Rural Initiatives: SDAHO Supporting Cardiac Ready Communities

The Rural Health Initiatives (RHI) team supports SDAHO members by securing external funding through grants and contracts that advance services in quality improvement, opioid stewardship, EMS, and workforce development. Beyond grant and contract activities, the RHI team remains actively engaged in rural communities in support of SDAHO’s mission of advancing healthy communities through a unified voice across the healthcare continuum.

One example of this commitment is the RHI team’s involvement with the South Dakota Cardiovascular Collaborative. Since 2017, the Collaborative has worked to improve quality of life across the state through the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease and related risk factors. The Collaborative brings together healthcare and public health professionals from across South Dakota to support statewide cardiovascular health initiatives.

A key focus of the Collaborative is expanding the number of Cardiac Ready Communities throughout South Dakota. This program helps educate, equip, and empower community members to confidently respond to cardiac emergencies before emergency medical services arrive.

The Collaborative recently held its annual meeting on May 7 in Sioux Falls. Becky Heisinger, Director of Rural Health Initiatives, serves as an active member of the Collaborative and leads Goal Group 1, which focuses on the prevention, treatment, and management of cardiovascular disease.

During the meeting, attendees heard presentations from several designated Cardiac Ready Communities and university partners, including Viborg, South Dakota, which recently earned Cardiac Ready Community designation. Viborg was represented by Kelli Zimmerman, RN, BSN, CCRP, of Pioneer Memorial Hospital, who shared the community’s journey toward designation and highlighted the importance of local engagement and collaboration in improving community health outcomes. Cardiac Ready Communities was also represented by community champions from Rapid City, and the University of Sioux Falls; the first Cardiac Ready Campus to complete their designation.

The meeting also included strategic planning discussions focused on priorities and initiatives for the upcoming year. Through participation in collaboratives such as this, SDAHO HRET extends its impact beyond grants and contracts by supporting meaningful work taking place in rural communities across South Dakota. These efforts reflect SDAHO’s ongoing commitment to serving not only its members, but also the communities where they live and work.

To learn more about the South Dakota Cardiovascular Collaborative, please visit South Dakota Cardiovascular Collaborative.

For more information about becoming a Cardiac Ready Community, visit Cardiac Ready Communities Program.