy, in Spearfish, S.D. Sulentic-
Nelson County Health System (NCHS) Hospital in
Morcom opened Black Hills Physical Therapy in
McVille, N.D., received the Outstanding Rural Health
May 1995.
Career award for the 2020 Dakota Conference on
Emily Bromley, MD
Rural and Public Health. This award is presented to a health care professional who has devoted his/ her career to making significant contributions to improving health care in rural North Dakota. Steven Hinrichs, MD ’80, is currently on a panel created by Cruise industry leaders Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) and Norwegian Cruise Line
Jeffery Sather, MD
Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH) to develop enhanced cruise health and safety standards in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The companies have asked former Utah Governor Mike Leavitt and Dr. Scott Gottlieb to serve as co-chairs of a newly formed group of experts called the “Healthy Sail Panel.” The panel is tasked with collaboratively developing recommendations for cruise lines to advance their public health response to COVID-19, improve safety, and achieve readiness for the safe resumption of operations.
Duane Strand, MD
North Dakota Medicine Fall 2020
11
