Nurturing New Nurses: How USD's DOL Grant Tackles the Shortage Behind South Dakota's Nursing Shortage
Regardless of our job titles, most of us can attribute a good part of our success to goodmentors. Nowhere is that more true than in nursing, where preceptors are key to training thenurses our rural region so desperately needs. In this month's cover feature, how the Universityof South Dakota School of Health Sciences is supporting both students and those who nurturethem.
Monument Health Opens Region's First Epilepsy Monitoring Unit
Monument Health announced the opening of a two-bed Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) at Rapid City Hospital. The unit, which began seeing patients in February 2026, is the first of its kind in the region and represents a significant investment in neurological care for communities across western South Dakota and eastern Wyoming.
Avera Named to Forbes' Best-In-State Employers 2026 for South Dakota
Avera Health has been named on the Forbes list of America’s Best-In-State Employers 2026 for South Dakota. Avera ranks third on the list and is the first ranking health care system.
Sanford Bismarck Ranked No. 1 Hospital in North Dakota
U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals for 2026-2027 has ranked Sanford Bismarck Medical Center the No. 1 hospital in North Dakota.
Steve Schieber Named President of CHI Health Good Samaritan
Steve Schieber, MBA, FACMPE, FACHE, has been appointed as the new president of CHI Health Good Samaritan, having served in an interim capacity since January. In this new dual leadership role, he will also continue to serve as president of CHI Health St. Francis in Grand Island.
Park Haven Recovery Center Opens in Yankton for Mothers
Park Haven Learning and Recovery Center, a new residential treatment program for women dealing with substance use disorder, is ready to open after a ribbon cutting ceremony took place Aug. 19 in Yankton, SD. It will open its doors on Monday, Aug. 24.
Altru Health System Earns National Recognition for Telehealth Innovation
Altru Health System is celebrating the successful completion of its three year partnership with the American Heart Association's Center for Telehealth Learning Collaborative and the continuation of that work through a new one-year sustainability and expansion agreement.
CHI Health Names Jake McCarty President of CUMC-Bergan Mercy
CHI Health, a member of CommonSpirit Health, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jake McCarty, MPH, MPA, as the next president of CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center - Bergan Mercy. McCarty brings nearly 20 years of healthcare leadership experience, most recently serving as chief operating officer of Kaiser Permanente’s San Leandro Medical Center in California.
Leigh-Anne Lehmann Named LRHC's 2026 Caring Kind Award Recipient
Lexington Regional Health Center (LRHC) is proud to announce that Leigh-Anne Lehmann, PA-C, has been selected as the organization’s 2026 Caring Kind Award recipient, recognizing her outstanding compassion, service excellence, teamwork, and dedication to patients and colleagues.
Community Hospital Foundation Boosts Child Car Seat Safety Education
Community Hospital Health Foundation recently approved funding for a new car seat demonstration seat to support Community Hospital's child passenger safety education efforts. The addition provides parents and caregivers with a hands-on opportunity to learn proper car seat installation.
Iowa Hospital Association Launches Health Education Career Portal
The Iowa Hospital Association (IHA) today announced the launch of the Iowa Health Education Portal, a new online resource designed to help students, educators and workforce partners explore healthcare education and career pathways in Iowa.
Monument Health Rapid City Earns Leapfrog Full Transparency Badge
Monument Health Rapid City Hospital has earned the Leapfrog Full Transparency Badge, recognizing the hospital's commitment to publicly reporting information about patient safety and quality through the annual Leapfrog Hospital Survey.
CHI Health St. Francis Earns State's First PRISM Award for Nursing
CHI Health St. Francis was recently honored with the prestigious PRISM Award from the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) — the first hospital in the state to achieve this distinction. The national accolade recognizes medical-surgical units across the country for outstanding nursing practice, leadership and patient outcomes.
Waverly Health Center Adds $146.1M to Community, Local Economy
New data released as part of the Iowa Hospital Association's (IHA) annual community benefit and economic impact report highlights the vital role hospitals play not only in providing care, but also in strengthening local economies and supporting healthier communities.
Nebraska Medicine Names New Midtown Health Center for Saxena Family
A new Nebraska Medicine health center under construction at the southeast corner of 42nd and Farnam streets now has a name: Shikhar & Kristin Saxena Family Health Center.
Sanford Fargo Hosts Free Doc Talk on Plantar Fasciitis
Sanford Fargo is hosting a Doc Talk discussion to educate the public about plantar fasciitis.
McCook Agencies to Conduct Emergency Preparedness Drill Aug. 20
Community Hospital, Red Willow County Emergency Management, and the City of McCook will partner to conduct a yearly community-wide emergency preparedness DRILL on Thursday, August 20, to test and strengthen coordinated emergency response efforts. The drill is scheduled for approximately 5 to 7 p.m. and will take place on South Street at the southeast corner of Parker Hannifin.
Columbus Community Hospital Hosts Kids Safety Day Sept. 19
Columbus Community Hospital and Mike's Auto Sales and Towing invite you to learn safety tips from local experts at this year's Kids Safety Day. The event will be from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sat., Sept. 19, at Mike's Auto Sales and Towing, 1858 33rd Ave. in Columbus.
Dr. Gemechu Ayana Joins Essentia Health Fargo as Hospitalist
Essentia Health-Fargo is proud to welcome hospitalist Dr. Gemechu Ayana.
“I was drawn to Essentia Health because of its strong reputation for patient-centered care, collaborative team culture and commitment to serving both urban and rural communities,” explained Dr. Ayana. “The opportunity to practice in Fargo, in particular, appealed to me due to the balance of high-quality clinical practice, supportive work environment and the ability to make a meaningful impact on a growing community.”
Dr. Rushana Manatova Joins Essentia Health Fargo as Hospitalist
Essentia Health-Fargo is proud to welcome hospitalist Dr. Rushana Manatova.
“I chose to join Essentia Health because of the strong sense of collaboration and the genuine care the organization shows for its employees,” said Dr. Manatova. “I was also drawn to Essentia’s values of teamwork, joy and respect, all of which closely align with my own values.”