Author: Stephany Chalberg

RAPID CITY, S.D. (May 31, 2023) – Monument Health Heart and Vascular Institute completed its first patient procedure with an Abbott leadless pacemaker – the world’s only leadless pacemaker designed to be retrieved. 

Saverio Barbera, M.D., an Electrophysiologist at the Monument Health Heart and Vascular Institute performed the first successful implant of this new technology earlier this month. The Aveir VR leadless pacemakers provide new and more precise options to assist physicians in the treatment of patients with certain abnormal heart rhythms. Like other leadless pacemakers, Aveir VR does not require insulated wires – known as cardiac leads – to deliver electrical energy to the heart. The benefit comes as the device is implanted directly into the heart’s right lower chamber using a minimally invasive procedure.

Additionally, this new technology includes a longer battery life, which can last up to two times longer than existing leadless options. 

“This pacemaker is another leap forward for our patients. The estimates for the longevity of the device’s battery are up to 25 years, which is utterly remarkable. It’s also beneficial that the device is capable of being upgraded with updated software. That means that the single lead device can transition to a dual chamber leadless system as soon as the FDA approves the upgrade, which is expected in the near future. Overall, this technology is a game changer in the field of cardiac pacing,” said Dr. Barbera.

“The Physicians and Caregivers at the Monument Health Heart and Vascular Institute continue to provide cutting edge treatments using the newest technology,” said Jake Staley, Director of the Heart and Vascular Institute. “We are always working to leverage the best technology to provide the highest quality outcomes for our patients. This includes the new leadless pacemaker that allows clinicians to measure electric signals to assess the correct placement of the device before final fixation within the heart.”

We are excited to offer Abbott’s new technology. This decision helps us continue to offer the best standard of care to patients and allows our physicians to concentrate on delivering quality care.

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About Monument Health

Headquartered in Rapid City, S.D., Monument Health is a community-based health care system with a mission to make a difference, every day. The system offers care in 31 medical specialties and serves 14 communities across western South Dakota and in eastern Wyoming. With over 5,000 physicians and caregivers, Monument Health is composed of 5 hospitals and 38 medical clinics and specialty centers. Monument Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

SPEARFISH, S.D. – Monument Health is dedicated to providing high-quality care, close to home. With Men’s and Women’s Health Months approaching, now is the time to schedule a primary care physical or wellness check.

To ensure patients can get the care they need, when they need it, Monument Health has expanded availability in the northern Black Hills with the addition of Brittany Azure Bearstail, M.D.  She is a family medicine physician at Monument Health Spearfish Clinic, North 10th Street.

“Our team of Family Medicine providers at Monument Health encourages wellness visits to promote and improve the health and well-being of our patients,” said Dr. Azure Bearstail. “We do this by getting to know our patients and developing a personalized plan that includes age-appropriate preventative services and immunizations.”

Dr. Azure Bearstail completed her Family Medicine Residency at the University of North Dakota Center for Family Medicine and earned her Medical Degree from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences. She grew up in North Dakota and later moved to Eagle Butte, S.D. She enjoys the full scope of primary care, particularly women’s health and pediatrics.

To make an appointment with Dr. Azure Bearstail, call 605-717-8595. To find a primary care provider near you, go to www.monument.health/primarycare.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (April 24, 2023) – Monument Health announced it will honor respiratory therapists with The Phil Award, which is The FACES Foundation’s signature program. It is the only nationally recognized hospital-based recognition program dedicated to honoring outstanding respiratory therapists who provide exemplary care and treatment for patients with respiratory illnesses, as nominated by patients, family members and other caregivers.

Respiratory Therapists are heart and lung specialists. They work with patients of all ages, from premature babies to the elderly. Disease states or conditions often requiring respiratory care include asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), pneumonia, cystic fibrosis and infant respiratory distress syndrome.

“Respiratory Therapists are an important part of a patient’s care team. We support physicians and caregivers throughout Monument Health to ensure every breath matters,” said Angie Haugen, Director of Respiratory Care. “From our tiniest babies in the NICU to our patients with respiratory disease working to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle, Respiratory Therapists are there.”

Patients or family members can now recognize and nominate Respiratory Therapists who have made a positive impact in their care. Monument Health will recognize one Respiratory Therapist per year with The PHIL Award. The PHIL Award was created in 2006 in honor of Philip C. Lamka, who passed away from Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD). The award honors and recognizes the unsung heroes in the respiratory profession who understand that each breath matters.

To learn more, or nominate a Respiratory Therapist go to www.monument.health/philaward.

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About Monument Health
Headquartered in Rapid City, S.D., Monument Health is a community-based health care system with a mission to make a difference, every day. The system offers care in 31 medical specialties and serves 14 communities across western South Dakota and in eastern Wyoming. With over 5,000 physicians and caregivers, Monument Health is composed of 5 hospitals and 38 medical clinics and specialty centers. Monument Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Stephany Chalberg
Public Relations Manager
Monument Health
schalberg@monument.health

RAPID CITY, S.D. (March 29, 2023) –Stephen Dick, M.D., FACEP, has been recognized for 30 years of Emergency Medicine Board Certification by the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM). He is an emergency medicine physician at Monument Health Rapid City Hospital Emergency Department and has previously served on the Monument Health Board of Directors and as the Director of the Emergency Department.

For his initial certification, Dr. Dick completed medical school and specialized training in Emergency Medicine. This was followed by completion of an examination that covers the breadth of Emergency Medicine.

“The Rapid City Hospital Emergency Room is a Level 2 Trauma Center. It’s the largest, and busiest, Emergency Department in the tri-state area. We see close to 65,000 ER patients every year,” said Steven Maser, M.D., Vice President of Medical Affairs at Monument Health. “When you look at that number of patients and multiply it by 30 years, you begin to see the incredible impact that Dr. Dick has had on our community. He is truly a pleasure to work with and I’m grateful for his dedication to providing high-quality care to his patients.”

Monument Health Rapid City Hospital expanded its Emergency Department in 2019. The updated space was 129 percent larger than the original footprint, with the capacity to treat 40 patients at a time. Dr. Dick oversaw both the design and opening of the expanded Emergency Room.

Board certification is a voluntary process, and reflects a dedication to the specialty of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Dick actively participates in a program of continuous learning to maintain his certification. The ABEM continuing certification process helps board-certified physicians stay up-to-date on current medical research and provides opportunities for practice improvement.

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About Monument Health
Headquartered in Rapid City, S.D., Monument Health is a community-based health care system with a mission to make a difference, every day. The system offers care in 31 medical specialties and serves 14 communities across western South Dakota and in eastern Wyoming. With over 5,000 physicians and caregivers, Monument Health is composed of 5 hospitals and 38 medical clinics and specialty centers. Monument Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

Rapid City, S.D. (Jan. 25, 2023) – Monument Health announced that Steven Maser, M.D., has been named Vice President of Medical Affairs of Rapid City Hospital, effective Jan. 24, 2023. Dr. Maser has been serving as the interim Vice President of Medical Affairs since August 2022.

Dr. Maser is a board certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in surgery of the hand. He has been with Monument Health since January 2019 serving as Vice President and Executive Medical Director of the Monument Health Orthopedic and Specialty Hospital.

In this new role, Dr. Maser will continue to strengthen physician relationships, lead quality initiatives and focus on key growth efforts for Monument Health.

“I am both honored and excited to continue serving Monument Health, our patients and our communities as Vice President of Medical Affairs. This is a role that provides me with the opportunity to foster even greater connections between physicians and caregivers, as well as the patients we serve,” said Dr. Maser. “We are poised to continue providing the best patient care while we explore new innovations, services and partnerships within the community.”

Prior to joining Monument Health, Dr. Maser served in several executive leadership roles with Atlantic Health System and Morristown Medical Center.

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About Monument Health
Headquartered in Rapid City, S.D., Monument Health is a community-based health care system with a mission to make a difference, every day. The system offers care in 31 medical specialties and serves 12 communities across western South Dakota. With over 5,000 physicians and caregivers, Monument Health is composed of 5 hospitals and 38 medical clinics and specialty centers. Monument Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

Dropbox link to headshots.

Rapid City, S.D. (Jan. 6, 2023) – Monument Health announces three changes to its executive leadership team, effective Monday, Jan. 9, 2023.

Following a national search, Patrick Woodard, MHA, M.D., joins Monument Health as the Chief Health Care Information Officer. Dr. Woodard is an innovative health care leader and board-certified internal medicine physician. He most recently served as the Vice President, Chief Digital Officer for Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in Memphis, Tenn. and previously served as the Chief Medical Information Officer & Vice President, Clinical Systems for Renown Health in Reno, Nev.

In this role, Dr. Woodard brings his experience leading teams with multi-year strategic initiatives focused on digital transformation, electronic health record implementation, medical informatics and complex information technology infrastructure. Dr. Woodard is a champion for high-quality clinical outcomes aligning with the Monument Health strategic priorities.

Robin Zebroski, MBA, has been promoted to Chief Brand Officer. She has been with Monument Health for six years. In this time she has successfully led the health system’s strategic marketing, internal and external communications, community relations and philanthropic efforts. Robin spearheaded the re-brand strategy from Regional Health to Monument Health, led due diligence for the Mayo Clinic Care Network relationship, and led the organization’s communication strategy during the pandemic, which positioned Monument Health as a trusted source for vital information.

In this new role, Robin will continue to drive the Strategic Marketing and Communications team as well as lead the Monument Health Foundation in its philanthropic mission. She will also lead the health system’s Patient Experience initiatives furthering Monument Health’s commitment to providing effortless patient encounters and reduced friction for patients, families, caregivers and physicians.

Tasha Frisinger, MSN, RN, CNML, has been promoted to Vice President of Nursing in the Rapid City Market. She began her career as a certified nurse aide and joined Monument Health as a staff nurse. Tasha has been with the organization for 24 years, working in various leadership roles, including most recently as an Associate Chief Nursing Officer in the Rapid City Market. Her recent focus has been to promote the development and growth of nurses and nursing support roles. Tasha was instrumental in the development of professional growth opportunities for nurses within Monument Health and growing the nursing leadership team. This includes helping nurses work at the top of their license leading to high-quality patient care.

Tasha was key to developing staffing models that are efficient to ensure Monument Health is able to use its resources in the most efficient way possible, this was particularly valuable during the pandemic.

In this new role, Tasha will have responsibility for all the nursing professionals and nursing support Caregivers within Rapid City Hospital to include the Rapid City Hospital Emergency Department and Monument Health Behavioral Health Center.

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About Monument Health
Headquartered in Rapid City, S.D., Monument Health is a community-based health care system with a mission to make a difference, every day. The system offers care in 31 medical specialties and serves 14 communities across western South Dakota and in eastern Wyoming. With over 5,000 physicians and caregivers, Monument Health is composed of 5 hospitals and 38 medical clinics and specialty centers. Monument Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (Nov. 2, 2022) – The Monument Health Heart and Vascular Institute’s Structural Heart Team completed its 500th transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure on Oct. 25. TAVR is a minimally invasive heart procedure to replace a thickened aortic valve that can’t fully open.

The Structural Heart Team performed the first TAVR in Rapid City in 2014. This procedure was initially recommended for patients deemed too high-risk for surgery. TAVR is now approved for all patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis, regardless of surgical risk.

“It takes a team dedicated to providing the highest-quality care to patients to reach a milestone like this,” said Joseph Tuma, M.D., FACC, FSCAI, Monument Health Interventional Cardiologist. “It’s important to remember, 500 procedures means 500 patients who were treated right here, at home in the Black Hills.”

Ongoing trials are evaluating ways to expand what types of patients can benefit from a TAVR procedure. Monument Health Heart and Vascular Institute was one of only 10 centers in the country selected to participate in the EXPAND TAVR II Clinical Trial, and is currently enrolling patients. 

The Monument Health Structural Heart Program continues to utilize the latest transcatheter technology. Since 2013, the team has implemented several treatments to include: left atrial appendage occlusion, balloon mitral valvuloplasty (BMV), transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair and transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR). 

“Our entire Heart and Vascular Team continues to be leading the way in heart care,” Tuma said. “Keeping our patients close to home, with access to a world-class group of physicians and providers continues to be a driving force for our team.”

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About Monument Health

Headquartered in Rapid City, S.D., Monument Health is a community-based health care system with a mission to make a difference, every day. The system offers care in 31 medical specialties and serves 14 communities across western South Dakota and in eastern Wyoming. With over 5,000 physicians and caregivers, Monument Health is composed of 5 hospitals and 38 medical clinics and specialty centers. Monument Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.