Author: Kory Lanphear

Those who volunteer are inspired to do so for many different reasons — a sense of duty, a fondness for charity, perhaps a chance to share their skills. 

For Judy Youngbluth, Ambulatory Case Manager, Custer Clinic Primary Care, it’s a combination of civic pride and the opportunity to pay tribute to her late mother-in-law.

Judy lives in Hot Springs, one of three towns in which she works, including Hill City and her main office in Custer. She volunteers for the organization Keep Hot Springs Beautiful, the mission of which is to “stimulate community pride and increase individual responsibility in beautification and litter reduction through environmental education and programs.”

“In the spring, we go around and pick up garbage to keep the town clean. I’ve done that for a few years,” says Judy.

Her main interest, though, is to maintain two “bump-outs” along Hot Springs’ main downtown business loop. The bump-outs are small garden plots that volunteers care for by planting flora and ensuring the gardens stay watered and clean. Keep Hot Springs Beautiful charmingly calls such volunteers the “Bump Out Brigade.”

From spring to fall, Judy and her three friends plant and care for roses, marigolds and other types of plants and flowers. They try to keep the gardens deer-resistant so they don’t get eaten as soon as they bloom. 

Other times of the year, the Brigaders dress up the bump-outs in celebration of a holiday or to represent a seasonal theme. 

“We put decorations out for the fall, and then we’ll put some out for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter. We put flags out for various things like Flag Day and Memorial Day,” she says. “It’s just kind of a little women’s outing. We try and coordinate. We’ll bring coffee and we visit as we’re working because we’re all friends and working together. But we love the comments when people drive by and say, ‘Hey that looks great.’”

Part of her motivation, though, is to preserve the memory of her mother-in-law, Dee Youngbluth.

“My sister-in-law is part of this group. Her mom, my mother-in-law, worked at the local greenhouse in Hot Springs. She loved flowers, and I grew to love flowers. I always wanted to learn more about them and take care of them,” says Judy. “After she passed away a few years ago, a friend of theirs had a bench put in one of the bump-outs in her honor, and that’s the bump-out we wanted. It wasn’t available then, so we took another one close by. Last year that bump-out became available, so now we have two bump-outs.”

Most recently, Judy and company decorated their bump-outs in celebration of Labor Day. 

At her job, Judy helps ensure rural patients get the health care they need. She brings that same sense of determined pride to her efforts to keep her small, rural hometown beautiful indeed.

Photos courtesy of Judy Youngbluth

Story by Kory Lanphear

The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) at Rapid City Clinic, Flormann Street, has been certified by the Center for Disease Control with Full or Full Plus Recognition since 2019. On April 1, their certification was renewed again for the next two years.

An astounding 100% of those who completed the program achieved at least one of the following:

• 5% weight loss
• 4% weight loss and have at least 8 sessions associated with an average of 150 minutes/week of physical activity, or
• 4% weight loss and at least 17 sessions attended
• a 0.2% reduction in baseline average blood sugar levels over a period of two to three months (HbA1c, or glycated hemoglobin)

This is a massive success, especially when compared to the national average of 55%. On top of that, MDPP is the only such program recognized by the CDC in the state of South Dakota

“It takes a lot of work to get a diabetes prevention program certified and additional efforts to attain Full and Full Plus recognition,” says Donna Riley, Clinical Dietitian and MDPP lifestyle coach. “We are proud to offer this program and are so appreciative of the participants who have worked hard to make lifestyle changes. Our support of our participants and their hard work have resulted in positive health outcomes that have helped our program achieve Full Plus certification.”
 
MDPP focuses on lifestyle changes to help lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes. It consists of 26 one-hour group sessions offered over the course of one year. The focus is on increasing physical activity, fostering healthy eating habits and making lifestyle changes that promote a 5-10% weight loss. 

“Fifty percent of individuals that are on Medicare have prediabetes. Many of them may not even know it. So that’s the bad news,” says Donna. “The good news is that studies show that 71% of people over the age of 60 can prevent — or at the very least delay — Type 2 diabetes with physical activity, improved nutrition and a 5-10% weight loss.”

Monument Health has offered the Diabetes Prevention Program since 2014. It is a nationwide program that uses a curriculum developed by the CDC. According to Donna, twenty groups have gone through Monument Health’s MDPP. A few of the topics covered are healthy eating, becoming more active, managing stress, eating healthy away from home or while traveling, the importance of sleep, how to manage stress and how to deal with setbacks or lapses. 

Participants don’t need a referral for MDPP. However, there are some requirements to join. One is that they have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more, unless they are of Asian descent, in which case, a BMI of 23 is required. Secondly, they must have abnormal glucose levels that show prediabetes. MDPP is 100% covered by Medicare Part B. 

“Five to ten percent weight loss for most people is usually about 10-20 pounds; we’re not talking about 40 and 50 pounds,” says Donna. “It’s not as much as people may think they need to lose.” 

One blustery day last January, the class topic was taking movement breaks: every 30 minutes, get up and move. Participants praised the element of accountability and the mutual support they get from the classroom setting. For example, there is a private weigh-in every session with the coach, and program participants may opt to share their challenges and success at each session. Most of the members choose to participate so they can compare results and cheer each other on. Some participants also attributed to the class an improved sense of mental well-being in addition to becoming physically healthier.
 
“When you have kids and grandkids, the thought comes, ‘Well, do I want to be here for them?’ That’s one of the first things we discuss: what is your ‘why,’” says Susan Roberts, a class participant. “I thought the first thing we’d study is the foods you can’t eat. We didn’t even touch on food hardly at all until a month or so into it. It’s a unique approach that makes it feel like you can do it.”
 
Interested patients can call Monument Health Diabetes Education at 605-755-3495 for the start date of the next program.

Stay tuned for an open house at MDPP’s new location inside Monument Health Endocrinology and Diabetes Education at 855 Omaha Street, on the corner of Rushmore Boulevard and Omaha Street, next to Natural Grocers.

For more information: monument.health/service/diabetes-management

Story by Kory Lanphear

Mason Thorson dialed in his settings, started his treadmill workout at a Rapid City gym, then collapsed. The fact that he was in medical distress and in need of assistance was immediately apparent. Nathan Svendsen and Matthew Dey, two fellow gym members and Monument Health Physical Therapists, answered the call.

As outpatient PTs at Sturgis Hospital, Nathan and Matthew have CPR training. So, while Nathan began administering chest compressions, Matthew rushed out to a nearby supermarket to see if he could track down an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Chest compressions are exhausting to perform, so luckily for Nathan and Mason, another Caregiver jumped in to help save Mason’s life. Robert Baune, PMHNP-BC, a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at MWI – Rapid City relieved Nathan. By virtue of his career, Robert also has CPR training. With Robert and Nathan working together, Mason’s chances of surviving until Emergency Services arrived vastly improved.

First responders fitted Mason with a Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System (LUCAS) device, which provides automatic chest compressions, then whisked him away to the Emergency Department where he was eventually diagnosed with Pulseless ventricular tachycardia (V-Tach without a pulse) or, in layman’s terms, cardiac arrest.

Fourteen minutes.

That’s how long it took the first responders to arrive. Not a very long time, all things considered. For Mason, though, it was the literal difference between life and an outcome that is awful to contemplate.

Because of Nathan, Matthew and Robert, Mason was able to celebrate his 47 years of marriage to his wife, Karen, just two weeks after his heart episode. “We were at the doctor on our anniversary, but I couldn’t be happier, because it was a lot better than alternative,” Mason says with a laugh.

Miraculously, Mason suffered no brain damage because he was not without oxygen for a significant amount of time.

On June 30, almost six weeks to the day after Mason’s cardiac emergency, he reunited with Robert, Nathan and Matthew near the gym where they all first met, albeit in far less jovial circumstances. Mason introduced the Caregivers to his wife, their daughter and their daughter’s family. Gratitude was abundant. Hugs were shared. The three lifesavers were presented with custom T-shirts, which read: “I saved a life” on the front and “That’s the power of CPR” on the back.

Mason’s family praised “the boys” as (Karen has come to call them) for their decisiveness and bravery. They shared that they have had moments of clarity since the events of that day that reminded them of what they’d be missing without Mason around — little things, like receiving his check-in texts or asking him for help move office furniture — the things about people you love that you take for granted.

The thoughts of life without Mason really drove home the significance of CPR training.

“I’ve done CPR training, and I have to admit I didn’t take it as serious as I should have, knowing what I know now,” says Mason. “So, I think it’s good for people to do the training, because you just never know when you could use it. Certainly, if none of these guys were there, I don’t think I would have made it.”

Learn about CPR training on the American Heart Association website.

Story by Kory Lanphear

Photos by Erika Bratten-Cianca

May is National Cancer research month, though when the average person thinks of Monument Health, they probably don’t think about cancer research. 

However, the work of Angie Dunbar, RN, BSN, CCRP, and Annie Brinson, CCRC, Supervisor of Clinical Research and all of the Physicians and Caregivers at the Cancer Care Research Department makes a massive difference, worldwide.

The drugs that pharmaceutical companies develop need extensive research and testing to determine whether they are effective in providing the health care solutions for which they were created. Part of that research and testing is administering the drug to select patients and tracking the results. Pharmaceutical companies also want to ensure that they’re not only getting results from larger metropolitan centers, where research typically takes place, so the Black Hills is a desirable locale for cancer research clinical trials because of our rural population. As a result, the Cancer Care Research Department at the Cancer Care Institute (CCI) has many different clinical research trials consistently available for volunteer cancer patients.

“Pretty much all of our cancer providers are able to offer a patient the option to be part of a clinical trial, in addition to the standard of care for their particular cancer,” says Angie.

“You don’t get to pick when you go on a clinical trial. They’ll randomize you,” adds Annie. “There are strict criteria. The trial has to be very closely matched to your particular case and your type of cancer.”

The trial therapies are monitored by department nurses like Angie to track patient response to the medication and to record any side effects. That data is sent to the administrators of the trial. The same trial can be going on for many years and in many locations before there is a definitive determination about the drug.

For patients, taking part in a clinical research trial does not guarantee results. “The coolest thing about our patients here is that they always say, ‘Even if it doesn’t help me, it will help my children and the next generation.’ And if they can be a part of that, absolutely they want to,” says Angie.

Most recently, Cancer Research was involved in two successful trials. The first, atezolizumab, is a drug for stage three colon cancer patients who met certain conditions which put them at higher risks. Standard chemotherapy doesn’t target cancer specifically. Rather, it indiscriminately attacks all rapidly reproducing cells, even healthy ones, which causes a host of side effects. Atezolizumab targets the cancer itself.

The second therapy, relacorilant, specifically targeted elevated cortisol, lowering the levels in patients and, as a consequence, showed that it improved the body’s ability to fight cancer.

Both therapies, which were given in addition to standard cancer therapies like chemo or radiation, were successful in their clinical trial goals. Thanks in part to Monument Health, both are now on the pharmaceutical market and are even in use at CCI.

“That we’re able to offer these cutting-edge treatments as part of clinical trials here is pretty amazing, because otherwise, you’d have to go to Mayo Clinic or Denver or one of the bigger cities to be a part of that,” Annie says.

“We’ve had several patients that have gone to Mayo Clinic because they wanted to be part of trials there,” says Angie, “and their provider there has straight up said, ‘you need to go back, be around your family and get that treatment at home, because there is clinical research in Rapid City, and those trials are open.’”

Caregivers interested in learning more about working in clinical research are advised to reach out to the department. There are positions available for those with only high school diplomas all the way up to physician-level training. “We often have roles come up that don’t require any certification to start. We help you get certification as part of your training,” Annie says.

Photo and story by Kory Lanphear

In January, Trav’s Outfitter of Rapid City donated a collection of men’s boots and shoes to support Behavioral Health’s Inpatient Clothing Boutique, which will help patients as they transition back into the community after treatment. In addition, Trav’s Outfitter committed to a quarterly donation partnership, strengthening Behavioral Health’s efforts to continue meeting patient needs throughout the year. 

Ellsworth Air Force Base families also donated a total of 1,053 children’s and adult clothing and shoe items to the boutique from December to February. These items directly support individuals under inpatient care who are in need of basic essentials.

In addition, Park Bench Apparel/A&J Screening donated boxes of shirts in late January and again in early February.

“Park Bench Apparel/A & J Screening is one of the vendors used for GEAR store merchandise. Using donated Behavioral Health funds, the Foundation had been purchasing clothing items for patients in need,” says Darlyce Bollwerk, Executive Assistant, Monument Health Foundation. “Knowing that custom apparel vendors often have misprinted merchandise, we approached Park Bench to ask if they would be interested in donating those kinds of items. Without hesitation, they contributed several boxes to benefit patients at Behavioral Health.” 

The Inpatient Clothing Boutique serves as a discreet resource for Caregivers when patients have limited personal belongings or need fresh clothing after their stay. Through this program, patients are able to leave treatment with clean, seasonally appropriate attire.

“Each year, Behavioral Health serves an average of over 1,500 inpatients, many of whom are suffering personal and financial setbacks, on top of their health crisis,” says Jennifer Cortes, Community Engagement Manager at Behavioral Health. “Donations from the community provide warmth, dignity and comfort. They truly make a meaningful difference in the patients’ lives.”

Charitable donations are honorarily received through Monument Health Foundation. All donors receive a tax-deduction acknowledgment for their generosity. Inquiries about donations, whether clothing, financial or otherwise, can be directed to foundation@monument.health. 

Story by Kory Lanphear

Photo submitted

Jillian Westover, Laboratory Technician Lead at Spearfish Clinic 10th Street, didn’t even know she had been nominated when she received notice that a colleague had put her up for the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Laboratory Superstar award.

It made sense, though, to Jillian’s boss, Jen Robinson, Manager Laboratory for all of Spearfish and Belle Fourche. “In a bigger lab, you have a quality manager, you have a technical manager, you have a lab assistant lead. Jillian is the catchall for a lab our size,” says Jen. “Jillian just continues to bring really good ideas, She’s always looking for process improvement and change-opportunities. She teaches people and leads by example.”

As the only Lead Tech in Spearfish, Jillian oversees about a dozen lab Caregivers. She does a little bit of everything — manages QC or works on scheduling and paperwork. She helps lab assistants draw blood or run blood tests. She also trains all of the new hires and is considered the go-to technical expert for the lab.

Born and raised a Spearfish Spartan, Jillian attended Mitchell Technical College. She then moved back to Spearfish where she initially worked with Monument Health from 2018 to 2021, then left to be a traveling Lab Tech. When she became pregnant with her daughter, Jillian and her husband returned home and resumed work at Monument Health in 2023.  

The final Laboratory Superstar votes were tallied last December and Jillian was named one of ten runners-up. She received a certificate and recognition on ASCP’s Facebook page. “It’s great to put on my resume in the long term. And it’s personal that I know that people see what I do every single day,” she says. 

It’s a national award and it’s also people’s choice, so her time as a traveler probably helped her out, too, Jen says. Indeed, Jillian confirms that she is still in touch with a lot of her friends from her traveling days, so when they found out she was nominated, they likely cast votes of support.

Yet, it’s not Jillian’s popularity that makes her deserving of such prestigious recognition, it’s the abilities and dedication that she demonstrates every day. For example, she was the first Caregiver in Spearfish to qualify for the Laboratory Technical Professional Development Ladder, a new program at Monument Health that is similar to our Nursing Ladder. 

As part of her ladder efforts, Jillian noticed that the organization was sending a lot of Helicobacter pylori tests to Mayo Clinic. She did a cost analysis and concluded that it would be financially beneficial — and more timely — to do those tests in-house. And so, Spearfish’s 10th Street clinic became the only lab within Monument Health that runs H. pylori growth tests. That means that every H. pylori test performed at Monument Health goes through the Spearfish lab.

Another inefficiency Jillian helped to identify: the significance of a price increase in the aliquot lab tubes that the system buys. She brought the issue to Jen’s attention. “We reached out to Laboratory Supervisor Michelle Carroll in Rapid City and she asked Supply Chain to shop around,” says Jen. “They discovered we could order them in a larger quantity for cheaper. So Jillian helped the organization save money on that, too.”

In the future, Jillian plans to sit for the Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) certification and perhaps go into leadership to further her already promising career.

Story and Photos by Kory Lanphear

George “Bunk” White has been receiving treatment at Rapid City Hospital’s Infusion Services for around 10 years. 

“They have one thing in mind, and that is patient care. That’s it. And I have never seen a group of people that work together so well. They really, really like what they’re doing,” he says. “I can go in there and not feel that great and — there’s an old hippie term, the vibes — there’s great vibes in there.” 

Bunk credits the great vibes to the team at Infusion Services. Recently, he asked to speak to the people in charge. That would be Brandi Tackett, Director Infusion Service and Kimberly Lyons, Manager Nurse Ambulatory Operations.

“You get a little worried when a patient wants to speak with you,” jokes Brandi. However, Bunk only wanted to sing the praises of the Infusion Caregivers.

In his twenties, Bunk, 83, was diagnosed with Meckel’s diverticulum, a bulge in the inner wall of the small intestine, which required many surgeries and hospitalizations over the years. As a result, Bunk was left with only around four feet of small intestine (the usual length is about 20 feet). He now has short bowel syndrome, a condition which makes getting appropriate nutrition challenging. It also leaves him more prone to infections. So, about once a month, Bunk and his devoted wife, Cheryl, make the 45 minute drive from New Underwood for Bunk to get infusion treatments.

Infusion Service’s daily staff consists of nurses, CNAs, a pharmacy, registration and business support staff. Sometimes they can treat up to 70 patients a day. Chronic patients may have neurologic conditions such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis or an immune deficiency. They also see patients straight out of the hospital who need, say, weeks of IV antibiotic therapy due to infection. Or they treat patients in need of electrolytes due to acute illness. 

“What I’ve learned as I’ve worked with the team, watching them work together is that it’s seamless, and they really love their jobs,” says Kimberly.

“We have a variety of staff, a variety of ages, a variety of years of experience. There’s a lot of laughter and a lot of catching up with people. We do have patients that become like family because they come back month after month, so you hear about their grandkids and their vacations and their illnesses,” adds Brandi.

At his January appointment, Infusion Services Caregivers celebrated Bunk’s birthday, complete with balloons and a cake.

Even though he was a high school counselor in Pine Ridge for 35 years and the owner of two master’s degrees, Bunk still couldn’t have told you what infusion was before he needed it. Yet, after almost six decades of medical care, he knows quite a bit about being a patient, so his opinions about Infusion Services are well-informed.

“It never seems like it’s busy. It’s just a well organized machine with the humanism in it,” Bunk marvels. “To me, good medical care is when you have complete trust. And I really do. From my viewpoint, please don’t change anything.”

Story by Kory Lanphear

Photo by Erika Bratten-Cianca

Based in Spearfish, when Prairie Hills Transit (PHT) began ferrying patients around the Black Hills on behalf of Monument Health in 2011, they had already been helping other clinics, nursing homes and assisted‑care facilities around the area, so their background was well-established.

As the partnership between PHT and Monument Health grew stronger, the demand increased. PHT continued to ensure every rider got to their appointment or treatment. Four vans now serve Monument Health patients, with additional support from other PHT communities whenever it’s needed.

Now, just over 14 years later, PHT and Monument Health have opened a garage that will continue to help bring patients to and from Monument Health facilities for free. Located on Lombardy Drive in Rapid City and with space for four vans, the new garage is a solution to the previous parking situation, in which the vans were kept outside and exposed to elements like hail and snow.

The project has been six years in the making and was the result of a lengthy collaboration between Brad Haupt, VP Supply Chain and Contract Management at Monument Health and Barb Cline, Executive Director of Prairie Hills Transit.

“Having this facility here will allow Barb’s team to be efficient,” says Brad. “They don’t just take care of patients here in Rapid City, they cover all of our facilities from Custer, Spearfish, Sturgis, Lead and Deadwood, we have patients from all over western South Dakota even as far away as North Dakota, where we’re able to help them get to where they need to be.” 

In total, the new facility represents nearly 14 years of collaboration, trust and shared commitment to the people we serve. However, the partnership goes beyond mere vehicles and equipment — it also represents the hundreds of patients transported to dialysis, to appointments and to treatments that have saved and improved lives. Even more so, it represents the drivers who show up every day with compassion and dedication. This garage also means stability and growth; it’s a building that will house the PHT fleet and support its mission for years to come.

Story by Kory Lanphear

Photos by Erika Bratten-Cianca