Pride & Promise: Eight Healthcare Leaders Share their Wins for '24 and their Hopes for '25
By Alex Strauss
Thomas Worsley
In our ongoing effort to keep our metaphorical finger on the pulse of what's happening in our wide and diverse medical community, we have once again invited eight regional healthcare leaders to share their insights about the year past and the year to come. Our hope is that you'll learn something new about the health systems around you, get to know some of the people at the helm, and find inspiration for your own organizations as we navigate a new year.
Thomas Worsley, President Spearfish Hospital and Hills Markets, Monument Health
Spearfish, South Dakota
1) What are you proudest/most excited about what your organization has initiated or accomplished in 2024?
In 2024, we kicked off an $80 million building project that will disrupt our medical campus for the next few years. But in the end, the project will have transformed both our physical facilities and the way in which care is delivered in Spearfish and the Northern Black Hills.
With the many building site options available, after listening to the community, we chose to invest in the heart of Spearfish to maintain the convenient access to services the community has depended upon for over 6 decades. Our project will provide all new private medical/surgical rooms, new perioperative space, and a new and expanded emergency room area.
Additionally, we will have a new main entrance to the hospital and other improved common spaces for our physicians and nurses to care for the community they love. We are extremely proud to be able to continue to care for our patients and community throughout the construction process. While there will be brief periods of disruption, we are committed to being able to provide the highest level of patient experience for those we serve throughout construction.
2) What are you most looking forward to or hopeful about for your organization in the coming year?
We have so much to look forward to! We are constantly focused on expanding services for the area.
In a growing community and region, one of the services we are highly committed to is Pediatric Care. We are excited to welcome two new pediatricians to the community. Dr. Mauricio Rendon and Dr. Paula Marsland, both well trained and highly skilled pediatric providers that have joined Dr. Tara Ulmer as well as advanced practice providers Jami Kortan and Mackenzie Gatzky.
I continue to be amazed by our caregivers and the incredible dedication they have to caring for the evolving needs of the community.
Isaac Gerdes
Isaac Gerdes, CEO, Pioneer Memorial Hospital & Health Services
Viborg, South Dakota
1) What are you proudest/most excited about what your organization has initiated or accomplished in 2024?
Pioneer Memorial Hospital has seen significant growth in outpatient visits over the past year, driven by increased demand for specialized services and an emphasis on expanding community healthcare options. The hospital’s outpatient departments have expanded its service offerings and expanded volume within our service area. This diversification has attracted a larger patient base from surrounding areas, reducing the need for patients to seek care in larger urban areas.
Pioneer Memorial has enhanced access to care with the addition of telehealth services, the hospital has made outpatient services more accessible for patients with varying schedules. Community outreach and preventive care have been the hospital’s focus. Community outreach programs have encouraged regular screenings and follow-up care, driving an increase in outpatient appointments. Patient satisfaction initiatives, such as shorter wait times and improved care coordination, have also contributed to the rise in outpatient visits.
These strategic efforts reflect Pioneer Memorial Hospital’s commitment to providing high-quality, convenient care for its community, positioning the hospital as a leader in outpatient services in its service area. The continued growth in outpatient visits is not only a testament to the hospital’s services but also an indicator of their increasing role in meeting the healthcare needs of the local population.
2) What are you most looking forward to or hopeful about for your organization in the coming year?
Pioneer Memorial Hospital is set to make significant investments in technology in the coming year, aiming to enhance patient care, streamline operations, and improve outcomes. Pioneer Memorial has outlined a comprehensive plan that includes upgrades to critical medical equipment, expansion of telehealth services, and the integration of analytics to improve decision-making and patient management.
These investments underscore Pioneer Memorial Hospital’s commitment to remaining at the forefront of medical technology. By upgrading its infrastructure and embracing the latest innovations, the hospital is poised to offer its patients more efficient, effective, and personalized care in 2025 and beyond. The strategic focus on technology not only improves the quality of care but also positions Pioneer Memorial well as they move into the future.
Courtney Unruh
Courtney Unruh, CEO/Administrator, Freeman Regional Health Services
Freeman, South Dakota
1) What are you proudest/most excited about what your organization has initiated or accomplished in 2024?
In 2024, I am incredibly proud of our strides toward making Freeman Regional Health Services (FRHS) a preferred place to work and receive care.
We have prioritized the importance of a strong culture based on our mission, vision, values, and CARE (Compassion, Attitude, Respect, Excellence) standards. Our leadership development initiatives, including leadership book studies and advanced training like the SDAHO nurse leadership program, are cultivating strong leaders who are committed to excellence and advanced educational certifications and degrees.
Our exceptional Board of Directors, Physicians, and Advanced Practice Providers have helped steer our efforts to become a preferred care provider in our service area. We have enhanced our outpatient services significantly and we are excited to offer DEXA scans and the Planet Heart program supported by our new 64-slice CT.
Community engagement also remains a high priority, highlighted by successful events like our 14th Annual FRHS Foundation Golf Tournament and our 13th Annual Freeman Regional Foundation Gala which foster a strong connection with residents of Marion, Menno, Bridgewater, and Freeman.
2) What are you most looking forward to or hopeful about for your organization in the coming year?
In the coming year, we are excited to advance our vision of a comprehensive care continuum on a single campus, ensuring that our community has seamless access to a wide range of services.
We are also focused on engaging young community members in strategic planning and working collaboratively with local organizations to enhance the overall health of Freeman. Our commitment to advancing rural health is evidenced by our active recruitment of new physicians and the onboarding of two additional Advanced Practice Providers.
By fostering these connections and continuing to improve our services and grow our team, we aim to establish FRHS as a leader of rural healthcare in our area. In Freeman, we believe we are better together, and we are optimistic we will have a healthy and thriving community for generations to come.
Dan Bjerknes
Dan Bjerknes, Regional President & CEO of Avera St. Luke’s
Aberdeen, South Dakota
1) What are you proudest/most excited about what your organization has initiated or accomplished in 2024?
2024 was a fantastic year for Avera St. Luke’s Hospital because of some of the strategic decisions we made that ultimately increased access to both primary and inpatient care.
For example, our innovative, novel approaches to care delivery, including the hiring of several advanced practice professionals following the retirement of three long-term, well-loved providers and the opening of a Same Day Sick Clinic, have resulted in an increase of nearly 2,000 patients year to date in same-day settings that include our After Hours and Same Day Sick clinics.
At the same time, we were able to increase our inpatient transfers to our facility by nearly 70% from 2023 to 2024. This was the result of focusing on system throughput to ensure that our patients are able to receive quality care as close to home as possible.
In July, we were named as a 5-star facility by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for the fifth consecutive year.
2) What are you most looking forward to or hopeful about for your organization in the coming year?
In 2025 we’ll look to increase access to specialty care - again to keep health services close to home. We now have physicians in nephrology and pulmonary medicine, as well as added additional physicians in orthopedics and urology.
In the spring, we will open our newly renovated behavioral health unit, expanding from our current 10 beds to 18. The new space will also include an adolescent flex unit to care for acute needs of this young population. This will meet a long-awaited needs request by our community and the surrounding communities we serve. We continue a strategic focus on access across the continuum of care and quality.
With all of our initiatives, we’re hopeful for a growing workforce and we look forward to partnerships within our community to help with both retention of our valued employees and with recruitment of our future workforce, including skilled physicians and nurses.
We continued to be humbled by the opportunity to carry out the mission of our founding Sisters, who met the needs of the diphtheria epidemic by opening our hospital 123 years ago. Serving this ministry is truly an honor.
Richard Nordahl
Richard Nordahl, CEO, Sanford Sheldon Medical Center
Sheldon, Iowa
1) What are you proudest/most excited about what your organization has initiated or accomplished in 2024?
This past summer, Sanford Sheldon Medical Center installed a faster, more comfortable MRI machine for patients. This new machine provides better image quality and has many advanced features, allowing Sanford Sheldon to provide quality care in a more comfortable and efficient environment.
We also solidified our provider schedule to ensure we have general surgery outreach services for the next several years in Sheldon. In addition, we added another orthopedic surgery option for patients. Being able to provide services like these in rural Iowa allows our patients to access quality health care close to home instead of traveling to a larger hospital.
2) What are you most looking forward to or hopeful about for your organization in the coming year?
We continue to recruit for a permanent general surgeon who will provide coverage in Sheldon fulltime and are updating our surgical equipment. We are also recruiting another family medicine provider who is dual trained in obstetrics.
Wade Erickson
Wade Erickson, CEO, Horizon Health Elk Point
Elk Point, South Dakota
1) What are you proudest/most excited about what your organization has initiated or accomplished in 2024?
Following a worldwide pandemic and the end of the public health emergency where wellness and preventative healthcare was less of a priority, our healthcare teams have done an amazing job of reeducating our patients and communities about the importance of wellness and preventing vs. treating illness.
This hasn’t been an easy task but our teams care so deeply for their communities including their family, friends and neighbors and truly know the value of keeping their communities well.
2) What are you most looking forward to or hopeful about for your organization in the coming year?
In addition to continuing to promote wellness and preventative primary healthcare, we are looking forward and excited about two specific new initiatives around improving maternal health outcomes and expanding our behavioral health program. We know these are two very important areas that are having a significant impact on our patients and communities, especially in rural areas where access and affordability are significant barriers to accessing care.
As a rural FQHC, it is our passion and mission to ensure that everyone has the same access to high-quality, affordable healthcare regardless of where they live, work, and raise their families.
John Ayoub
John Ayoub, CEO, Mobridge Regional Hospital & Clinics
Mobridge, South Dakota
1) What are you proudest/most excited about what your organization has initiated or accomplished in 2024?
This year has been one of opportunity and challenge. We moved into new inpatient and obstetrics units, built a new pharmacy, brought on a new general surgeon, and will welcome a new FP/OB later this year. We started the year moving into new construction and then segued to major renovations.
We could not have done this without an extraordinary team. They support and care for each other; they rally around the cause and fulfill the mission, even through complex circumstances and day-to-day challenges. Through the entirety of our building project, they never stopped providing the highest quality, compassionate, and professional care. I could not be prouder to be associated with the wonderful women and men of MRH&C.
2) What are you most looking forward to or hopeful about for your organization in the coming year?
I am really looking forward to 2025; it will be an exciting year full of new opportunities for Mobridge Regional Hospital & Clinics (MRH&C).
We look to wrap up a construction project that has been going strong for years and will increase our Mobridge facility footprint by about 33% (30,000 ft²) with roughly the same square footage being renovated. In 2025, we will open our new infusion center, which will allow us to expand on an already robust offering of outpatient infusions, including chemotherapy.
We also look forward to going live with our new surgical services department. This will incorporate all of our current surgical services together, improving efficiency and patient satisfaction, while maintaining and improving our ability to provide high quality care. As the only facility providing surgical and obstetrical care within a 100-mile radius, this investment is significant and will only make our people more efficient and capable.
Later in the year we will open our new emergency department, functionally located between our inpatient unit and our diagnostic imaging department, which is right next to surgery. These departmental adjacencies will increase efficiency and positively impact our care team.
Finally, we look to wrap up the entirety of this building project with some renovations to our primary care clinic as well as expansion and improvements to our specialty clinic, which will allow us to house and meet the needs of existing and additional specialists to perform outreach and serve our patients right here close to home.
Lynda Barrie
Lynda Barrie, CEO, Orthopedic Institute
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
1) What are you proudest/most excited about what your organization has initiated or accomplished in 2024?
In 2024, I am incredibly proud of the collaboration driving our success, both externally and internally. Our partnerships with referring physicians have streamlined the referral process, ensuring patients receive timely, effective orthopedic care. These relationships have significantly improved patient outcomes and satisfaction.
Internally, our team’s dedication to preparing for the move to our new facility in Tea has been outstanding. Their coordination, attention to detail, and commitment have kept operations smooth at our current clinic while laying the groundwork for an enhanced patient care experience in the new space.
The strength of these external partnerships and our internal teamwork has set us up for continued success, and I am excited for what 2025 will bring in our new home.
2) What are you most looking forward to or hopeful about for your organization in the coming year?
I am excited about the upcoming opening of our new state-of-the-art orthopedic clinic in Tea, South Dakota. This 80,000-square-foot facility marks a major advancement for Orthopedic Institute, demonstrating our dedication to providing cutting-edge care. The expanded space will allow us to offer more services, reduce wait times, and enhance patient convenience.
What excites me most is the integration of advanced technology and innovative treatments. With expanded therapy, on-site pain management, and advanced imaging capabilities, we will deliver more comprehensive, personalized care in one location, improving both patient outcomes and satisfaction.
I am also eager to see how the clinic’s modern design and accessibility will further enhance our patients’ experience. This new facility will set the stage for us to raise the standard of orthopedic care in 2025 and beyond.