South Dakota State Medical Association Member Spotlight
Why join the South Dakota State Medical Association? Infectious Disease Specialist Peter Paul Lim, MD, shares his perspective in this first SDSMA Member Spotlight.
Built to Last: SDAHO Marks 100 Years as South Dakota Healthcare's 'Unified Voice'
Every day when Tim Rave walks into work at the office of the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations, he's making history. Rave, who has been at the helm of SDAHO for the past eight years, is only the 6th President and CEO of an organization that has been a fixture of South Dakota medicine for 100 years…
USD School of Health Sciences Success Spotlight: Eva Kluender, MPH
Eva Kluender, MPH, was working as a dental assistant when she took her first public health course as part of her undergraduate degree program in Health Sciences at USD. "My original plan was to become a dental hygienist," she says. She reasoned that a Health Sciences degree…
First Kearney Medical Class at University of Nebraska Medical Center to Receive Scholarships
The University of Nebraska Medical Center will offer scholarships to the first class of medical students to study and train in Kearney, a key initiative aimed at strengthening access to health care in rural Nebraska.
A Century Strong: Highlights From the SDAHO Vault
As our A Century Strong: From the SDAHO Vault series continues, we turn the page to the Association’s second year — a period marked by rapid change, unexpected challenges, and the first true test of South Dakota’s hospitals.
Sanford Health Leaders to Discuss Future of Care at National Health Care Conference
Sanford Health leaders are joining top industry experts next week at one of the most prestigious health care events of the year to discuss how the business of health care is meeting the future of technology.
Mayor John Ewing Jr. to Celebrate Community Engagement Efforts at University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. will join University of Nebraska Medical Center leaders to recognize UNMC for being awarded the 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, one of the highest national honors recognizing an institution’s commitment to community engagement. UNMC, which first received the classification in 2015, is one of only 279 institutions across the county that currently hold it. Mayor Ewing will pronounce Feb. 23 “UNMC Community Engagement Day,” recognizing UNMC’s efforts to raise the health of all individuals and communities across Nebraska.
Free Education Session Explores Whether Type 2 Diabetes Is Reversible
CHI Health St. Francis, in collaboration with CHI Health Clinic Heart Institute, is hosting a heart-education session at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26 in Conference Room 2/3 at the hospital. “Fact or Fiction? Type 2 Diabetes is Reversible” explores the root cause of most chronic diseases and the impact metabolic health has on a person’s overall well-being.
Sanford Bismarck to Host Doc Talk on Proven Heart Health Strategies
An expert from the Sanford Bismarck region will host a Doc Talk next week on heart health.
Sanford Fargo Offers Doc Talk Focused on Heart-Healthy Nutrition
Sanford Health Fargo is hosting a Doc Talk discussion to educate the public about heart-healthy diets
Lives Saved Through Helmsley AED Grants Celebrated by North Dakota HHS and Community Partners
Today, North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS), North Dakota State Health Officer Sherry Adams, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, and local community members and partners celebrated the lives saved in the state through a grant program to equip rural law enforcement officers with modern, “connected” automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
Nursing Alumna Selected for 2025 Dole Caregiver Fellow Leadership Program
At just 23 years old, Kylie Briest has spent nearly her entire life as a caregiver. In 2005, her father, U.S. Army Sgt. Corey Briest, was severely injured by an IED explosion in Iraq. The blast left him with a traumatic brain injury, resulting in limited mobility, vision and speech. Kylie Briest was only three years old at the time.
Public Health Education Comes to Life for Teens Through Mobile Game “Zoodemic”
The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) have launched “Zoodemic,” a free mobile app that transforms public health education into a fast-paced, interactive game for middle and high school students.
SDAHO Presents Pain Uncovered: The Hidden Connections Shaping Relief and Dependence
Chronic pain exists along a continuum from acute injury to long-standing, centralized pain shaped by neuroplastic changes, trauma, and stress-related learning in the brain and body. Advances in neuroscience and epigenetics show how adverse experiences can alter pain processing and gene expression over time, helping explain why pain may persist even after tissue healing. Accurate identification of pain type is essential for selecting appropriate treatments, including pharmacologic options, while also recognizing the risks associated with long-term opioid therapy, complex persistent opioid dependence, and opioid use disorder. This program will look at current evidence to build integrated, patient-centered strategies that address pain, trauma, and opioid related risk together. Participation is free. Pre-registration is required.
DNAP Inaugural Cohort Earns 100% NCE Success Rate
The University of South Dakota’s inaugural Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia Practice class has achieved a 100% pass rate on the National Certification Examination within 30 days of program completion, including an exceptional 89% first-time pass rate.
University of Nebraska Medical Center Expands Nursing Partnership With the University of Nebraska at Omaha
The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Nursing and the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s College of Arts & Sciences will collaborate on an early admission pathway for pre-nursing students at UNO.
Health Care Scholarship Application Dates Announced by MercyOne Clinton Foundation
MercyOne Clinton Foundation is accepting health care scholarship applications for the 2026-2027 academic year. The foundation offers scholarships ranging from $250 to $1,500 to people interested in pursuing a career in health care.
UnityPoint Health–Des Moines and University of Iowa Partnership Spotlighted During Leadership Transition
After 40 years of service in pediatric care, medical education and physician leadership, Dr. Ken Cheyne will retire on April 3, 2026. Dr. Cheyne played a pivotal role in shaping medical education in Central Iowa through his leadership at UnityPoint Health – Des Moines, including his service at Blank Children’s Hospital and most recently as Executive Director of the Des Moines Area Medical Education Consortium, Inc. (DMEC) and Assistant Dean of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine branch campus in Des Moines.
Avera Queen of Peace Hospital Honors Dr. Lucio Margallo II With Athletic Training Room Recognition at Mitchell High School
Avera Queen of Peace Hospital and the Mitchell School District recognized Dr. Lucio Margallo II on Thursday evening with a plaque for the Mitchell High School Athletic Training Room in his honor, celebrating his exceptional service to students, student-athletes and families throughout the Mitchell community.
Sanford Fargo to Host “Doc Talk” on Weight Loss Solutions
Sanford Health Fargo is hosting a Doc Talk discussion to educate the public about various weight loss options.