Author: Stephany Chalberg

Doc Talk Goes Live in Spearfish

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

Since its beginning, every episode of our Doc Talk podcast has been pre-recorded in a studio in Rapid City. That all changed during last February’s Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo. Partnering with The Homeslice Group, two episodes were recorded live in front of an audience. Featuring Joy Falkenberg, M.D., Family Medicine Physician at Custer Clinic and Pial Hope, D.O., Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeon at Rapid City Hospital, these first two episodes of Doc Talk Live! were an instant success.

Starting this summer, Doc Talk Live! is taking up temporary residence at The Matthews in Spearfish and the general public is invited. Kicking off Monday, June 16 at 5:30 p.m. with Andrew Vanosdol, M.D., Surgeon at Spearfish Clinic, North Avenue, the discussion will be about the evolving world of medical and surgical weight management. From the latest in bariatric procedures to non-invasive strategies and GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, Dr. VanOsdol will break down the benefits, risks, alternatives and answer audience questions.

“Doc Talk is always a great way to give our physicians a voice and let the public become more familiar with them,” said Angie Leonard, Director Ambulatory Operations, Monument Health Specialty Clinics-Spearfish Market. “Recording the podcast live is a fun and energetic way for our community to get directly involved.”

Future guests tentatively include Loren Jones, M.D., Ear, Nose and Throat of Spearfish Clinic, North Avenue, and Mary Logue, M.D., Dermatologist at Spearfish Dermatology, with more physicians to be announced.

The live recordings will continue monthly. Attendance is free. Simply arrive at The Matthews Art Center, 612 Main St. in Spearfish before 5:30 p.m. to get a seat.

As with the weekly Doc Talk podcast, all Doc Talk Live! episodes will be subsequently available for listening on Acast podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also watch on youtube.com/@monumenthealth.

Story: Kory Lanphear

New Patient Menu to Debut

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

Compass One Healthcare and Monument Health invited hospital staff to West Auditorium in Rapid City Hospital for the New Patient Menu Expo. Various dishes were made available for sampling, including Sweet Heat Buffalo Chicken Salad, Pressed Cuban Sandwich, Butter Chicken Bowl, Chicken Tortilla Soup and Chocolate Mug Cake dessert.

Peter McQuiston, System Director of Food and Nutrition Services, oversees all the campus food services on behalf of Compass Group. “A lot of thought, research and development went into the menu,” says Peter. “Our goal is to create a restaurant experience with restaurant quality food while still adhering to all the metrics and guidelines for our patients’ prescribed diets.” 

Years of work went into the new menu. A lot of focus was placed on elevating the food and creating flavors without increasing sodium and fat. Compass Group has around 1,200 accounts around the country and Monument Health was one of the pilot hospitals chosen to roll it out.

“The most important thing that we accomplish with this menu is to nourish patients and reduce their stays, get them healthy and back home,” Peter says. “We’ve focused a lot in years past on retail (Nourish Cafe) and we still have that passion and drive for the Monument Health staff. However, it was really time to give the patient menu some attention and innovation.” 

The expo highlighted some of the likely more popular items from the menu. Although the new dishes aren’t necessarily for Monument Health workers, Peter says that there will be elements of them available across the organization. “We’ll have limited-time offerings at one point or another throughout the year, especially if we’re trying to highlight a special occasion. The Pumpkin Cheesecake Parfait, for instance—that’s a limited time offering that will only be available in October.”

The new patient menu will debut in full on June 17.

Story and Photos by Kory Lanphear

Love is Patient

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

Bridget Holcomb of Kadoka originally planned for a Labor Day wedding this coming fall, but then her dad, Roger, started experiencing heart problems. “My dream was always to have my dad walk me down the aisle,” Bridget says. “And I was married before, and he didn’t get to do that then, so I wanted to make sure it happened this time.”

Hoping that Roger’s heart treatment might be in a good place in the spring, Bridget and her fiance, James, moved their wedding up to Easter weekend, intending to have the ceremony in their backyard. 

Roger and Julie, Bridget’s mom, arrived in the area from Arizona early Easter week. James built a custom archway for the ceremony, which Bridget and Julie began decorating with flowers. However, on Wednesday of that week, Roger experienced a heart attack and was admitted to Rapid City Hospital. An upcoming heart surgery that Roger had scheduled in Arizona for later in the year became even more urgent.

By Thursday morning, plans were being made for Roger to be immediately transferred to a hospital at the University of Minnesota for his heart procedure. Bridget’s wedding hung in the balance. However, guests had already begun gathering in the area. In the midst of all the concern of Roger’s health, James and Bridget discussed alternate options. “We were gonna make this happen no matter what,” says Bridget. “James called me at the hospital, and he said, ‘If you want me to bring the rings, we can do it in the hospital room. If that’s what you want, that’s what we’re gonna do.’”

On Friday, Bridget tracked down one of Roger’s caregivers, Jeff Grande, Advanced Practice Provider at Heart and Vascular Unit (HVU) and asked about the possibility of having the wedding in the hospital. Jeff enthusiastically agreed. Spearheaded by Anna Squillace, Lead Case Manager, the internal plans at Rapid City Hospital came together quickly.

“We talked to security, we talked to dietary, we talked to executive staff, we talked to plant ops,” says Anna. “Bridget had a couple options inside the hospital to pick from for the ceremony. One of them was the chapel, and then the Healing Room and then the other one was outside in the courtyard. Bridget went and looked at all three of those, and then ended up deciding on the Healing Room.”

James and some of the family members gathered the food that had already been prepared along with the wedding cake and brought it all to the hospital. A family friend from Fort Pierre drove the two-and a-half-hours to Rapid City to perform the ceremony. On Saturday—just 24 hours after Bridget raised the idea with Jeff—everything was set. 

As the ceremony commenced, Bridget, escorted by Roger and Julie, made her way down the hallway and into the Healing Room, her dream realized. “I was just glad that Dad was able to wear his normal clothes. It didn’t feel so much like we were in a hospital.” 

Attendees included members of Bridget’s and James’s family and even one of Roger’s care team nurses, Cat Hintz, RN at HVU.

After the ceremony Roger and Bridget shared a father-daughter dance to the song My Little Girl by Tim McGraw. “It couldn’t have been better,” says Bridget. “It will definitely be something that we will remember forever.” 

Roger was transferred later in the following week and underwent surgery on May 7. The family is hopeful for a quick recovery.

Story by Kory Lanphear
Outdoor photos by Amya Camp

National Cancer Survivors Day: Celebrating Life, Raising Awareness, and Inspiring Hope for the Future

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

RAPID CITY, S.D. (May 20, 2025) – On Saturday, May 31, cancer survivors, family members and support persons in the community are invited to a National Cancer Survivors Day Event at the Monument Health Cancer Care Institute. Those recently diagnosed with cancer are also invited to attend. 

Cancer affects everyone. Recent global estimates indicate that 1 in 5 people will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. More than 18 million people in the U.S. are living with or beyond cancer today, and more than 53.5 million people worldwide have survived cancer in the last five years. 

The annual event will be held on May 31 from 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Cancer Care Institute at 353 Fairmont Boulevard. The cost is $5, and your ticket is a donation to support future cancer care community education events. 

The program will include a keynote speaker, educational sessions featuring topics of cancer rehabilitation therapy, nutrition, mental health, exercise and multiple resource booths showcasing products & services to support survivors.

The 2025 keynote speaker is Vicki Furnish, a three-time cancer survivor whose journey of resilience and faith has inspired many. First diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2000 while raising three young children, she fought through and became a 23-year survivor before facing cancer again—this time, breast cancer. Shortly after being declared cancer-free, she was diagnosed with a third type of cancer: colon cancer. Today, Vicki is once again cancer-free and celebrating life.

To buy a ticket online, and view the schedule of events visit monument.health/cancersurvivorship.

Monument Health breaks ground on Mall Drive Campus

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

Rapid City, S.D., May 13, 2025 – Today, Monument Health began construction on a health care campus that will include a free-standing Emergency Department along the Interstate 90 corridor. The one-story, 16,750 square-foot facility will be equipped with full laboratory services, X-ray services, a CT scan, a covered ambulance garage, one trauma room, eight emergency exam rooms and two inpatient rooms. 

“As emergency medicine specialists, we’re excited to bring the same level of expert care available at Rapid City Hospital to this new location,” said Brook Eide, M.D., Emergency Department Chair, Monument Health Rapid City Hospital. “This facility will allow us to provide critical emergency services to more patients, closer to where they live and work.”

This location and facility allows Monument Health space and infrastructure to continue growing to meet the needs of our community,” said Paulette Davidson, Monument Health President and CEO. “The space provides additional land for multi-phased construction with infrastructure to allow for additional stories to be added to the building. If a second story is deemed necessary in the future, an additional 20 inpatient rooms could be added.”

“This new facility represents our ongoing commitment to expanding access to high-quality healthcare throughout the Black Hills region. The Mall Drive Campus will ensure residents and visitors along the I-90 corridor have immediate access to emergency care when they need it most,” said Paulette.

Construction is set to complete on the Mall Drive Campus in summer 2026.

Team-Based Approach to Advanced Heart Failure Care Earns National Recognition for Monument Health Rapid City Hospital

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

Rapid City, S.D., May 7, 2025 – Monument Health is proud to announce that Becker’s Hospital Review named Rapid City Hospital one of the top five hospitals in the U.S. with the lowest heart failure readmission rates, according to recent data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This achievement reflects a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to heart failure care and a steadfast commitment to optimizing outcomes for patients at every stage of the disease.

Between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2023, Monument Health Rapid City Hospital ranked fifth nationwide in minimizing readmissions for heart failure—an important indicator of high-quality, effective care.

This success is driven by the collaborative efforts of a dedicated team of physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, therapists, pharmacists and care coordinators who work seamlessly across disciplines to manage and support patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).

“Our goal is Heart Success—not Heart Failure,” said Luis Hernandez, M.D., FACC, Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiologist. “We changed the name of our program to reflect a message of hope and empowerment. Patients with heart failure deserve to feel supported, not overwhelmed.” 

Under Dr. Hernandez’s leadership, the Advanced Heart Failure Program at Monument Health leverages the latest evidence-based medical therapies, innovative monitoring tools and advanced care devices to treat patients with late-stage disease. These include implantable hemodynamic monitors, cardiac resynchronization therapy, ventricular assist devices and when appropriate, referral for transplant evaluation.

“We focus on keeping patients out of the hospital and improving their quality of life by utilizing the most current therapies and maintaining strong communication across the care team and with families,” Dr. Hernandez added.

The Monument Health Heart and Vascular Institute—home to western South Dakota’s largest cardiovascular group—offers a full continuum of care including diagnostic services, cardiothoracic surgery, clinical research and nationally accredited labs. The institute was also recognized as a High Performing Hospital for Heart Failure by U.S. News & World Report for 2024-2025.

“This recognition highlights our commitment to patient centered and quality focused care at Monument Health. Dr. Hernandez and his team have built upon the framework created by John Heilman, M.D., FACC, Alex Schabauer, M.D., FSVMB, FACC, and many others. We have an amazing team here. It is a privilege to be a part of this group as we continue to improve the lives of patients with heart failure throughout our region,” said Joseph Tuma, M.D., FACC, FSCAI. “It reflects the strength of our integrated care model and our commitment to improving the lives of patients with heart failure throughout our region.”

Custer Occupational Therapy Helps Rural Schools

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

About 25 miles west of Custer by way of Highway 16 sits the tiny community of Elk Mountain. “It’s about a 40 minute drive depending if there’s wildlife going through Jewel Cave National Park,” says Michelle Lehman, Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant at Custer Hospital. “You end up on a dirt road and cross three cattle guards to get there.”

The smallest school district by enrollment in the state of South Dakota, Elk Mountain is an exceedingly rural place in a state with no shortage of rural places. Half a dozen teachers instruct a student body of 17 pupils who range from pre-kindergarten to grade 12. About half of the students live on ranches, though most of the kids’ families have livestock of some kind or another.

Twice a month for the last two years, Michelle has been making the trip from Custer to Elk Mountain to provide Occupational Therapy (OT) on behalf of Monument Health for students who need additional help to be successful in the school setting. “Primarily, we are there for the kids that qualify on an Individual Education Program (IEP) for the related service of OT,” says Michelle. “But because it’s such a drive out there, some of the other services that we offer are screenings and then just general recommendations to help kids with their focus and attention.” 

Michelle sometimes employs Balance/Auditory/Vision Exercises (BAVX) therapy techniques that help students with coordination and concentration. Currently she works with two students, one in fourth grade and one in fifth, though she hopes one of them will have gained the skills to test out of the program next year.  

Michelle also has standing OT appointments with Edgemont school. And she partners with Dominique  Mendoza and Roni Hanson, Certified Occupational Therapists at Custer Hospital, who provide support with Michelle to provide the best services possible to these rural settings. 

“When I started here back in 2000, we had Fairburn, Spring Creek and Pringle in the Custer school district. And those have since closed, so the rural school setting is getting more uncommon,” Michelle says. “One thing that I’ve noticed working in Elk Mountain and Edgemont is that the relationship between the therapist and the staff is more positive than in some bigger schools, and they almost treat me like I’m one of theirs, which is very nice. It’s a relationship where you can grow and have more intense conversations and bounce ideas around, just because you have more time available.”

Plus there are additional perks to practicing in a rural environment, “I thoroughly enjoy the drive out there because it’s relaxing and beautiful, even if it’s snowing out,” Michelle says. “And I look forward to seeing the progress of the kids. I mean, when you have a kid that has difficulty writing or copying words from the board onto the paper, to see them be able to focus, to copy that information and to do it legibly so the teachers can see it, that’s the rewarding thing. It’s not just me; it’s the whole team that is allowing that student to grow and to achieve to the best of their ability. That’s what I enjoy.”

Story: Kory Lanphear

Cancer Care Institute achieves radiation oncology services accreditation from ASTRO’s APEx – Accreditation Program for Excellence®

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

Rapid City, S.D., May 5, 2025 — Monument Health Cancer Care Institute‘s radiation oncology department attained accreditation from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) APEx – Accreditation Program for Excellence®. APEx provides external validation that a radiation oncology facility delivers high-quality, safe patient care. Cancer Care Institute is the first in South Dakota to earn this accreditation.

“Monument Health Cancer Care Institute is pleased to be the first cancer center in the state to receive this APEx accreditation from ASTRO, the largest radiation oncology society in the world,” said Eric Eastmo, M.D., President of Dakota West Radiation Oncology. “Our radiation oncology team is heavily invested in evaluating our processes to meet ASTRO’s high standards for safety and quality. Earning APEx accreditation demonstrates continued dedication to the Number 1 Goal of Monument Health: Deliver High Quality Care. Members of our community can take assurance in knowing that they have the opportunity to receive world-class cancer care close to home.”

APEx, the fastest-growing radiation oncology practice accreditation program in the United States, is a voluntary, objective and rigorous multi-step process during which a radiation oncology practice is evaluated using consensus-based standards. The practice must demonstrate its safety and quality processes and show that it adheres to patient-centered care by promoting effective communication, coordinated treatments and strong patient engagement.

“ASTRO commends Monument Health Cancer Care Institute for achieving accreditation through APEx,” said Howard M. Sandler, MD, FASTRO, Chair of the ASTRO Board of Directors. “By undergoing this comprehensive review, the facility demonstrated their ongoing commitment to delivering safe, high-quality radiation oncology services to their patients.”

APEx is the only radiation oncology accreditation program that includes a self-assessment, which allows practices to internally assess compliance with quality improvement standards. The practice then proceeds to a facility review by an external surveyor team that includes a radiation oncologist and a medical physicist. The program reflects the recommendations endorsed in the ASTRO publication Safety is No Accident: A Framework for Quality Radiation Oncology and Care. To date, more than 400 U.S. facilities have earned APEx accreditation. Learn more about APEx at www.astro.org/APEx.

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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 40 medical clinics and specialty centers. Monument Health is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

Something Porter this way returns: Black Hills area schools participate again in The Porter Project.

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

(Black Hills, S.D.) 4,000 first and second graders across the Black Hills will participate in The Porter Project by receiving free books and “Parent Homework” the week of May 5. Monument Health provides copies of Porter the Hoarder and the Hospital Hijinks to second grade students. Additionally, first grade students will receive copies of, Porter the Hoarder, Nature Explorer, provided by Black Hills Reads and Coeur Wharf. The Porter Project is a family engagement project initially created by Black Hills Reads, an initiative under the umbrella of United Way of the Black Hills and expanded across the state by the South Dakota Statewide Family Engagement Center for the past six years. 

Porter the Hoarder is a series of look-and-find books written by Sean Covel (producer of movies including the iconic independent film, Napoleon Dynamite) and illustrated by Rebecca Swift (artist and singer/songwriter who has appeared on American Idol). The series follows the emotional rollercoaster of a snappy little girl named Porter. In book two of the series, Porter the Hoarder, Nature Explorer, Porter must complete a nature hike by collecting only one wagon full of finds. Readers decide if she should keep things such as rainbow river rocks or flatulent flying fish. Does she keep them or throw them away? She has very strong opinions about both outcomes. In book 6 of the series, Porter the Hoarder and the Hospital Hijinks, Porter must choose between things such as shiny stethoscopes or beat-up bedpans to win an ambulance full of robots.

Both Covel and Swift are proud South Dakotans.

“It’s so exciting to release this book for first grade families and to again expand the project to include second graders as well!” said writer and Edgemont native, Sean Covel.

“As a mom of three I’ve read every kid’s book under the sun,” said illustrator Rebecca Swift who currently lives in Bridgewater, SD. “With Porter we set out to create something fun for both parents and kids. So that’s what we did! We never imagined it would be part of a massive reading project in our home state. I’m blown away.”

“United Way of the Black Hills started the Black Hills Reads initiative to promote early literacy and get kids excited about reading,” said Hanna Glissendorf, Director of Black Hills Reads. “Porter the Hoarder does this better than anything else, which is why we are so excited to once again be offering The Porter Project to students throughout the Black Hills.”

This will also include classroom readings led by Monument Health doctors, nurses, and providers across the region.

“Partnering with Porter the Hoarder is such a great opportunity for Children’s Monument Health,” said Kyle Lemley, M.D., Pediatric Hospitalist, Monument Health. “This story not only helps our young patients see health care in a less-scary way, but it helps us positively impact our communities.”

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More information on the history of the project can be found at:
https://porterthehoarder.com/teacher

Porter the Hoarder books are currently available on Amazon.com.

About Black Hills Reads
Black Hills Reads is the United Way of the Black Hills’s early education initiative, which helps ensure children are proficient readers by the end of third grade. Black Hills Reads promotes early learning and literacy opportunities for more than 24,000 early learners under nine and their families throughout the Black Hills and Western South Dakota. 
 
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 Rapid City Hospital Earns an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group

Posted on by Stephany Chalberg

Rapid City, S.D., MAY 1, 2025 – Monument Health Rapid City Hospital earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Only about 30% of U.S. hospitals achieve a Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade of “A.” Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.   

“I’m so proud to receive this external recognition reinforcing the years of hard work and dedication our Physicians, Nurses and support staff have dedicated to delivering high-quality care,” said Jill Tice, Monument Health Vice President of Quality Safety and Risk Management. “We will continue to provide safe, patient-centered care while seeking continuous improvement and setting higher standards for health care excellence within our community.”

“Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade reflects enormous dedication to patient safety,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “I extend my congratulations to Monument Health Rapid City Hospital, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for creating a culture where patients come first.”

“Achieving the gold standard of patient safety for a United States health system doesn’t happen overnight,” said Michel Huot, M.D., Monument Health Chief of Staff. “I am very proud to work with an organization that truly puts patient safety at the center of what we do.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. 

To explore Rapid City Hospital’s full grade details and to find valuable tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org. Connect with The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram and stay informed through The Leapfrog Group newsletter.