Author: Stephany Chalberg

Monument Health prepared for annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

RAPID CITY, S.D. (July 28, 2025) – The Monument Health Daily Motorcycle Rally Tally from Monument Health hospitals in Custer, Lead-Deadwood, Rapid City, Spearfish and Sturgis will begin two days earlier this year on Wednesday, July 30. The information will be updated each morning until Sunday, Aug. 10. The report will show the number of Rally-related inpatients (those hospitalized) on the morning posted, and emergency room (ER) visits for a 24-hour period by facility.  

Monument Health begins preparations for the Rally up to a year in advance, both as a system and in cooperation with local, regional and state authorities. The daily snapshots posted on the Monument Health website provide an informative perspective as to the Rally’s impact on the region’s health care facilities.

As a way to connect with and thank the many law enforcement agencies Monument Health partners with during this time, the Sturgis Hospital caregivers chose to once again offer their conference room as a break room to first responders and law enforcement officers who may be between calls.

“Keeping our Rally visitors, community members safe this time of year is a large project that takes many agencies working together,” said Jimmy Seward, Monument Health Director of Ambulatory Operations Sturgis Hospital. “Building on the success of our previous initiative, we will once again transform our conference room into a respite space for first responders and law enforcement officers, providing a valuable opportunity to express our gratitude to our dedicated partners.”

Monument Health Sturgis Clinic will remain open and continue to offer primary care appointments between Aug. 1 – 9.

The Christian Motorcycle Association (CMA) will again be providing assistance during the 2025 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The CMA volunteers are available to assist patients and families impacted by injury during the Rally starting Aug. 4. These volunteers help collect belongings of those injured, assist in returning a motorcycle of the injured back to their home, help patients’ families with travel and lodging and offer companionship to bikers who may require hospitalization. 

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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.

Miracle Treat Day fundraiser is Thursday

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

RAPID CITY, S.D. (July 28, 2025) – On Thursday, July 31, Black Hills, Wyoming and Nebraska Dairy Queens will be offering patrons a chance to support pediatric patients at Monument Health, a member of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, during the annual Miracle Treat Day event.

For every order of a Blizzard® Treat at the participating Dairy Queen locations, $1 or more will go toward helping ill and injured kids.

Participating Black Hills Dairy Queen locations include Mount Rushmore Road, Cambell Street, Canyon Lake Drive and the Rushmore Mall in Rapid City, Lazelle Street in Sturgis, East Colorado Boulevard in Spearfish, North Ellsworth Road in Box Elder, Highway 16 in Keystone, Pine Street in Belle Fourche, Bennett Avenue in Martin, Main Street in Deadwood, Mount Rushmore Road in Custer, South Boulevard in Wall and Jensen Highway in Hot Springs. New this year participating stores in Sheridan and Gillette, Wyoming and Alliance, Nebraska will contribute to the Monument Health Foundation Children’s Miracle Network Program.

Shawn Powers, Children’s Miracle Network Program Director for the Monument Health Foundation, said 100 percent of the Dairy Queen donations will be used to help provide programs, specialized equipment and direct child and family assistance. No child is ever turned away from Monument Health regardless of their family’s ability to pay.

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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.

Measles visitation restrictions lifted at Monument Health Rapid City Hospital

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

RAPID CITY, S.D. (July 23, 2025) – Beginning Wednesday, July 23, Monument Health Rapid City Hospital has lifted visitation restrictions for Labor & Delivery, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Pediatric Inpatient Units. 

Monument Health’s clinical leadership team made this determination based on comprehensive clinical evidence and epidemiological data showing the last confirmed measles case occurred 27 days ago, placing our region outside of the outbreak designation according to public health guidelines. 

The decision followed ongoing assessments of community transmission patterns, consultation with infectious disease specialists and alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols. Monument Health maintains robust infection prevention measures to ensure all patients receive the highest standard of safe care.

“We recognize the profound emotional and medical value of having loved ones present during critical moments like childbirth and pediatric care,” said Brad Archer, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Monument Health. “Our physicians and clinical leaders will continue monitoring regional measles data to ensure future decisions prioritize both family connection and the safety of our patients, particularly those who are most vulnerable.”

Due to the dynamic nature of infectious disease transmission, visitation guidelines will be continuously evaluated based on clinical evidence and may be modified if measles cases are identified within our service area. The detailed visitor policy is available at monument.health/visitation.

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About Monument Health

Headquartered in Rapid City, S.D., Monument Health (formerly Regional Health) is a community-based health care system with a mission to make a difference, every day. The system offers care in 33 medical specialties and serves 20 communities across western South Dakota and in eastern Wyoming. With over 4,500 physicians and caregivers, Monument Health is comprised of 5 hospitals, 8 specialty and surgical centers and more than 40 medical clinics and health care service centers. Monument Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

Monument Health is nationally recognized for its commitment to providing high-quality stroke care

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke GoldPlus award for proven dedication to ensuring all stroke patients have access to best practices and life-saving care

Rapid City, S.D., July 10, 2025 — Monument Health Rapid City Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke GoldPlus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

Monument Health also received two additional recognitions, the first is the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.  

The second recognition is the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines – Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

“Monument Health Rapid City Hospital is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” Jill Tice, Monument Health Vice President of Quality, Safety and Risk Management. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in the western South Dakota  can experience longer, healthier lives.”

Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.

“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Monument Health for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates — a win for health care systems, families and communities.”

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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.

About Get With The Guidelines®

Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 14 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.

Six doctors complete Family Medicine Residency

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

RAPID CITY, S.D. (June 30, 2025) – Monument Health announced that six physicians graduated from the Rapid City Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program on Friday, June 27. 

Each year the Family Medicine Residency Program accepts medical school graduates into a three-year program of training in a variety of family medicine roles with an emphasis on rural health care. This year’s graduates were honored at a ceremony at The Monument in Rapid City.

“The goal of this program is to recruit and train medical school graduates to specialize in family medicine. It’s important that we continue to train physicians and make sure they understand the dynamics of rural health care. Family physicians are the only specialists qualified to treat most ailments and provide comprehensive health care for people of all ages — from newborns to seniors.” said Family Medicine Residency Program Director Bobbie Schneller, D.O.

This year’s graduates include:

  • Bryce Cooley, D.O., will remain at Family Medicine Residency as faculty
  • Cole Fulton, D.O.,  will remain at Family Medicine Residency as faculty
  • Thomas Heaton, D.O., will be practicing family medicine at Monument Health Flormann Clinic 
  • Stormy Roy, M.D.,  will be practicing family medicine at Monument Health Box Elder Clinic
  • Zackery Sanders, D.O., has been accepted into a Sports Medicine Fellowship 
  • Blake Wadsworth, D.O.,  will be practicing family medicine at Monument Health Rapid Valley Clinic 

For more information about the Family Medicine Residency Program and Clinic, or to visit the clinic, call 605-755-4060.

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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.

Monument Health physician publishes an important research study in a vascular journal

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

RAPID CITY, S.D. (June 23, 2025) – Interventional Cardiologist and Vascular Specialist Bhaskar Purushottam, M.D., FACC, FSCAI, FSVM, of the Monument Health Heart and Vascular Institute has co authored an original research paper along with his European colleagues in the reputed “Journal of Endovascular Therapy.”

The study, “The Role of Profunda Femoral Artery Retrograde Puncture in Complex Revascularization of Ileo-Femoral Chronic Total Occlusions,” explains a special technique vascular interventional specialists use to fix complex and challenging blocked blood vessels in the lower extremities. 

This study is the largest series ever published to use Profunda Femoral Arterial Access to revascularize complex Ilio-Femoral Chronic Total Occlusions in patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease. Revascularization of Ilio-Femoral Chronic Total Occlusions are very challenging and incredibly complex. They carry a very high risk of complications and challenges.

Dr. Purushottam is the only physician based in the United States who contributed to this paper.  

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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.

Community Heart Hub

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

Monument Health is always striving to impact our communities. Health screenings at Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo Rapid City, among other local events, continue to make a difference in bringing health care to the people while making it more accessible in the places where they spend their time. However, the job, even with such great results, is never done.

High blood pressure is an indicator of future health problems. A recent Community Health Assessment conducted by Monument Health identified high blood pressure as a local concern that affects as much as 43% of the adult population, which is higher than the national average. That number is up from 37% just a few years ago. To complicate matters, accessing health care and finding resources is becoming more difficult, particularly in rural communities. 

Community Heart Hub is a Monument Health project partnering with Rapid City Public Library. Influenced by similar American Heart Association programs, the project will provide a dedicated space for a blood pressure testing machine kiosk at the Rapid City Public Library, where you can check your blood pressure, learn about blood pressure categories and access valuable health resources. 

The machine comes equipped with alternate, large-sized cuffs and will print out the results of a blood pressure reading for adult community members. The machines are not calibrated for those younger than eighteen years of age.

“The library has a role to provide information and educational resources to the city. We’re also a community hub with about 800 people coming in every day,” says Sean Minkel, Assistant Director, Rapid City Public Library. “Having this blood pressure monitoring station here is going to be a valuable asset resource, and we’re very excited to be partnering with Monument Health.”

More education and more access can empower community members to be self-advocates. It’s also a clinically-supported program. “If you have a reading that is high or a little unexpected, you can call the Monument Health Nurse Triage Line at 605-755-1350,” says John Talcott, Director Heart and Vascular Institute at Rapid City Hospital. “We’ll have some resources here at the library as well, that will direct you to call a Monument Health health care professional to have some of your questions answered.”

The library plans to have staff available to assist patrons and answer non-medical questions.

Story and Photo: Kory Lanphear

Golden Guitars Gala sets fundraising record for Children’s Miracle Network

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

Rapid City, S.D. (June 12, 2025) – The fourth Golden Guitars Gala, a Monument Health Foundation fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network, broke records on June 7 by raising  $500,000, setting a Foundation record for the largest amount raised at a single event. During the gala’s live auction, the top-selling guitar signed by Journey auctioned for an impressive $30,000.

Funds raised at the event support Children’s Miracle Network. Each year, Golden Guitars signed by the musicians who play at The Monument and other select venues are auctioned off during the event. All of the money raised stays local and supports children in the Black Hills who receive care at Monument Health hospitals.

South Dakota artist Kory Van Sickle of Kory and the Fireflies developed the event as part of his company’s philanthropic program, Firefly Guitars. Golden Firefly Guitars were autographed by a star-studded lineup, including The Beach Boys, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw and Imagine Dragons. 

“Once again, our community has shown extraordinary generosity and dedication to the well-being of children in our region,” said Hans Nelson, Director of the Monument Health Foundation. “The success of this event showcases the power of collective action in making a difference for our youngest patients. These vital funds will enable us to further invest in cutting-edge medical equipment and expand our programs, ensuring that local children receive the life-saving care they need, close to home.”

The Golden Guitars Gala, attended by more than 250 people, featured live music by Kory and the Fireflies, information about the impact of CMN in our region and a live auction featuring 19 celebrity guitars, plus two surprise celebrity guitars – one signed by Whiskey Meyers and one signed by Music Row Live! artists including singers and songwriters such as Ian Munsick, Priscilla Block, Darius Rucker, Dustin Lynch and more.

Community Heart Hub now open at Rapid City Public Library

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

Monument Health partners with Rapid City Public Library and American Heart Association to launch free blood pressure monitoring station for Black Hills residents

Rapid City, S.D. (June 11, 2025) — Managing high blood pressure is a critical component of preventing heart disease and stroke. According to the American Heart Association, nearly half of all Americans have high blood pressure, which significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Accessibility to health resources is essential for ensuring a healthy population.

Monument Health, in collaboration with the Rapid City Public Library and the American Heart Association, has established the area’s first free Community Heart Hub. The Heart Hub provides a dedicated space within the Library where adults can check their blood pressure, learn about blood pressure categories and access important health resources. The station features an automated blood pressure cuff and educational materials.

“One of our priorities at Monument Health is to provide free health screenings in our communities,” said Anna Whetham, Community Relations Manager at Monument Health. “By improving access to health care and meeting people where they are, we empower our community to take preventive care seriously.”s

“The Rapid City Public Library is committed to serving as a community resource hub that extends beyond books and digital media,” said Terri Davis, Library Director at Rapid City Public Library. “The Community Heart Hub aligns perfectly with our mission to improve lives through learning, discovery and enrichment. We’re proud to partner with Monument Health and the American Heart Association to offer this valuable health resource to our patrons.”

“Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure, yet many remain unaware of their condition because it often presents no symptoms,” said Robin Albers, Regional Director at the American Heart Association. “The Community Heart Hub is an innovative approach to increasing blood pressure awareness and control. By making monitoring accessible in familiar community spaces like the library, we can help more people know their numbers and take steps toward better heart health.”

Monument Health plans to open additional Heart Hubs in other Black Hills communities.

Sturgis Hospital Helps Stop the Bleed

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

Sturgis Hospital recently donated Stop the Bleed Kits to Sturgis Youth Baseball, Sturgis Youth Soccer, Sturgis Black Hills Youth Football & Cheer, Sturgis Fastpitch Softball and the Sturgis Community Center. The kits contain implements often used in emergency situations, such as gauze and scissors. The effort is part of America’s Blood Centers and the American College of Surgeons “Stop the Bleed” program, a nationwide effort intended to increase preparedness, improve emergency response training and help stop preventable death by blood loss due to injury.

According to a press release provided by the South Dakota Department of Health, “South Dakota is the first state in the nation to ensure every Conservation Officer has received ‘Stop the Bleed’ training, setting a new standard for emergency preparedness in natural resources law enforcement. The South Dakota Department of Health, in collaboration with South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks, partnered with trauma hospitals across the state to provide this essential education to 80 Conservation Officers. These officers patrol the state’s parks, public lands, and waterways and are often first on the scene in remote or rural areas where access to emergency medical care may be delayed.” 

Purchased by Monument Health, the eight donated kits will be standing by at concession stands and/or front offices (depending on the organization) should an injury occur.

Hondi Dunn, RN, Trauma Coordinator for Sturgis Hospital, facilitated the donation event. “At Sturgis Hospital, we treat many blood loss injuries, and we know that quick action at the scene can make all the difference,” she says. “With the Stop the Bleed kits, we are not only training our staff but also empowering the community to act fast and help prevent serious complications. These kits can reduce the time patients spend in the hospital and improve outcomes by getting them the right care when they need it most.”

Representatives from Monument Health also on hand included Mark Schmidt, President Sturgis and Lead Deadwood Hospitals, Angie Dahlke, Director Nursing Unit, Sturgis Hospital, Rikki Plaggemeyer, Nurse Manager, Sturgis Hospital and Russ Davis, RN, Trauma Services, Rapid City Hospital.

For more on the “Stop the Bleed” initiative: stopthebleed.org/.