In Print

The new Behavioral Health and Wellness Center at Children’s Nebraska is Omaha offers a "no wrong door" policy for self-referral and a seamless continuum of mental health services for children and teens, positioned right alongside primary care — a deliberate signal that mental health and physical health are inseparable.

Brock Doubledee, DO, Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Sanford Children's is this month’s Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana ‘Champion of Hope’": “For the most part, I refer every patient who is eligible. I feel like, if you're eligible, you deserve to receive a wish.”

Ashley Rucker was just 16 when she became a nurse assistant, her first step into a field that would define her professional life. After working on a medical/surgical ward, a cardiac ICU, and in home hospice (and earning as MSN), Rucker was ready to further her education

SDSMA has been a meaningful part of my journey as a resident, offering a platform to connect with peers and mentors. It has actively supported my professional and academic growth through opportunities in publishing, collaboration and advocacy. As I transition to fellowship, I see myself continuing this journey through the help of SDSMA to further contribute to the medical community and patients of South Dakota.

Access to quality healthcare is a key factor in what makes communities vibrant, livable, and well-positioned for growth.

Ashley Eastman, RN, a long-term care nurse at Good Samaritan Society - Pine River, shows what it means to have the heart of a caregiver. Her love of service started at a young age, and from there it has blossomed into a career focused on compassion.

Megan Smith, MD, a Family Medicine Physician in Burke, SD, is this month’s SDSMA Member Spotlight: “I see daily what access to quality healthcare means to my community, and I will never turn away from advocating for fairer systems.”

Sami Awadallah, MD, Pediatric Cardiologist, with Avera Medical Group Pediatric Specialists is this month’s Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana ‘Champion of Hope’": “Children with congenital heart disease are not only suffering with physical limitations. Their view of life and the world can change…”

From the moment guests arrive, there is a noticeable shift. The pace slows. The air feels lighter. The design — modern yet warm, refined yet approachable — invites you to exhale. The Highpoint Hotel was created with…

Endocrinologist David Newman, describes himself as a "die-hard Midwestern Dakotan". Newman grew up in Fargo and became an endocrinologist to take care of people in his home area. What he didn’t anticipate was how far many of those people would have to travel just to sit in his exam room….

Why join the South Dakota State Medical Association? Infectious Disease Specialist Peter Paul Lim, MD, shares his perspective in this first SDSMA Member Spotlight.

Rapid City pediatric hospitalist Tamra Lemley, MD, is new to Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana but she is excited to learn just how many children are eligible for wishes. She’s this month’s Champion of Hope.

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…

Ciciley Littlewolf, MD, doesn’t know where she first got the idea to be a doctor. Growing up on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana, she didn’t know a lot of medical professionals…

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…

Pediatric Oncologist Ashlee Blumhoff, APRN-CNP, CPHON, with Sanford Children’s was the top referrer for Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana and is this month’s Champion of Hope.

Jason Steere describes his career path as an "adventurous wander". As a kid in Sioux Falls, he hadn't intended to go to college. But after a stint in the military, Steere changed his mind and enrolled at USD….

Monument Health added 40 new physicians in the last half of 2025, shoring up access to care and bringing new specialties to the region. We'll meet the gynecologic oncologist, cardiothoracic/vascular surgeon, and colorectal surgeon who are building these new programs from the ground up.

Can a granted wish change the trajectory of a child’s illness? Find out why Sioux Falls pediatrician Rick Kooima refers his eligible patients to Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana and why he thinks others should consider it, too.

On an overcast day in Sioux Falls, some of the most influential voices from across the country came together, full of energy and optimism, to explore solutions to the most complex issues facing rural health care today at the fourth annual Summit on the Future of Rural Health Care.

At the end of each year, we invite a group of healthcare professionals in our region to share their insights on what's working - and what could be working better - in their practices. This year, we posed two questions to seven primary care providers from across South Dakota, Southwest Minnesota, and Northwest Iowa. From the high cost of care to countering misinformation to preparing for AI, their answers provide a fascinating glimpse into life in rural primary care today.

As an undergrad at UND Fargo, Alex Van Voorhis studied music and communications. But, after a half dozen years in sales and marketing, she realized it wasn't her calling.

At a time when so many people are in need of mental health services, what is the best way to protect yourself when your patient can't get a timely appointment? The experts at COPIC say proper documentation is key.

Sanford Researcher Pilar de la Puente, PhD, is revolutionizing women's cancer research with groundbreaking work on chemoresistance and early detection. Her innovative approach has earned elite NIH recognition, accolades from her home town in Spain, and even the chance to featured in a comic book!

When you ask Lucas Seehafer, an assistant professor at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, Minnesota, what he thinks about his experience at the University of South Dakota School of Health Sciences, his answer is swift and definitive:

For Catherine Bilyeu, the USD School of Health Sciences made the path from practicing physical therapist in Canada to academic leader in Colorado considerably smoother than it might otherwise have been.

As healthcare professionals, you know this truth well: Patients stick with what tastes good. That’s why pork’s role as a nutrient-dense, flavor-forward protein is gaining momentum in today’s dietary landscape.

Otolaryngologist Daniel Todd, MD, has been using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) for the past 30 years, primarily for patients with head and neck cancer. Now, with his new venture, Midwest Hyperbarics, he’s branching out to offer more of what HBOT can do.