Avera Hospitals Named to Forbes' 2026 Top Hospitals by State
Several hospitals across the Avera footprint have been recognized by Forbes as top hospitals in their state.
Avera Health Names Robert Fouberg Board Chair, Adds New Members
Avera Health announces appointments to its Board of Directors for its new fiscal year which began July 1, 2026.
Robert Fouberg will serve as board chair, serving a two-year term that runs through June 30, 2028. He has been a board member since 2020.
Fouberg, of Aberdeen, is Chairman and CEO of Dacotah Bank and its parent holding company, Dacotah Banks, Inc. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Augustana University, Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His career spans private law practice, policy work in Washington, D.C., and leadership within the banking industry. Fouberg also serves on the boards of South Dakota Community Foundation, Enterprise 605, Inc., and the American Bankers Association Foundation, and has served on the Avera St. Luke’s Hospital Board of Directors.
“I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve as board chair during an exciting season of growth and innovation for Avera. I look forward to working with fellow board members and Avera leaders to live out the Avera mission in the communities we serve,” Fouberg said.
Doneen Hollingsworth of Pierre, SD, remains vice chair. Hollingsworth is retired Secretary of Health for the state of South Dakota and held other roles in state government. She has served on the South Dakota Board of Nursing and the boards of Capital Area Counseling Services and Boys and Girls Clubs of the Capital Area. She joined the Avera board in 2019.
The Avera Health Board welcomes new board members, J. Pat Costello, Dr. Andrew Ellsworth and
Danna Schuster.
Costello, of Sioux Falls, has a broad range of experience that includes accounting, the food and beverage industry, government, small business and economic development. He was previously the market manager for Builders FirstSource, and earlier was President/CEO of Schoeneman’s Building Materials Center. He has served as Commissioner of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Sioux Falls City Councilor. He is past chair of the Sioux Falls Development Foundation Board and holds a degree from Arizona State University. He’s also past board chair and member of the Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center Board of Trustees.
Dr. Ellsworth, of Brookings, SD, is a family medicine physician with Access Health and Avera Brookings Medical Clinic. He earned his bachelor's degree from Augustana University, medical degree from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine, and attended residency at the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho. Dr. Ellsworth is a past president of the South Dakota Academy of Family Physicians. He has served on the boards for the Brookings Health System, Avera Health Plans and the American Academy of Primary Care Endoscopy. He volunteers his time with On Call with the Prairie Doc, which includes a newspaper column, radio show and a live medical information television show on South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
Schuster, of Le Mars, Iowa, held positions in insurance sales, marketing and development, and in recent years has focused on community service. She is current board chair for Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars and Board President for Le Mars Community Theatre, past board member for Gehlen Catholic School, as well as many other service positions. She holds a bachelors of arts degree from Buena Vista University.
Outgoing board members are Dr. Jason Wickersham and Dr. Luis Rojas.
“We thank Robert Fouberg for his leadership as incoming board chair and appreciate the perspective he brings as a leader in banking, law and public policy. We also thank Doneen Hollingsworth for drawing upon her depth of knowledge and experience as she continues to serve as vice chair,” said Jim Dover, FACHE, President and CEO of Avera Health. “We welcome our new board members and thank Drs. Wickersham and Rojas for their service on the board. Avera truly benefits from experienced leaders such as these, and we appreciate their willingness to share their time and talents to benefit Avera staff, patients and their families.”
Monument Health Spearfish Audiologist Earns Pediatric Board Certification
Felicia Beltman, AuD, an audiologist at Monument Health Spearfish Clinic on North Avenue, has earned Board Certification in Pediatric Audiology (BC-PA) from the American Board of Audiology, one of few certified specialists in the region to hold the distinction.
SDAHO Seeks Exhibitors and Sponsors for 100th Annual Convention
The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) is now accepting vendor and sponsor applications for its 100th Annual Convention, taking place September 16–18, 2026, at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.
Sanford Health's Brad Reimer Wins 2026 Minnesota ORBIE Award
Brad Reimer, chief technology and digital officer at Sanford Health, has been named the winner of a 2026 Minnesota ORBIE Award in the large enterprise category. He was among five other finalists considered in this category, including chief information officers from Land O’ Lakes, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota and the state of Minnesota.
Brookings Health Earns AHA Rural Stroke Bronze Award
People who live in rural communities live an average of three years fewer than urban counterparts, have a 40% higher likelihood of developing heart disease and face a 30% increased risk for stroke mortality, according to an American Heart Association’s presidential advisory on rural health. Brookings Health System’s emergency team is committed to changing that.
100 Years of Gathering: A Look Back at SDAHO Convention Locations
As SDAHO celebrates its 100th Anniversary in 2026, we’re taking a look back at one of our longest-standing traditions—the Annual Convention.
SDAHO's 2026 Annual Convention Celebrates a Century of Healthcare
This year’s SDAHO Annual Convention is more than a conference—it’s a celebration of a century of collaboration, partnerships and innovation in South Dakota healthcare. As we commemorate our 100th Anniversary, we’re inviting health care professionals from across the state to come together for an event unlike any other.
Freeman Regional Health Services Welcomes Laura Hofer, PA-C
Freeman Regional Health Services is pleased to welcome Laura Hofer, PA-C, to its provider team. Hofer will provide care in the Rural Medical Clinics and the Emergency Department, helping expand access to high-quality healthcare for patients throughout our region.
Brookings Health Sleep Lab Earns ACHC Reaccreditation
Brookings Health System’s Sleep Diagnostics Facility was recently reaccredited through the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) for polysomnography services both at the hospital-based testing facility and the home sleep testing setting.
Six Avera Hospitals Earn AHA Awards for Stroke Care Excellence
Several Avera hospitals have received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® ― Stroke quality achievement awards for their commitment to ensuring people experiencing stroke receive timely, appropriate treatment based on nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately helping to save lives and reduce disability.
Sanford Health Reinvested Over $1 Billion in Rural Care in 2024
Sanford Health reinvested more than $1 billion in 2024 to support patients, strengthen communities and expand access to healthcare across the rural communities it serves. The investments are detailed in Sanford Health's annual Community Impact Report, which highlights how the nonprofit health system reinvests resources to improve community health and ensure access to care close to home.
Six Good Samaritan Locations Earn 2026 AHCA/NCAL Silver Quality Award
Six Good Samaritan locations have been recognized as 2026 Silver – Achievement in Quality award recipients by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) for demonstrating systematic growth in quality care.
Yankton Medical Clinic Marks 80 Years With Free Community Concert
For 80 years, Yankton Medical Clinic has had the privilege of caring for generations of families throughout southeast South Dakota, northeast Nebraska, and the surrounding region. This summer, the clinic is saying "thank you" to the community in a big way.
Yankton Medical Clinic Earns ACR Accreditation for CT Imaging
Yankton Medical Clinic, an Avera partner, has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in computed tomography (CT) as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology® (ACR®). CT scanning — sometimes called CAT scanning — is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and tailor treatments for various medical conditions.
Avera Welcomes Two New Physicians to Hawarden and Akron Clinics
Avera Health is growing its family medicine team in the Hawarden and Akron area with the addition of two physicians who bring both deep regional roots and varied clinical backgrounds to their new patients.
Dakota Vascular Adds New Embolization Procedures
Dakota Vascular in Sioux Falls is now offering new embolization procedures as part of their interventional services.
Hospital Wing’s Persistent Heavy Air Raises Concern
Nurses working the evening shift had started mentioning it casually.
“The air feels strange in here tonight.”
Patients sometimes said the same thing.
Not bad air.
Just… heavier than usual.
Philanthropist Banker T. Denny Sanford Remembered by PREMIER Bank and Sanford Health
First PREMIER Bank and PREMIER Bankcard and Sanford Health share statements on the passing of T. Denny Sanford, noted philanthropist and business leader.
Tierra Ohmann Named Nursing Director at The Neighborhoods at Brookview
Tierra Ohmann, RN, was recently hired as nursing director at The Neighborhoods at Brookview skilled nursing facility.