News and Notes
Avera
Dr. Dave Kapaska, Regional President and CEO of Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, retired from his position on June 30th. David Flicek, Chief Administrative Officer of Avera Medical Group will replace Kapaska as President and CEO. Dr. Kapaska has served as Regional President and CEO of Avera McKennan since October 2010 and was the 16th administrator in the 100-year history of Avera McKennan
Avera Heart Hospital is one of only 19 hospitals nationwide to receive a double five-star rating from CMS for its quality care and service. The HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) rating is based entirely on
patient survey scores on 27 questions. The second rating is called the Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating and includes 57 measures on outcomes and patient experience. Currently, 188 hospitals have a five-star rating based on HCAHPS and 83 have a five-star rating for
overall hospital quality.
Black Hills
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons has awarded Regional Health Heart and Vascular Institute with their distinguished three-star rating for its patient care and outcomes in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures. The STS three-star rating, the highest possible, places Regional Health among the elite for heart bypass surgery in the United States and Canada. Historically, approximately 10-15 percent of participants receive the three-star rating.
Regional Health broke ground on its new Advanced Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute in early June. This $55 million project is designed to treat athletes and the general public, with the goal of restoring optimum performance for both. The 114,850-square-foot institute will anchor a complex focused on pain control, musculoskeletal health, rehabilitation, and physical enhancement.
The Regional Health Foundation presented the thirteenth annual wine tasting event, “Grape Time”, on June 9. The event benefitted Women and Children’s services at Rapid City General Hospital. Participants of Grape Time enjoyed wine tasting, local entertainment and cuisine, and a silent auction.
Sanford
The Sanford Sports Science Institute has collaborated with the National Scholastic Athletic Foundation to become the nonprofit organization’s exclusive national sports medicine research partner. NSAF promotes and develops America’s top youth track and field athletes with the goal of identifying and developing future Olympians. This five year collaboration will enable Sanford Health to conduct research in conjunction with NSAF. The Sanford Sports Science Institute staff attended their first major NSAF even - the New Balance National Outdoors - in North Carolina in June.
Sanford nurse Cindy Groen, RN, received the Daisy Award Recipient for Extraordinary Nurses this spring. Groen works in the Radiology Interventional Clinic at Sanford USD Medical Center.
Siouxland
The Sioux City Explorers collaborated with Mercy Medical Center to present two events in June. The first was the second annual Blue Out Night to benefit Mercy’s Child Advocacy Center for the prevention and awareness of child abuse on June 3rd The second event, Strike Out Stroke, was held on June 6th and was presented for awareness of stroke as an emergency as well as signs, symptoms and risk factors.
Lea Greathouse, Executive Director of Mercy Medical Center, has been named a Certified Fund Raising Executive by CFRE International. Individuals granted the CFRE credential met a series of standards set by CFRE International which include tenure in the profession, education, demonstrated fundraising achievement and a commitment to service to not-for-profit organizations. They have also passed a rigorous written examination.
UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Cardiology Services has received the Mission: Lifeline Gold Receiving Quality Achievement Award and Mission: Lifeline NSTEMI Silver Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks.
Other
Michael Brozik, MD, has joined Surgical Institute of South Dakota. Dr. Brozik is a Madison, South Dakota native who graduated from the USD Sanford School of Medicine and completed his general surgery residency and his surgical critical care fellowship at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Brozik will begin seeing patients on August 1st.