The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO), continues to support members navigating the Rural Health Transformation Project (RHTP)—a multi-year effort to expand access to care, strengthen the health care workforce, and ensure sustainable, high-quality health care across South Dakota’s rural communities.

The new Behavioral Health and Wellness Center at Children’s Nebraska is Omaha offers a "no wrong door" policy for self-referral and a seamless continuum of mental health services for children and teens, positioned right alongside primary care — a deliberate signal that mental health and physical health are inseparable.

Brock Doubledee, MD, Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Sanford Children's is this month’s Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana ‘Champion of Hope’": “For the most part, I refer every patient who is eligible. I feel like, if you're eligible, you deserve to receive a wish.”

Ashley Rucker was just 16 when she became a nurse assistant, her first step into a field that would define her professional life. After working on a medical/surgical ward, a cardiac ICU, and in home hospice (and earning as MSN), Rucker was ready to further her education

SDSMA has been a meaningful part of my journey as a resident, offering a platform to connect with peers and mentors. It has actively supported my professional and academic growth through opportunities in publishing, collaboration and advocacy. As I transition to fellowship, I see myself continuing this journey through the help of SDSMA to further contribute to the medical community and patients of South Dakota.

Access to quality healthcare is a key factor in what makes communities vibrant, livable, and well-positioned for growth.

Ashley Eastman, RN, a long-term care nurse at Good Samaritan Society - Pine River, shows what it means to have the heart of a caregiver. Her love of service started at a young age, and from there it has blossomed into a career focused on compassion.

On Feb. 19, 319 students from the University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University gathered at the Andrew E. Lee Memorial Medicine and Science Building on the USD campus in Vermillion for Disaster Training Day, an annual event that provides hands-on disaster preparedness training.

Jefferson Community Health & Life has been named by Becker's Hospital Review as one of 100 noteworthy hospitals in its annual “Critical Access Hospitals to Know” list.

North Dakota is launching a new rural healthcare suicide prevention initiative aimed at strengthening follow-up care and closing critical gaps after suicide risk is identified. The effort follows recommendations from the North Dakota Suicide Fatality Review Commission and supports the Zero Suicide framework across rural and tribal healthcare systems.

MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center is the first hospital in Iowa to renew its emergency department pediatric readiness recognition through the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS), Iowa Pediatric Emergency Assessment and Care Recognition Program (IPEAC).

A program to help local cancer patients with items such as hair, wigs, prosthetics, makeup and other concerns is the focus of the 2026 Cancer Walk & Butterfly Release.

Alex Pierce assumed he was having a bad headache. But when he began vomiting and struggled to stand, the 28-year-old Fargo resident knew something wasn’t right.

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) is reporting one confirmed measles case in Cass County. This is the first case reported in Cass County in 2026.

Lakes Regional Healthcare (LRH) will transition to Epic, a new electronic health record (EHR) system, on May 30 as part of the organization’s continued commitment to improving patient care, safety and communication across the healthcare system.

CHI Health St. Francis Foundation invites emergency medical first responder departments across Greeley, Hall, Hamilton, Howard and Merrick counties to submit applications for grant funding. Supported by the Foundation’s annual Ticket to Win fundraising raffle, these grants provided resources for emergency medical training, supplies and equipment. The deadline for submission is Friday, June 12.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center and University of Nebraska at Kearney today formally celebrated the opening of the Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Education Complex in Kearney, the largest rural healthcare teaching facility in the country, and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to strengthening Nebraska’s healthcare workforce.

Volunteer motorcyclists will travel over 1,000 miles across Nebraska, collecting letters written by youth and raising awareness about children’s mental health. The ride will start on Wednesday, May 13, in Scottsbluff and finish on Saturday, May 16, on the North steps of the Nebraska State Capitol, where the riders will deliver these letters to Dr. Thomas Janousek, Division of Behavioral Health Director within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Iowa Methodist Medical Center has become one of the first in Iowa to perform a procedure using 4D intracardiac echocardiogram (ICE) ultrasound technology, marking a significant advancement in cardiovascular care for patients in Iowa.

The Iowa Hospital Association (IHA) today celebrated Governor Kim Reynolds’ signing of HF2635, the Patients First insurance reform bill, a major piece of legislation championed by Iowa hospitals and health systems. The new law is designed to improve patient access to care and reduce unnecessary administrative burdens that delay treatment.

The sixth annual Roger Maris All-Star Week returns June 15-19 at various locations throughout the Fargo-Moorhead area.

When stroke happens, minutes matter. Similar to how a heart attack blocks blood flow to the heart, a stroke happens when a clot or broken blood vessel stops or limits blood flow to the brain – a brain attack.

UnityPoint Health – Sioux City is enhancing access to urgent care services in the Dakota Dunes and Hamilton Boulevard areas through updates to clinic locations and hours. 

The University of Nebraska Medical Center and University of Nebraska at Kearney will celebrate the opening of the Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Education Complex in Kearney, the largest rural healthcare teaching facility in the country. The $115 million complex expands UNMC’s academic footprint in Kearney and includes the new three-story, 110,000-square-foot Health Science Education Center II, which opened in January, along with the original Health Science Education Center I that opened in 2015.

CHI Health St. Francis, in partnership with CHI Health Clinic: Nebraska Heart Institute, is offering a free community education session, “Born in 1962, This Seminar is for YOU! Navigating the Medicare Maze—Clear answers to your next chapter!,” on Thursday, May 28 at 6:30 pm. The session will be held in Conference Room 2/3 at the hospital.

Patients with psoriasis and eczema now have a new option for reducing inflammation at Columbus Dermatology Clinic.

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) FamilyFirst Services now offers Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) through telehealth by an approved provider to eligible families.

CHI Health Nebraska Heart announced today it has been named a 2026 Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ recipient by Healthgrades, the #1 site Americans use to find a doctor or hospital. This achievement reflects Nebraska Heart’s commitment to superior, patient-centered care and puts the organization in the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide for patient experience. This is the fourth consecutive year Nebraska Heart has received this recognition, reaffirming the hospital’s ongoing commitment to providing patients in Lincoln and surrounding communities with the highest quality care.

An unexpected illness or medical emergency can quickly turn life upside down. Beyond the physical and emotional toll, patients and families often face sudden financial stress related to travel, missed work, household expenses, or other non-medical needs that arise while focusing on treatment and recovery.

CHI Health Good Samaritan, in partnership with the S.A.F.E. Center, is pleased to announce upcoming training focused on community violence prevention. The public, alongside Good Samaritan staff and volunteers, are invited to participate in a free session.