1 2 3 4 5P 7P 8P - Avera Health

S U M M E R 2 0 0 8
T A K E
SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CARE NOT A NEW IDEA
Deb Fischer-Clemens
Director of the Avera
Center for Public Policy
OTE
Until recently, South Dakota was one
of only five states in the nation without
school-based health centers. Deb
Fisher-Clemens gives the background
on this not-so-new concept and why she
and a coalition of others worked to make
it happen in the region. (Read about
Avera’s pilot project with the Sioux
Falls School District on page 5.)
DEB, FIRST, WHAT IS A SCHOOL-BASED
HEALTH CENTER?
“A school-based health center is a safe, easily accessible location
on a school campus where students can go for comprehensive
VOLUME 30 NUMBER 3
TENATTENAVERA
EARNS 10TH CONSECUTIVE
“100 MOST WIRED” AND 5TH
CONSECUTIVE “MOST WIRELESS”
As the Avera name moved toward its 10th year, Avera garnered its 10th “100 Most Wired” and
fifth “Most Wireless” awards, according to the results of the 2008 Most Wired Survey and
Benchmarking Study released in the July 15 issue of Hospitals & Health Networks (H&HN).
Avera is the only health system in the nation to make both lists every year running since their
inception (“100 Most Wired” in 1999 and 25 “Most Wireless” in 2004). Some 18 organizations
are new to the list this year. Avera is one of only six organizations in the nation to achieve
“100 Most Wired” for 10 consecutive years.
Winners receive a detailed benchmarking report,
recognition in a cover story of the July issue of H&HN
and use of the “100 Most Wired” logo for promotional
activities. They also participate in a special session at the
2008 Health Forum/AHA Leadership Summit.
“The purpose of the survey is to promote the effective
use of information technology in achieving clinical and
operational excellence,” noted Avera Senior Vice
President of Information Systems Jim Veline.
“Avera remains in front of the
curve for implementation of
technology to deliver high-quality
results and better care.”
By combining technology with clinical knowledge and
creativity, the nation’s “100 Most Wired” show better
outcomes in key areas: patient satisfaction, mortality rates,
patient safety measures from the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality, core measures from Hospital
Compare and average length of stay.
H&HN magazine conducts the survey annually in a blind
test and uses the results to name the “100 Most Wired”
hospitals and health systems. Some 1,327 hospitals are
represented in the 556 completed survey, or roughly
22.3 percent of hospitals in the United States.
The 2008 “100 Most Wired” survey was conducted in
cooperation with Accenture (a global management
consulting, technology services and outsourcing
company), McKesson Corporation (the world’s largest
health care services, technology and automation
company), the American Hospital Association, and
the College of Healthcare Information Management
Executives. The “Most Wireless” award received
additional support from Intel (a technology innovator
that applies knowledge, research and assets to improve
health care and quality of life). The July H&HN
cover story is available at www.hhnmag.com.
preventative and primary health care services. The concept
dates back to the late 1970s but grew rapidly during the
1990s. Today more than 1,700 school-based centers located
in every state in the country (with the exception of Idaho,
Nevada, North Dakota and Wyoming) serve nearly two
million young people every year.”
WHAT KIND OF CARE DOES A CENTER PROVIDE?
“School-based health centers are prevention-oriented and have
as a primary goal to reduce emergency room utilization for nonemergent
conditions. They provide care early to prevent or treat
common health problems, minor injuries, special health care
needs or chronic conditions. Local communities determine what
(continued on pg2)
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P A G E P A G E P A G E P A G E 5
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P A G E P A G E6
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P A G E P A G E8
LEAD STORY
10 Years of ”100 Most
Wired”
TAKE NOTE
Why School-Based Care?
FULFILLING OUR
MISSION
20 Goats and
20 Homes
Community Service Fund
Avera Leaders
Cohort Named
AROUND THE SYSTEM
Kudos
Bricks and Mortar
PEOPLE NEWS
THIS ISSUE
IN THE COMMUNITY
Three Projects Funded
Welcome to the
Avera Family
Traumatic Brain
Injury Unit
Trustee Notes
Calendar
School-Based
Health Care Pilot
PRESIDENT’S
LETTER
12,000 Touch Points
Avera HealtheCARETM “HEALTH SERVICES NEED TO BE WHERE STUDENTS CAN
TRIP OVER THEM. ADOLESCENTS DO NOT CARRY
APPOINTMENT BOOKS, AND SCHOOL IS THE ONLY PLACE
WHERE THEY ARE REQUIRED TO SPEND THEIR TIME.”
–Phillip Porter, M.D., Director
School-Based Adolescent Health Care Program
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
New Physicians
Medical Staff Notes

TAKE
(continued from pg1)
will be offered at the center
and how those services will
be delivered. Students will be
referred to their own primary
care provider based on needs.”
WHY SCHOOL-BASED CARE?
“School-based health centers
make sense because they are
located where children and
adolescents are. Children and
youth face obstacles getting the
health care they need. These
include lack of money or
insurance, access to health care
facilities or physicians and
parents who are unable to miss
time from work to take their
children to appointments.
Often students miss a day of
school to get the care they
need or do not get care at all.
“School-based health centers
mean access for all students
because those students with
parental permission receive
care regardless of insurance
coverage or ability to pay. When
students receive preventative
care, they experience fewer
hospitalizations and emergency
room visits, and have higher
attendance rates.”
WHAT KIND OF IMPACT HAS
THE SCHOOL-BASED MODEL
DEMONSTRATED?
“Studies show that when health
intervention happens at school,
everyone wins. Consider the
expense of emergency room
costs, lost productivity time
for a working parent, loss
of academic contact for a
struggling student and loss of
daily attendance revenue for
schools for something as simple
as treating a sore throat or
earache in an emergency
room. Consider the cost of
hospitalization for a preventable
illness, which can average
$1,000 a day. Yet, this sort of
expense is generated frequently
by children nationwide who
live near the poverty level and
are uninsured.
“A 2005 study by the Society
for Adolescent Medicine
tracked children with asthma,
one of the major diseases for
school-based health center
encounters. Over the course
of the six-year Cincinnatibased
study, emergency
department visits decreased
by 33.5 percent and risks of
hospitalization decreased
2.4 fold. The potential cost
savings for hospitalization was
estimated at $970 per child.”
Look no further.
OTE
IS THIS A RURAL OR
URBAN MODEL?
“School-based health centers
are found in communities
of all sizes and regions.
The largest recent increases
have been in rural areas
where 26 percent of schoolbased
health programs are
now found.”
WHY DID AVERA BECOME
INVOLVED, AND WHAT KINDS OF
OUTCOMES DO YOU ANTICIPATE?
“Through participation
in community needs
assessments, I became aware
of the potential for this
model and wanted to pilot
a program in Sioux Falls.
Avera McKennan, the State
of South Dakota and the
Sioux Falls School District
agreed to collaborate. The
Avera Rural Health Institute
was instrumental in writing
the grant.
“I am confident we have an
excellent plan for the twoyear
pilot and that we will
see reductions in emergency
room visits and student
absenteeism. (See story on
page 5.) We hope to add
behavioral health services
down the road, as this is
often a leading service
provided nationwide. I believe
that through the provision
of basic health care, health
promotion and health
education, we will have a
great impact on the lives of
these young people and that
program replication will be
in demand.”
S U M M E R 2 0 0 8
F U L F I L L I N G O U R ISSION
It has been said that it takes a whole village to raise a child. Avera McKennan Clinic Operations recently
demonstrated that it had the ability to raise a whole village. What began as a one-month challenge to
fund seven goats ($150 each) and seven Happy Houses ($600 each) for
the Avera Haiti project, caught unbelievable momentum and netted
20 goats and 20 Happy Houses, or more than $15,000.
Each clinic annually plans a mission-focused project, explains
Deb Soholt, director of Women’s Health at Avera McKennan.
This year, they wanted to do something collectively. They targeted the
month of May because it seemed free from the distractions of holiday
pressures and other big pushes for donations. Soholt and Julie
Baumberger, manager of Outpatient Oncology Infusion Centers,
coordinated the project on behalf of Avera McKennan Clinic
Operations. They began by creating a simple flier explaining the
value to the Haitian people of basic shelter and an animal that can
give some economic freedom.
Both women are quick to point out that grassroots energy is what
made the project such a huge success. For example, no sooner had
they communicated the goal of seven goats and seven houses, than
a generous donor purchased the first goat and house, and upped the
ante to eight goats and eight houses. One team energized staff and
patients by naming goats – first Millie, then Billie, then Lillie, then
Tillie and finally Dillie – really! Another clinic repurposed a stash
of mood rings used as a gimmick at talks about women’s hormones
to create interest by enticing, “Are you in the mood to give to
Haiti?” Bake sales, clinic-to-clinic challenges and overall BIG
hearts generated an energy that simply could not be stopped.
2
AVERA MCKENNAN CLINIC OPERATIONS SEES 20/20 WITH
AVERA HAITI PROJECT
The outpouring exceeded the wildest dreams and expectations of
organizers as literally ice cream buckets of cash poured in. Avera
McKennan Clinic Accounts Receivable came to the rescue. Avera
Senior Vice President of Mission Services Bob Voglewede says,
“This is an incredible outpouring by so many clinic people. I hope
they can imagine what it must be like for the chosen families –
one or two poor parents and a number of children – to go from never having
lived in anything but a leaky, flimsy, dirt-floored hovel to a house that’s dry, safe and won’t get blown
away in a storm. How life changing!” Bob adds that he hopes that in
giving, each person receives back in some important way,
in a way that meets one of his or her needs at this time.
He hopes the project helped to sensitize people
about the issues in Haiti, such as:
■ Why is Haiti the poorest country in our
hemisphere?
■ Why did one of the Avera volunteers on our
last trip, someone who has been to many Third-
World countries, say it was by far the worst
conditions he has ever witnessed anywhere?
■ What is preventing countries with First-World
resources from helping Haiti be able to stand up
and function as a healthy country?
“Such are my thoughts and hopes in response to
what our clinic people have done,” Bob concludes.
IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY AVERA.
ITS PURPOSE IS TO COMMUNICATE ACTIVITIES AND ISSUES
PERTINENT TO AVERA, TO SHARE IDEAS AND INFORMATION
USEFUL IN MANAGING OR DELIVERING HEALTH CARE TO
ASSIST IN FOSTERING A COMMON AVERA CULTURE AND
TO REINFORCE THE MISSION AND CORE VALUES OF AVERA.
To learn more about Avera’s commitment
to Haiti or to make a donation, go to:
www.Avera.org/avera/about/
ministry/index.aspx.
comments,
Q U E S T I O N S ?
EDITOR: CLARE WILLRODT
Send comments and questions to:
Avera Health
3900 W Avera Drive
Sioux Falls, SD 57108
or allofus@avera.org
For additional information
about Avera, its affiliates
and physicians, or to view
this newsletter online,
please visit our website at
www.Avera.org.

Telehealth,
SPIRIT LAKE, IOWA
WORTHINGTON, MINN.
BROOKINGS, S.D.
General examination cameras
Community
Ambulance Service,
DELL RAPIDS, S.D.
New IV pumps for vehicles
and seven new defibrillators
for area churches
Avera Cancer Institute,
Dougherty Hospice
House, Avera McKennan
Fitness Center,
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.
Healing Touch Program
Oscar Howe Elementary,
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.
Community center and
playground equipment
John Harris Elementary,
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.
Community playground for
special needs students
S U M M E R 2 0 0 8
COMMUNITY SERVICE FUND AWARDS
32 PROJECTS. MORE THAN $4.5 MILLION TOTAL.
The Avera Community Service Fund gave 32 projects start-up grants totaling $295,900 this year.
More than $4.5 million since 1999. Health. Wellness. Relationships. Community.
Kids STOP,
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.
Diabetes prevention program
CareNet,
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.
Health care access project
Habitat for Health,
LE MARS, IOWA
First-aid station upgrade at
Plymouth County Fairgrounds
Fitness Center,
HULL, IOWA
Cardio equipment update
and healthy living program
Mentoring Program,
EMMET COUNTY, IOWA
At-risk youth mentorship
program
Whispering Heights/
Valley Manor Senior
Living Community,
ROCK VALLEY, IOWA
Indoor stand-up gardens
AVERA LEADERS IN MINISTRY PROGRAM COHORT NAMED
The 2008-2009 Avera Leaders in Ministry cohort includes from Avera
Health Plans: Pam Lewis, director of Sales and Marketing; from Avera
Health: Chris Specht, director of Risk Management; from Avera St. Luke’s:
K.C. DeBoer, vice president of Operations; and Geoff Durst, chief financial
officer; from Avera Holy Family Health: Bill Bumgarner, chief executive
officer; from Avera Queen of Peace: Risë Waldera, director of Physician
Support Services; and Rochelle Reider, director of ICU/Medical/Swing
Bed; from Avera St. Anthony’s: Diane Morgan, manager of Kidney Dialysis;
from Avera St. Benedict Health Center: Gale Walker, chief executive
officer; from Hegg Memorial Health Center Avera: Glenn Zevenbergen,
administrator and chief executive officer; from Avera McKennan: Mark
Vortherms, regional administrator of Clinic Operations; Dave Flicek, senior
vice president of Avera Medical Group; Ron Farr, senior vice president of
Finance; and Sr. Mary Thomas, senior vice president of Mission; from
Avera Sacred Heart: Kathy Quinlivan, director of Medical Information
Systems; and Tim Schwasinger, director of Patient Accounts.
The Avera Leaders in Ministry Program is a nine-month program to
assist leaders in deepening personal spirituality and to equip them to foster
spirituality across the organization. Designed to integrate theological
education and spiritual formation, the program has a strong focus on both
understanding the Catholic tradition and fostering the diverse gifts of
each participant’s own spiritual tradition.
Rock Valley Community
School and Rock Valley
Christian Elementary,
ROCK VALLEY, IOWA
Automated external
defibrillators for schools
Reinbows, Inc.,
WINDOM, MINN.
Horse-assisted therapies
for youth and elderly
Southwest Minnesota
State University,
MARSHALL, MINN.
Weight-training equipment
for students with disabilities
Prairie Freedom Center,
MITCHELL, S.D.
“Living Well With a
Disability” project
Community Soccer,
MITCHELL, S.D.
Field improvements and
increased recreational
and competitive soccer
opportunities
Avera Brady Health
and Rehab,
MITCHELL, S.D.
Walking courtyard and
healing garden
Pool and Bathhouse,
ARTESIAN, S.D.
Renovations for
municipal pool
Parkston Community
Food Bank,
PARKSTON, S.D.
“Sack it! Fridays” for
students in need of healthy
food on weekends
Autism Evaluation Clinic,
ABERDEEN, S.D.
Local, early intervention
and treatment
Avera St. Luke’s,
ABERDEEN, S.D.
Medical Application
and Assistance Program
for uninsured and
underinsured families
SPURS Therapeutic
Riding Center,
ABERDEEN, S.D.
Hippotherapy horses for
individuals with disabilities
and disadvantaged children
Presentation College,
ABERDEEN, S.D.
Patient simulators for
nursing program
Wellness Center,
EUREKA, S.D.
Renovation and exercise
equipment
City of Yankton, S.D.
Adults and Children
Together Against Violence
(ACT) training
3
Yankton Area Health
Education Center,
YANKTON, S.D.
Certified Nursing
Assistant training for
high school students
Avera Sacred Heart
Senior Services,
YANKTON, S.D.
Person First support for
residents with dementia
Marne Creek West Park,
YANKTON, S.D.
Community garden and
off-leash park for dogs
Lewis & Clark Behavioral
Health Services, Inc.,
YANKTON, S.D.
Suspected Abuse Response
Team (SART) training
Sunset Manor/
Avera Health,
IRENE, S.D.
Traumatic Brain Injury Unit
for South Dakotans
City of Niobrara, Neb.
Basketball court and
wellness program
City of O’Neill, Neb.
Community center for
health education
Scripture
TODAY’S
&Reflection
Wade into God’s Word at Today’s Scripture
and Reflection found at www.Avera.org
where you can e-subscribe today!

IN THE
OMMUNITY
SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
RECEIVES FUNDING FOR THREE AVERA PROJECTS
The South Dakota Department of Social Services recently
received funding for six grants from the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, three of which will be provided in connection
with Avera. They include:
■ Sioux Falls School-Based Health Pilot. The proposed
project will pilot a school-based health center at a public high
school in Sioux Falls, S.D. (See related story on page 5.)
■ Urgent-Care Clinic Development. This project proposes to
open an urgent-care clinic in Wagner, S.D., to provide services
on nights and weekends, almost doubling the current
available hours of non-emergency health care services in this
community. Three clinic rooms will be outfitted for urgent-care
needs, and a provider will be hired to cover the extended
shifts. It is estimated that 1,800 visits, representing several
hundred people, will be made to the urgent-care clinic.
Funding Amount: $907,609 for a two-year period.
■ South Dakota Telehealth Urgent-Care Clinic Project.
This pilot project will allow patients to receive primary care
after hours in their home clinic. Three pilot sites will be
selected, and each will have a nurse to facilitate needed
urgent care through telehealth technology linked to an urgentcare
physician located in Sioux Falls. This service will offer the
additional benefit of providing local access to specialty
consults, making it easier for individuals to seek timely care
for management of serious chronic conditions. The provision
of this service will decrease inappropriate emergency room
use, increase access to urgent care and result in better health
outcomes for South Dakotans in rural counties. Funding
Amount: $492,955 for a
two-year period.
SOUTH DAKOTA AMONG
12 COMMUNITIES
SELECTED FOR
ELECTRONIC MEDICAL
RECORDS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
On Friday, June 13, U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services Secretary Mike Leavitt visited Sioux Falls to
provide details on a first-ever national electronic medical record
(EMR) demonstration project. South Dakota was among only 12
communities selected from 30 applications to participate in the
demonstration.
Avera Rural Health Institute grant writers were instrumental in
submitting the application, which Leavitt noted was among the
top four and unique for its collaboration between private entities
and the state, and for crossing state lines.
In the application, Avera partnered with the members of the
South Dakota e-Health Collaborative to serve as a community
partner for CMS, assisting with outreach, education and
recruitment of 200 area physician practices in the demonstration.
From the pool of 200, 100 clinics will be selected randomly to
participate in the incentive portion. The remaining 100 serve as
controls, asked only to complete a short survey in years 2 and 5
for modest compensation.
Over the five-year project, financial incentives will be provided
to as many as 1,200 primary care physician practices nationwide.
In addition to the incentive payments, bonus payments may be
awarded based on a standardized survey, which measures the
number of EMR functionalities a physician group has
incorporated into its practice. Total payments under the
demonstration for all five years may be up to $58,000 per
physician or $290,000 per practice.
To be eligible for the demonstration, physician practices must:
■ Have fewer than 20 providers (87 percent of practices in
South Dakota have five or fewer)
■ Provide primary care
■ Have or install a Certification Commission for Healthcare
Information Technology (CCHIT)-certified EMR by the end of
the second year (CCHIT is a private, not-for-profit organization
that serves as the recognized United States certification
authority for EMRs and their networks)
■ Use the EMR to perform specific minimum core functionalities
that can positively impact patient care processes
■ Bill Medicare for services on a CMS-1500 claim form
Further details on participant selection and requirements are
forthcoming.
S U M M E R 2 0 0 8 4
DE SMET MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BECOMES AVERA ENTITY
Effective July 1, De Smet Memorial Hospital is Avera De Smet Memorial Hospital, part
of the Avera Queen of Peace Health Services region and related to Avera Queen of Peace in a manner
similar to Avera Weskota Memorial Medical Center. The administrator and staff are employees of
Avera Queen of Peace; the hospital is part of the financial operation there; and Ron Combs, a
member of the Avera De Smet Memorial Advisory Board, attends the Avera Queen of Peace Board
of Directors meetings.
During the past several months, departments of Avera Queen of Peace worked with their
counterparts in De Smet to assist in making a smooth transition. A July 1 visit to meet the Avera
De Smet Memorial Hospital Board, Administration, department directors and city council members
was made by Avera Queen of Peace Board members, their spouses and the Avera Queen of Peace
Administrative Council.
WELCOME AVERA O’NEILL FAMILY MEDICINE
APRIL 27-MAY 3
Avera recently welcomed Avera O’Neill Family Medicine to the Avera family. Avera O’Neill Family
Medicine is a joint venture between Avera Sacred Heart Hospital and Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital.
The clinic, formerly O’Neill Family Practice, has four physicians: Drs. Jay Allison, Barbara Gutshall,
Preston Renshaw and Matthew Winkelbauer. There also are two nurse practitioners: Shelly Herrington
and Sharon Spencer.
Avera O’Neill Family Medicine joins Avera Sacred Heart Medical Clinics in Crofton, Hartington
and Niobrara; Avera Holt County Medical Clinic in O’Neill; and Avera Pierce Medical Clinic.
NEW BRAIN INJURY UNIT AT SUNSET MANOR/AVERA HEALTH IN IRENE
Besides dealing with their current physical challenges, South Dakotans recovering from traumatic brain
injury (TBI) are forced to move out of state for long-term treatment. That will change this year through
a new partnership involving the state; the South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS); Village
Northwest Unlimited of Sheldon, Iowa; Ability Building Services; Avera Health; and Avera Sacred Heart.
Sunset Manor/Avera Health in Irene, S.D., will become home to South Dakota’s first long-term care
facility specifically designed for TBI patients. The skilled nursing home has been in the process of a
$500,000 remodel of its former independent-living facility for the TBI center.
Sunset Manor/Avera Health was chosen because of its location and facility, explains Tony Erickson,
executive director of Avera Sacred Heart Senior Services. “Not only is this part of our mission, but also
we have very suitable space that works well for this type of care model,” Erickson notes.
Plans call for the TBI unit, known as Sunrise Villa/Avera Health, to open in August, says administrator
Becky McManus. Patients with traumatic brain injury will live in a community setting in one-bedroom
apartments designed by consultants experienced in TBI care. Each apartment will have a kitchenette,
refrigerator, microwave and fully accessible bathroom.
The Irene center has criteria for accepting residents but will be geared toward younger adults. The patients
will be individuals whose injury occurred after age 21. The length of stay will depend on the individual’s
goal for future living. The facility will house up to eight TBI patients, but this won’t come near to meeting
existing needs. More than 20 individuals who are out of state could utilize this kind of unit.
AVERA HEALTH PLANS TO PROVIDE
STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE FOR
SOUTH DAKOTA UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
On May 30, 2008, the South Dakota Board of Regents approved a
managed care program for its student health insurance program with
services provided by Avera Health Plans. The state of South Dakota
University system includes Black Hills State University, Dakota State
University, Northern State University, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, South Dakota State
University, The University of South Dakota and University Center.
The program, called My Health Plan, encourages students to take responsibility for their health care.
Making health insurance affordable for students aligns with Avera’s mission. My Health Plan provides
limited coverage ($5,000 annually per sickness or injury) and is guaranteed issue, which means that students
will not go through an underwriting process. If students meet eligibility criteria established by the plan, they
are entitled to enroll. Students can elect either annually or by semester, and the policy is not available to the
general public. All registered international students taking credit hours and their dependents are required
to purchase this plan at the time of registration. My Health Plan will be effective on Sept. 1, 2008.

TRUSTEE
Rod Fouberg
Avera Health
Board Chair
2008
2009
2010
notes
Sr. Mildred Busch, outgoing chair of the Avera
Health Board of Directors, recently announced the
appointment of Rodney Fouberg, Avera Health board
member, to the chair of the board. The appointment
makes Rod the first lay board leader of the Avera Health
Board. Until now, the leadership position has been filled
by a Sister from one of Avera’s sponsoring communities.
The appointment demonstrates the confidence Avera’s
sponsors have in the well-formed lay leadership of the
health ministry.
A native of Letcher, S.D., Rod is a graduate of South Dakota State
University and the Graduate School of Banking at the University of
Wisconsin, Madison. Rod has spent more than 40 years as an
officer of Dacotah Banks, Aberdeen, S.D., and is currently the board
chair there. Rod has been a board member and officer of several
nonprofit organizations, including Avera St. Luke’s Hospital,
Presentation College and Northeast Mental Health Center in
Aberdeen. Rod and Glenna Fouberg have been married for
43 years and have two grown sons and four grandchildren.
CALENDAR
SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CARE DEBUTS
AT SIOUX FALLS HIGH SCHOOL
Dr. James Reynolds has been
reappointed to an additional two-year
term on the Avera Health Board of
Directors, and LeRoy Rheault has been
reappointed to an additional one-year
term to assist in staggering the
appointment process. Mark Buche,
president of Tessiers, Inc., and Robert
Sutton, president of South Dakota
Community Foundation, have been
appointed to their first four-year terms.
Sr. JoAnn Sturzl has been appointed
to her first four-year term on the
Avera St. Luke’s Board of Directors.
Dr.Tage Born, OB-GYN Associates;
Dr.Thomas Luzier, Aberdeen Asthma
& Allergy; and Mike Evans, Centennial
Management, Inc., have been appointed
to their first four-year terms.
Sr. Suzanne Cotter, completing a
partial term, has been reappointed to her
first four-year term on the Avera Holy
Family Health Board of Directors.
Dr. Keith Probst, Avera Estherville
Medical Clinic, has been appointed to
his first four-year term.
Jul 23-24 Avera Summer Administrators’ Conference, Village West, Okoboji
Aug 16 14th Annual “Caring for Kids” Golf Tournament benefit for Avera Queen of Peace, Mitchell
Aug 27 Avera Quality Congress, Sioux Falls
Oct 16 Avera Rural Health Conference, Sioux Falls – NOTE CHANGE OF DATE
Oct 24 “Simply D’Vine” benefit for Benedictine Health Foundation, Yankton
Nov 6 Avera Nursing Conference, Sioux Falls
Nov 15 “A Splash of Spirits” benefit for Avera Queen of Peace, Mitchell
Nov 22 Char Greenway Memorial Bowling Tournament benefit for Avera Queen of Peace, Mitchell
Jan 16-17 Avera HealtheCARE Forum, Sioux Falls
Mar 18-20 Avera Health Board Educational Retreat, Tucson
Apr 14, 16 Avera Management Conference, Sioux Falls
Apr 30 24th Annual Avera Ethics Conference, Holiday Inn City Centre, Sioux Falls
May 1 Avera Parish Nurse Conference, Sioux Falls
May 6 Avera PACE Conference, Sioux Falls
May 7 3rd Annual Avera Foundation Fundraising Institute – Holiday Inn City Centre, Sioux Falls
Aug 26 Avera Quality Congress, Sioux Falls
Apr 22-24 Avera Leadership Conference, Minneapolis
Although school-based programs have been around for a number of years, a grant
obtained by Avera will help establish South Dakota’s first high-school-level school-based
health program. (See “Take Note” on page 1 for further information about the history,
background and purpose of school-based health programs.) The two-year pilot is funded
by a $732,022 grant from the federal government. It is a partnership with the State of
South Dakota and the Sioux Falls School District.
The pilot program seeks to reduce emergency room utilization for non-emergent
conditions by providing basic care at the school, and detecting and referring more
difficult situations to primary care providers. Students who do not have a primary care
physician will be referred to McGreevy Clinic Avera and other clinics to promote a regular
medical home for the students. An Avera-based mid-level practitioner will be onsite at the
school for up to four hours a day and also will provide health promotion and health
education.
The program begins this fall at Washington High School, which has a student population
of 2,175, a staff that is receptive to the project and space easily adapted for the service.
The racial and ethnic composition of the school is representative of the population of
South Dakota. There are 30 students with severe disabilities and 120 students from
13 countries other than the United States. A high percentage of students are eligible
for free or reduced meals, which is an indicator of possible health needs as a result of
nutritional deficiencies and low economic status. Several health factors also were taken
into account in the selection.
In addition to measuring the program’s impact on emergency room use, program
evaluation will quantify reduction of absenteeism and parent time lost from work; impact
on health education, nutrition, dental and behavioral health needs; and management
of chronic conditions such as diabetes and asthma.
S U M M E R 2 0 0 8 5
Terry Torgerson, senior vice president
for CorTrust Bank, has been appointed
to his first four-year term on the Avera
Queen of Peace Board of Directors.
Rodney Combs, designer at Lyle Signs,
Inc., has been appointed as representative
of Avera De Smet Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Paul Rasmussen and Greg Dice
have been reappointed to their second
four-year terms. Lori Essig, completing
a partial term, has been reappointed to
her first four-year term.
Gene Chohon, self-employed in
agribusiness and farming, and Rod
Shellpepper, senior vice president of
Pinnacle Bank, have been appointed to
their first four-year terms on the Avera
St. Anthony’s Board of Directors.
Sr. Phyllis Gill and Sr. Maribeth
Wentzlaff have been appointed to their
second four-year terms on the Avera
St. Benedict Board of Directors.
Sr. Janice Klein has been appointed
to her first four-year term on the
Avera McKennan Board of Directors.
Dr. Mitch Johnson, Orthopedic
Institute; Gene Jones Jr., president
of Maguire Iron, Inc.; Cathy Clark,
community bank president of Wells
Fargo; and Michael Bender, president
of Bender Commercial Real Estate
Services, have been appointed to their
first four-year terms. Tom Dempster
and Dr. Brad Thaemert have
been reappointed to their second
four-year terms.
Sr. Deb Kolecka has been appointed
to her first four-year term on the
Avera Sacred Heart Board of Directors.
Dr. Michael Schurrer, Avera Sacred
Heart Hospital Emergency Department,
and John Nagengast, president of
Nagengast Pharmacies, Inc., have
been appointed to their first four-year
terms.

kudos
AROUND THE
AVERA ST. LUKE’S HOME HEALTH AND AVERA SACRED HEART HOME CARE WIN AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE
Avera St. Luke’s Home Health is the recipient of the 2008 South Dakota Quality Award for
Excellence in Home Care, the only agency to receive this top honor in the statewide award
program. This award recognizes high performance and commitment to providing high-quality
home care services, particularly in clinical areas designated important by the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Avera Sacred Heart is the recipient of the 2008 Quality Award for Achievement in Home
Care. The award recognizes home health agencies that have distinguished themselves through
commitment to providing high-quality home care services and achievement in clinical areas.
The awards are given by the South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care, the Medicare
quality improvement organization for South Dakota.
CARDINAL HEALTH AWARDS AVERA MCKENNAN $35,000 TO FUND PATIENT SAFETY INITIATIVE
To help with its initiative, Saving Lives in Rural Communities, Cardinal Health recently
announced the award of $35,000 to Avera McKennan as part of a $1 million grant program for
new and innovative programs at 34 hospitals, health systems and community health clinics across
the country.
Avera McKennan identified rural hospital participation in the Institute for Healthcare
Improvement 5 Million Lives Campaign as a high priority in Avera’s service area.
The grant will be used to provide education and tools for the Campaign’s safety platforms, to
work individually with rural hospitals to design a patient safety program and to recognize top
performers in patient safety. Ultimately the goal is to increase patient safety and save lives.
More than 10 percent (700 organizations) of the nation’s hospitals applied for the grants.
In choosing recipients, Cardinal Health looked for projects that respond to a clearly identified,
high-priority safety issue; collaborative programs; projects that apply new thinking and
approaches to development of solutions; model programs that can be replicated at other
organizations; and demonstrable and sustainable measures to ensure that improvements last
over time.
AVERA MCKENNAN IS A TOP 100 COMMUNITY VALUE PROVIDER
Avera McKennan has been named to the Community Value Index® (CVI) “Top
100” hospitals list and designated as a “Five Star” facility. Avera McKennan
is the only hospital in South Dakota listed in the top 100.
In its fifth annual CVI survey, Cleverley + Associates evaluated the
United States hospital industry in three core areas: financial strength and
reinvestment, cost of care and pricing. Measurement in these areas suggests
that hospitals operating with a high degree of community value are those that
are low cost, low charge and use a strong financial position to reinvest back in to
the provision of care at the facility. Those hospitals with scores in the top 20 percent
are designated as “Five Star” facilities. A subset of this group is the “Top 100,” which
contains the highest scoring facilities in the country.
AVERA SYSTEM-WIDE MARKETING INITIATIVES
RECEIVE PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL HEALTH CARE ADVERTISING AWARDS
The Avera brand campaign newspaper advertising series promoting Avera eICU® CARE,
cancer care, heart care and surgery at Avera was awarded a Gold in its category at the 25th
Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards. The television cancer care commercial, “Stay Close,”
received a Silver. The awards were granted from a field of more than 4,400 entries. The
Healthcare Advertising Awards are the primary award for the industry.
AVERA ST. LUKE’S CANCER PROGRAM HONORED AND LONG-TERM CARE SATISFACTION AMONG NATION’S BEST
Avera St. Luke’s Cancer Program has been honored by the Commission on Cancer, receiving
its Outstanding Achievement Award for 2007. The award recognizes cancer programs that
strive for excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients. Nationwide, only 67 programs
(approximately 15 percent) received this award as a result of all facility surveys performed in 2007.
Avera Mother Joseph Manor, an 81-bed skilled nursing facility and part of Avera Mother Joseph
Manor Retirement Community in Aberdeen, S.D., ranked in the top 1 percent of 401 nursing
facilities nationwide for resident satisfaction, according to the latest survey by Press Ganey
Associates, Inc., the leader in health care satisfaction measurement and improvement.
Avera Eureka Health Care Center, a 62-bed nursing facility and part of Avera St. Luke’s
Long-Term Care Division, exceeded its ranking from last year to move into the top 3 percent
nationwide in resident/family satisfaction for the first quarter of 2008.
OTHER NEWS
REMSEN CLINIC BREAKS GROUND
Hospital staff and community partners broke ground
May 8 at the future site of the Remsen Clinic. General
Contractor Frank Audino announced that construction
would begin two weeks later. Mike Donlin, administrator
of Floyd Valley Hospital, projects an October 30
completion date. The project started at the local level and
has received financial support from the Remsen Economic
Development Board; the City of Remsen, Iowa; Remsen
Utilities; and Plymouth County Supervisors. In addition
United States Congressman Steve King sponsored
federal appropriation, and the project received a USDA
Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant
sponsored by North West Rural Electric Cooperative.
From left: Ron Speckman, architect; Bill Anderson, policy advisor for
Congressman Steve King; Lyle Korver, CEO and general manager,
North West Rural Electric Cooperative; John Schneider, Plymouth
County supervisor; Craig Bartolozzi, mayor of Remsen; Dr. Tom
Duncan of Medical Associates, PC; Larry Petersen, Floyd Valley
Hospital board member; and Frank Audino, general contractor
S U M M E R 2 0 0 8 6
YSTEM
WALL STREET JOURNAL HEALTH BLOG TOUTS AVERA MCKENNAN ER
The Wall Street Journal Health Blog recently gave kudos to Avera McKennan for tackling the
issue of ER wait times. Noting that the state of South Dakota had the shortest wait times in
the nation last year, the article summarizes the efforts undertaken to streamline services at
Avera McKennan during the creation of the new ER.
Francie Miller, assistant vice president for Emergency and Adult Specialty Services is quoted,
saying that Avera McKennan cut its average times in the ER by about 20 minutes since early
2005, and that last month the figure was just shy of the two-hour mark, beating all South
Dakota averages.
AVERA MCKENNAN RECOGNIZED FOR ART ADVOCACY
Avera McKennan recently received a 2008 Sioux Falls Mayor’s Award for the Arts in the
category of Outstanding Organizational Advocacy. The arts are a priority in Avera’s healing
ministry, which cares for the whole person, body, mind and spirit.
Art collections in the Avera Behavioral Health Center and the Dougherty Hospice House
are examples of how Avera McKennan promotes the arts for the benefit of the community
by donating commissioned works of art and monetarily supporting programs and events that
promote the arts and cultural life of the community.
BRICKS AND MORTAR
AVERA MCKENNAN PLANS NEW
CANCER INSTITUTE
The new Avera Cancer Institute,
a 217,000-square-foot, $90-million
building, will offer the latest technology
and provide an integrated cancer
treatment facility to help patients
overcome the nation’s second-leading cause
of death. The facility also will be home to an eight-operatingroom,
state-of-the-art outpatient surgical center. The groundbreaking took place May 19.
The new Avera Cancer Institute is expected to open in the fall of 2010.
Cancer cases are projected to increase by 23 percent this decade, reaching 1.6 million
cases nationwide in 2010. In South Dakota, 4,000 new cases are diagnosed every year,
and Avera McKennan has seen a 24-percent increase in cancer service since 2002.
Meanwhile, the care and treatment of cancer patients is undergoing tremendous change,
fueled by the increased incidence of cancer due to an aging population and important
advances in early detection.
Patients and their families will find not only the best evidence-based treatments, latest
technology and comforts, but also the largest holistic or integrative medicine program
in the region featuring prayer, meditation, yoga, acupuncture, massage, Healing Touch,
aromatherapy, music therapy, and diet and nutrition counseling. Integrative medicine is
seen by patients and practitioners alike as an important aspect of cancer care. In fact,
70 percent of cancer patients today are using complementary or integrative medicine.
The Avera Cancer Institute is striving for Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED)® certification by the U.S. Green Building Council and currently is
registered as a LEED project. LEED design incorporates aspects of energy and
water conservation, as well as use of carefully selected sustainable and green materials
(laminates, paints, glues, flooring) and a commitment to local building materials including
granite from Big Stone City and brick from North Dakota. The landscaping includes
natural prairie grasses requiring little or no maintenance or water and a rooftop garden.
AVERA HEALTH PLANS HOSTS OPEN HOUSE
Avera Health Plans hosted a successful
open house and ribbon cutting on
May 1 to showcase their new office.
A crowd estimated at 200 was
present to share in the celebration.
Avera Health Plans occupies
approximately 11,500 square feet of
office space and is poised for future
growth. Today, Avera Health Plans
provides health care insurance
benefits for more than 50,000
members in group, individual and
Medicare product lines.
Cal Willemssen, immediate past
chair of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber
of Commerce, presents Rob Bates,
Avera senior vice president of
Managed Care Services, with a
welcome plaque.

PEOPLE
EWS
Judy Blauwet, senior vice president for Hospital
Operations and chief nursing officer at Avera
McKennan, recently received the Sioux Falls Sales
and Marketing Executives 2008 Women of Excellence
Award for Women Working Through the Decades.
She also recently achieved board certification in health
care management as an ACHE Fellow from the American College of
Healthcare Executives.
Jill Casanova is the new director of ED and Adult Specialty Services
at Avera McKennan.
Carol DeSchepper, vice president of Community-
Based Care for Avera Health, recently achieved
board certification in health care management as
an ACHE Fellow from the American College of
Healthcare Executives.
Robert Dockter, administrator/CEO of Eureka Community Health
Services Avera, recently was recognized with the Partnership for
Action Grassroots Champion Award by the American Hospital
Association, in partnership with the South Dakota Association of
Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO).
Douglas Ekeren, vice president of Planning and
Development for Avera Sacred Heart, recently
achieved board certification in health care
management as an ACHE Fellow from the
American College of Healthcare Executives.
Cheri Feterl of Avera Queen of Peace recently was awarded the
Certified Tumor Registrar Credential by the National Cancer
Registrars Association’s Council on Certification.
Bette Gebrian, PhD, director of public health for the Haitian Health
Foundation, recently received the 2008 Award for Best Practices in
Global Health.
Phyllis Haselhorst, an active member of Avera St. Luke’s Hospital
Auxiliary for 20 years, has been chosen Outstanding Auxilian of the
Year by the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Auxiliaries.
Mike Healy, chief financial officer at Avera Sacred
Heart, recently was fêted by the South Dakota
Health and Finance Management Association
with a recognition roast to honor 40 years with
the association.
Patty Jagoe is the new director of Perioperative Services at Avera
McKennan. She recently was director of Surgical Services at High
Point Regional Health System in North Carolina.
Sr. Vicky Larson, MS, RN, formerly of Avera McKennan and
currently a nursing instructor at Presentation College in Aberdeen,
S.D., recently presented her thesis research results, “Stress and
Coping Strategies of Adults in Accelerated Nursing Programs,”
at the 8th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference of the
School of Nursing and Midwifery at Trinity College, an
international conference in Dublin, Ireland.
Francie Miller is the new assistant vice
president for ED and Adult Specialty Services
at Avera McKennan.
Brian Salba, formerly the chief financial officer at
Wagner Community Memorial Hospital Avera, has
been named CEO of the facility.
Steve Statz, senior vice president of Business
Development for Avera Health, recently achieved
board certification in health care management as
an ACHE Fellow from the American College of
Healthcare Executives.
Sharon Waltner, MA, BSN, RN, nurse educator and
leadership consultant with Avera Education & Staffing
Solutions, Yankton, S.D., is presenting “Transforming
Conflict: It’s a Profitable Gift!” at the 2008 National
Nursing Staff Development Organization annual
convention in Minneapolis, Minn., in July.
Jack Williams Jr. has begun new duties as CEO at Avera
Gregory Healthcare Center in Gregory. Most recently he was
interim administrator at the 418-bed Minnesota Veteran’s Home
in Minneapolis.
Aaron Wimmer, manager of the Family Visitation Center,
recently was elected vice president of the Board of Directors of
the International Supervised Visitation Network.
NEW PHYSICIANS
Dr. Danielle Berdahl has joined the staff of
Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health
Center. A graduate of the University of South
Dakota School of Medicine, Vermillion,
she completed a residency in obstetrics at the
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics,
Iowa City. Dr. Berdahl joins Avera Women’s Specialty Clinics,
Sioux Falls.
Dr. Nicole Ann Christenson has joined the
staff of Avera McKennan Hospital & University
Health Center. She graduated from and
completed an adolescent and child psychiatry
residency at the Sanford School of Medicine
at The University of South Dakota, Vermillion.
Dr. Christenson joins Avera University Psychiatry Associates,
Sioux Falls.
Dr. Steven Condron has joined the staff
of Avera McKennan Hospital & University
Health Center. A graduate of New York
Medical College, Valhalla, he completed an
internal medicine and pediatrics residency at
Duke University Medical Center, Durham,
N.C., and a gastroenterology fellowship at the University
of Virginia, Charlottesville. Dr. Condron joins Avera
Gastroenterology, Sioux Falls.
Dr. Dustin Dierks has joined the staff of Avera
McKennan Hospital & University Health
Center. A graduate of the University of South
Dakota School of Medicine, Vermillion,
he completed an ophthalmology residency at
University of Missouri Hospital, Columbia.
Dr. Dierks joins Ophthalmology, Ltd., Sioux Falls.
Dr. Wael Eid has joined the staff of Avera
McKennan Hospital & University Health
Center. A graduate of the University of
Alexandria, Egypt, he completed an internal
medicine residency at the Sanford School of
Medicine at The University of South Dakota,
Sioux Falls, and an endocrinology fellowship at Baylor College
of Medicine, Houston, Texas. Dr. Eid joins Avera Endocrinology,
Sioux Falls.
Dr. Karen Garnaas has joined the staff of Avera McKennan
Hospital & University Health Center. A graduate of Mayo
Medical School, Rochester, Minn., she completed an adult
neurology residency at the University of Michigan Hospitals,
Ann Arbor, and a clinical europhysiology/EMG fellowship at
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dr. Garnaas joins Neurology
Associates, Sioux Falls.
Dr. Ayman Geneidy has joined the staff of
Avera McKennan Hospital & University
Health Center. A graduate of the University
of Alexandria, Egypt, he completed an internal
medicine residency at the University of
Alexandria, Egypt, and the University of
South Dakota School of Medicine, Vermillion. Dr. Geneidy
also completed a nephrology fellowship at the University of
Vermont, College of Medicine, Burlington. Dr. Geneidy joins
Avera North Central Kidney Institute, Sioux Falls.
Dr. Hesham Elgouhari has joined the staff
of Avera McKennan Hospital & University
Health Center. A graduate of Elmansoura
University, Egypt, he completed an internal
medicine residency at Texas Tech University,
Odessa, an infectious disease fellowship at
the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, and a hepatology
fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland,
Ohio. Dr. Elgouhari joins the Avera Center for Liver Disease,
Sioux Falls.
S U M M E R 2 0 0 8 7
MEDICAL STAFF NOTES
Dr. Ellison Kalda has joined the staff of
Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center.
A graduate of the University of South Dakota
School of Medicine, Vermillion, he completed
a surgery residency at Akron General Medical
Center. Dr. Kalda recently was associated
with the Surgical Institute of South Dakota, Sioux Falls.
Dr.Tariq Kahn has joined the staff of Avera
McKennan Hospital & University Health
Center. A graduate of Aga Khan University,
Pakistan, he completed a five-year general
surgery residency at West Virginia University,
Charleston Division, Charleston, and a twoyear
transplant fellowship at Baylor University Medical Center,
Dallas, Texas. Dr. Khan joins Avera Vascular & Transplant
Surgery, Sioux Falls.
Dr. Nicole Kress has joined the staff of
Avera McKennan Hospital & University
Health Center. A graduate of the University
of South Dakota School of Medicine,
Vermillion, she completed an emergency
medicine residency at Michigan State
University, Kalamazoo. Dr. Kress joins Avera Emergency
Medicine Physicians, Sioux Falls.
Dr.Tarek Mahrous has joined the staff of
Avera McKennan Hospital & University
Health Center. A graduate of the University
of Nebraska College of Medicine, Omaha,
he completed an internal medicine residency,
and cardiology and interventional cardiology
fellowships at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha.
Dr. Mahrous joins North Central Heart Institute, Sioux Falls.
Dr. Jane Peters has joined the staff of
Avera McKennan Hospital & University
Health Center. A graduate of the University
of South Dakota School of Medicine,
Vermillion, she completed an obstetrics
and gynecology residency at Michigan State
University, Lansing. Dr. Peters joins Avera Women’s Specialty
Clinics, Sioux Falls.
Dr. Omer Qureishy has joined the staff
of Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center.
A graduate of Baqai Medical and Dental
University, Karachi, Pakistan, he completed
a family practice residency at Hennepin
County Medical Center, Minneapolis.
Dr. Paven Reddy has joined the staff of
Avera McKennan Hospital & University
Health Center. A graduate of Texas Tech
University Health Science Center School of
Medicine, Lubbock, he completed a general
surgery residency at the University of Kansas
Medical Center, Kansas City. Dr. Reddy joins the Surgical
Institute of South Dakota, Sioux Falls.
Dr. Nicolas Rivera Jr. has joined the staff of Avera McKennan
Hospital & University Health Center. A graduate of De La Salle
University, Cavite, Philippines, he completed a pediatrics
residency at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center,
Brooklyn, New York, and a pediatric critical care fellowship at
Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston. Dr. Rivera joins Avera
Children’s, Sioux Falls.
Dr. Shawn Van Gerpen has joined the
staff of Avera McKennan Hospital &
University Health Center. A graduate of
the University of South Dakota School
of Medicine, Vermillion, he completed a
psychiatry residency at the University of South
Dakota Psychiatry Residency Program, Sioux Falls. Dr. Van
Gerpen joins Avera University Psychiatry Associates, Sioux Falls.
Dr. Stephen J. Dick, radiation oncologist at Avera Queen
of Peace Health Services, recently received a three-year
appointment as cancer liaison physician for the cancer
program at Avera Queen of Peace.
Amber Determan, DDS, a member of the Avera Queen of Peace
Medical/Dental Staff, was elected President of the South Dakota Dental
Association in May.

3900 W Avera Drive
Sioux Falls, SD 57108
John Porter
President & CEO
Avera
LIVE, FROM AVERA . . .
The 1st of July marked the final go-lives for
Avera’s four South Dakota regional centers
when Avera St. Luke’s and Avera Sacred Heart
regions flipped the switches on the client-server
conversion. The day marked the culmination of
work that started nearly two-and-a-half years ago
at the March 2006 Avera HealtheCARE
kickoff at the Ramkota Hotel in Sioux Falls.
Hundreds of Avera colleagues played a vital role
in bringing Avera’s electronic medical record
implementation to this point. Over the course of
the first year, many contributed thousands of
hours to create the data dictionaries,
standardizing definitions and ensuring
consistency to enhance interoperability across
the system.
Each Avera regional center took on a critical
leadership role with best-practice implications
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
SIOUX FALLS, SD
PERMIT NO. 7010
RESIDENT’S
VOLUME 30 NUMBER 3
MORE THAN 12,000 TOUCH POINTS IN OUR COMMUNITIES
This issue of All of Us is filled with current
examples of ways that Avera is making a
positive impact in the lives and health of
persons and communities.
■ Awards from the Avera Community
Service Fund, which promotes
community health and wellness
initiatives, surpassed $4.5 million in
giving this year since the fund’s inception
in 1999.
■ We partnered in a grant proposal with
the South Dakota e-Health Collaborative
in the implementation of the first-ever
national electronic medical record
demonstration project and are among
only 12 communities selected from 30
applications to participate in the
demonstration.
■ Avera is working with the South Dakota
Department of Social Services on three
grant projects: a pilot of the state’s first
high-school-level school-based health
care program at Washington High
School in Sioux Falls; an urgent-care
clinic in Wagner; and telehealthsupported
urgent-care clinics in three
additional communities.
■ In August, another cooperative project
launches with the opening of the state’s
only traumatic brain injury unit at Sunset
Manor/Avera Health in Irene.
Numerous other stories about awards
and initiatives give evidence of Avera’s
tremendous value in our communities.
Perhaps you know that you played a key role
in a grant, project or initiative that created
one of these health-rich Avera-community
connections. The reality is, whether or not
for the entire system. Avera McKennan tackled
the ramp up to the first go-live. Avera Queen of
Peace followed with perhaps the biggest leap of
faith into full clinical documentation, including
scanning and archiving. Avera St. Luke’s
advanced the provider care manager tool, a
physician portal. Avera Sacred Heart’s
contribution was mastering the electronic
medication administration record. “This
venturing forth and sharing back of best
practices by each region is a tremendous
testimony to Avera’s collaborative strength,”
notes Jim Veline, Avera senior vice president
of Information Systems.
Jim says that he is especially grateful for the huge
groundswell of effort, hard work and loyalty
from across Avera that brought the system to
this accomplishment and adds that there are four
individuals who were particularly critical to
All Of Us is a publication for employees
of Avera and colleagues like Richard
Powell, manager of Maintenance at
Avera Weskota Memorial Medical Center
in Wessington Springs, recognized for
flexibility in his daily duties. In addition to
his skilled daily work, Dick volunteers
as an EMT and fireman. He is attentive to patients
and residents, and assists staff in other departments
whenever needed, even with his many responsibilities
with the major hospital renovation and EMR transition
at Avera Weskota.
S U M M E R 2 0 0 8
L E T T E R
you are aware of it, you share
responsibility for elevating
the identity and reputation of
Avera in your community.
Your families, friends, teammates and
acquaintances – most everyone with whom
you interface outside of work hours – know
that you work for Avera, which gives you a
powerful role in shaping their impressions of
Avera. Like the adage says with less-thanperfect
grammar, “You can’t not
communicate.”
Avera’s more than 12,100 physicians and
colleagues are more than 12,100 touch
points of communication every day in
communities throughout our region. Couple
that with the fact that the most influential
force on consumer choice for health care as
a whole is word-of-mouth (sorry about that,
Marketing Department). Whenever its
impact is measured against other forms of
communications, word-of-mouth wins by
a large margin. It stands to reason because,
when seeking a recommendation or advice,
nearly 90 percent of people trust family
members and 80 percent trust friends, while
only 13 percent trust companies and
organizations.
As community members, all Avera
colleagues are uniquely poised to make
positive community connections, which can
in turn support and strengthen the work we
all share. Whether it is stopping at the
grocery store in Avera work attire on the
way home, traveling down the bike path
with an Avera logo on your T-shirt,
conversing with others after church or
the success of the implementation. The four
regional Information Technology directors –
Julie Kusler at Avera St. Luke’s, Patti Brooks
at Avera Queen of Peace, Kris Gross at
Avera McKennan and Kathy
Quinlivan at Avera Sacred Heart – not
only led their own qualified and dedicated
staff through the
implementation maze, but also were
responsible for interfacing with many
departments beyond their own,
senior management and medical
staff. “They identified critical dates,
issues and problem resolution;
motivated, rewarded and
recognized staff; and led
by example,” concludes
Jim gratefully.
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at a little league game, or engaging in
community-level planning as a board
member or community leader, you influence
perceptions about Avera in your community
for better or ill.
Your community presence uniquely positions
you through word and action to build
Avera’s reputation outside our walls and to
channel back to the organization the
feedback you hear about our health system.
You also have the ability to become aware of
strategic issues about which to alert someone
in the organization whose specific job it is to
follow through. For example, there may be
an unmet community health need that Avera
could address. There may be a legislative or
community-level issue Avera would want to
follow. Avera resources might be brought to
bear in a new way to solve an old problem.
Persons and organizations making choices
about health plans could be served by Avera
Health Plans. Still other opportunities exist
for collaboration and relationship building.
As president and CEO of Avera, I fully
understand the responsibility I have. At the
same time I also realize that our success does
not rest in my hands. Rather it rests with the
good people across Avera who, in their work,
day in and day out carry forward the healing
ministry begun by our sponsors. Moreover, it
also rests in their presence in their day-today
duties of raising families and
participating as leaders and members of a
much broader community. They are 12,100
touch points for Avera that cannot be
made in any other way.