Author: electricpulp

Dana Darger, Director of Pharmacy at Rapid City Hospital, loves his job, and he isn’t shy about it. “I really truly don’t know anyone doing anything who loves their work more than I do,” he says enthusiastically. “I’ve been doing it a long time and at this point I could easily retire, but I don’t want to — I love coming to work every day.”

His enthusiasm shows. It’s obvious in his demeanor, how he interacts with people and the positive way his team reacts to his presence. Whether he intends to or not, Dana sets an example for those around him — waking up and choosing a positive approach for the day. “There’s always a choice, and I’m not going to let someone else decide I’m having a bad day,” he says with a smile. “It doesn’t always work, we all have days that don’t go right, but I get to decide what my attitude is going to be.”

This kind of leadership doesn’t go unnoticed, and Dana was recently included in the 50 Most Influential Leaders in Pharmacy Awards and Recognition Program, launched by the Pharmacy Podcast Network. Pharmacy professionals were encouraged to nominate peers that made a significant difference in their organizations.

“Our pharmacists and teams of people who support our pharmacists are under so much pressure right now,” says Todd Eury CEO & Founder of the Pharmacy Podcast Network, the first podcast dedicated to the profession. “We want to re-instill pride in our industry and honor innovative leaders who are helping to transform pharmacy, making it better for our patients, who we exist to better serve.”

“One of my vendors put my name in for it,” Dana explains. “I don’t do anything for recognition. It certainly feels wonderful to get it, but it isn’t a driving force for me.” What does drive him is a desire to figure out ways to improve how the hospital pharmacy works, especially in the rural environment. “But I can’t do it on my own. The hospital administration and leadership have been really good to me, letting me dream and reinvent the way we do things.”

An example of the innovative thinking that put Dana on this list was his idea of floating work when needed, allowing pharmacists and techs to take care of patients anywhere in the Monument Health system, from anywhere in the system. The staff don’t need to be sent anywhere, which costs at least a couple hours of productivity. “We can take care of patients in any of our facilities 24/7. If you’re in Custer and you’ve had a heart attack, you’re going to get the same pharmacy services at two o’clock in the morning as you would in Rapid City,” Dana says. “It’s not even high tech, by any means — although the technology helps — it was just a matter of designing new processes and workflows to make it work.”

That kind of thinking spills over into all of Dana’s leadership. He’s a bit of a “color outside the lines” kind of individual, but that’s what makes him so effective at finding innovative ways to improve hospital pharmacy. “For me, it’s always about driving better patient care. It’s about better clinical pharmacy, better patient safety. It’s always been about trying to do things better.”

The cherry on top of this enthusiastic display of holiday spirit is the regular visits from Santa Claus. Every Friday and Saturday night, Dana Darger, Director of Pharmacy, puts on his Santa suit and sits in front of Denny’s house, to the delight of children, parents and just about everyone. “It’s amazing when you see these kids light up,” says Dana. “Every night there’s at least one kid who asks if they can pull my beard, which is the litmus test for Santa. And when they pull the beard and it doesn’t come loose, you can see they’re like, ‘oh my gosh, this is Santa!’”

Dana takes his role seriously — or as seriously as one can take being a jolly old elf. He explains, “When you’re sitting in that chair, you can’t play Santa. You truly have to be Santa. You have to give each child the hope that they can have what they truly want for Christmas, but of course I can’t make any promises.”

Dana may wear the red suit, but both he and Denny embody the spirit of Santa Claus, striving to bring a little bit of hope, joy and cheer to the people around them.

“You know, people have asked me if I take donations, and I always say ‘no.’ I don’t want anyone’s money,” Denny says. “I want their smiles. I want them to make memories. People tell me that their new family tradition is coming to my house to see Santa Claus. And if you see how the kids react to Santa, it makes all the work we put into it worthwhile.”

You can pass by Denny’s house and check out his light display any night this holiday season, at 4311 Paddock Court in Rapid City. Santa will be in attendance on Friday and Saturday nights, 6 – 8 p.m. until Christmas.

Katie Parker remembers one specific phone call, received on a Sunday evening in 2010, in vivid detail. She felt a chill as she heard the words on the other end of the line — “the cancer cells are there.”

Only 36 years old at the time, Katie got a free mammogram earlier in the week, offered by her employer in Rapid City. She had no risk factors for breast cancer, but she “loves free things,” she said with a small chuckle. After consulting with her doctor, they decided there was no harm in getting tested.

“I was just so stunned,” Katie said after receiving the news. “I wasn’t really upset, I was just like, ‘how is this happening?’”

The next morning, Katie was contacted by the Monument Health Cancer Care Institute (CCI). She said the staff there really helped her through difficult decisions on treatment options, scheduling appointments and urged her to be an active participant in her treatment.

“I was so grateful for that,” Katie said. “At the time you are thinking ‘oh my gosh, I have cancer’ and that’s all you can think about, but you have other important decisions to make.”

Katie was diagnosed with invasive ductal breast cancer. She was treated with a partial mastectomy and six rounds of radiation administered by Daniel Petereit, M.D., at CCI. Thankfully, the treatments worked and after being diagnosed in May, Katie was cancer free by October.

In 2020 Katie celebrated the 10th anniversary of her final cancer treatment, by ringing the bell at CCI, smiling from ear to ear. “I am proof positive about why you need to talk to your doctor about screening guidelines, family history and what is best for you,” Katie said. “Get your screenings because if there is cancer, then you can get caught at an early stage.”

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Mammograms are the best weapon we have against breast cancer, so talk to your doctor about scheduling your mammogram, and go to monument.health/weneedyou for more information.

 

At Monument Health physicians and clinical caregivers like nurses and nursing support always strive to provide excellent care to patients. Other caregivers work to facilitate that goal in whatever role they fill in the organization. For everyone at Monument Health to do the best possible job, they need to be in the right environment. Sometimes that means expanding into new space, or moving into existing space.

When departments move into new facilities — or into existing facilities that have been vacated or remodeled — it’s not as simple as packing up a desk and walking down a hall. Instead, it’s a detailed process of assessing the best use of a space, selecting the right furniture for the location, scheduling movers around patient appointments, ensuring that IT can network the facility and finally carrying out the plan effectively.

There’s a lot more to it than most people are aware of, but that’s where Real Estate and Space Planning— the “move team” — comes into play. This team manages all space requests for new and existing facilities, moving caregivers, new furniture orders, old furniture reassignment and the artwork displayed in all of Monument Health’s healing environments.

“A lot of people outside of Monument Health ask what department I work in, and when I tell them Real Estate and Space Planning, they don’t quite understand why that’s required for a hospital,” says Liz Kaiser, Space Management Specialist. “But we have many departments that are growing. Sometimes that means new construction, and sometimes they have just outgrown their current space and need to relocate to an available space that’s larger.”

“When a department needs to change space, they begin by getting approval from their Director or Vice President and then placing a request,” says Renee Tempesta, Space Planning Manager. The “move team” then assesses whether the move makes sense, taking into consideration: appropriate space for patient care, ease of access for patients, how the move will affect other occupants and other factors.

“When a space becomes available it falls under space planning,” says Liz. “And when many departments are interested in that space, requests are reviewed by the Space Committee.” The committee reviews requests with a focus on a department’s needs, the available spaces and how well those spaces fit the needs. Additionally, the team has to consider how the move will affect other departments, and keep an eye on the big picture for future planning, expansion and moves.

“It’s like a domino effect a lot of times,” says Elle Larsen, Real Estate Manager. “We’re always looking at how a move affects not only the people who are moving, but also the ones around them. It’s important that we use the space as effectively as possible.” To make sure that they can see the immediate needs, as well as the big picture, the team has familiarized themselves with Monument Health facilities in a way few others have. “We go through floor plans, and we get to know every inch of the hospital and outside locations,” adds Liz.

Once a move is finalized, Liz coordinates with all the necessary departments, the movers, IT, EVS, the affected departments and anyone else who may be involved. “We credit the success of a move to many other support departments,” she adds.

So the next time a department moves, a space opens up or new furniture is moved into a location, rest assured that the “move team” has spent a great deal of time planning, organizing and coordinating to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible.

“When it happens, it’s all about saving time and effort for the caregivers and providers,” adds Renee. “They don’t have to worry about the move, so they can concentrate on their patients.”

Hockey is a physically demanding sport — players can cover almost five miles in the course of a game, with several high-intensity sprints mixed into that movement. Players in a forward position, like Brayden Fine, often cover even more distance at higher intensities. To excel as a hockey player requires plenty of practice, as well as excellent physical training.

Brayden had the practice part covered, playing on the varsity Rushmore Thunder team. To get an edge and take his game to the next level, he started working with Chris Hathaway, a Performance Enhancement Coach at Monument Health Sports Performance Institute, Powered by EXOS.

“My team did a training with them and I really liked it,” said Brayden. “I felt like I got a lot out of it and I thought it’d be a really good thing to do more of.” He committed to training with Chris five days a week, working on speed, agility and strength. “For Brayden specifically, as a hockey player, our goals have been increasing his speed, making him strong and explosive and adding some size to the height he already had going for him. Basically, I wanted to help him become a force to be reckoned with on the ice,” Chris said of their training goals.

Their hard work paid off, as Brayden recently signed with the Jersey Hitmen, an organization within the United States Premier Hockey League. Brayden says, “It’s like an adventure — I’m excited to see another place, to play a bunch of different teams and meet new people. I can’t wait to see how far this team will take me.”

When it comes to training at Sports Performance Institute, Brayden believes it was a great decision. “I would definitely recommend it,” he says. “I think all the coaches are awesome, and I’ve never regretted spending my time there. Chris was great at answering any questions that I had and was willing to work with me through any problems.”

Chris speaks highly of Brayden’s commitment to his training as well, saying, “what sets Brayden apart from his peers is that he has shown a dedication and determination to his sport and his training that very few athletes have at that age. Brayden is one of those athletes that makes my job fun. He trusted me as his strength coach and completely committed to the process. He has worked so incredibly hard during our time together and it’s great to see it paying off for him with this opportunity to play for the Jersey Hitmen.”

The South Dakota Healthcare Human Resource Association, or SDHHRA — an affiliate of the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) — has recognized Marcia Taylor, RN, Clinical Experience Coach, with the Spirit of Service Award.

This award recognizes an employee who has performed above and beyond the call of duty and has shown extraordinary acts of kindness in the community and/or for patients, visitors or fellow employees. Nominees embody the “spirit of service” through the qualities of kindness, respect, loyalty, dedication and hospitality — all qualities exemplified by Marcia.

Marcia has been in a number of roles in her almost 50 years of service at Monument Health, but as Clinical Experience Coach, she works to ensure that our patients have the best experience possible. This includes providing valuable guidance in clinical situations as well as working with patients, families and fellow caregivers to find the best plan of care.

“Marcia is a tireless advocate for patients and their families. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had a lot of discussions about Monument Health visitor policies,” said John Pierce, President of Rapid City Hospital and Market. “We had to ask if we should allow visitors, how many we should allow, if we make exceptions for some patients or if some departments are different than others. Marcia’s concern always centered around what was fair for patients and their families.”

From making arrangements for families of COVID-19 patients to thank caregivers for the care they provided to loved ones, to helping create a program that placed 200 iPads in patient rooms — allowing families another way to communicate with the patient, so that they wouldn’t feel so isolated — Marcia always strives to do what’s best for patients and families.

“First of all, it’s an honor,” said Marcia. “But I’d also say that there’s nothing we can do in health care without the effort of an entire team. So I feel that this really goes to the entire organization. We are really showing how Monument Health serves our communities.” She continued; “SDAHO brings us together, as a unified state. It’s also an honor to be part of an organization that looks way beyond just one or two communities — they’re working to address all of the incredible challenges we face in such a frontier state. It’s exciting, and an honor to be a part of that.”

Marcia was also featured in the cover story in the Winter 2020 issue of Monument Health Magazine.