Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic (excluding Rehab Services) and ENT Clinic are excited to announce that they are now live with appointment text messaging reminders and confirmations! 

Patients who schedule an appointment with these clinics will now receive a text message:

  • 3 days prior to their appointment to confirm
  • 1 day prior to their appointment as a reminder

This is only available for patients that can receive text or email messages.  All other patients will still receive a phone call reminder.

Effective Monday, April 17, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System will be collecting co-pays, deductibles, and co-insurance from patients at time of service. This update aligns with common and current healthcare industry practices.

  • The co-pay for your clinic visit (Specialty Clinic, Cancer Center, ENT Clinic) is based on your insurance plan.
  • The private pay co-pay for your clinic visit (Specialty Clinic, Cancer Center, ENT Clinic) is $200.
  • For Hospital services, deductible and co-insurance are based on your insurance plan, or a percentage of your estimate is required for Private Pay.
  • Patients who present for emergency medical care are subject to Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) regulations.

Please contact your insurance company to find out how your office visit and medical services will be covered.

Patients may be expected to pay a portion of their bill at time of service. If you have questions regarding time-of-service payments, please call a Prairie Lakes Patient Account Specialist at 605-882-7887.

For patients who have Medicare insurance, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System bills services as provider-based billing, sometimes called hospital-based billing. Frequently asked questions regarding provider-based billing can be found by clicking here.

MEDMagazine AprilMayCoverThe new Pain Science Center located in the Prairie Lakes Speciality Clinic was recently featured on the cover of the April/May edition of MED Magazine

The magazine wrote, "Pain is a ubiquitous part of the human experience, but it can also be a frustrating part of the healthcare experience - for both patients and providers. The new Pain Science Center at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System is taking an innovative approach to managing pain, one that goes far beyond therapy and medication. We spoke with the head of the new program, one of only a handful of fellowship-trained pain science specialists, for this month's cover feature." Read the entire article here.  

The Pain Science Center at Prairie Lakes is an option for those suffering from complex, chronic or widespread pain they are struggling to live with and manage day to day. There are many different types of pain, and we are here to listen, evaluate, and help you gain control of the unique symptoms related to your individual pain.

To schedule an appointment or personalized consultation with Pain Specialist, Eric Fjeldheim, DPT, call the Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic at 605-882-7700.

For several years, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System and Northeast Technical High School in Watertown have partnered to provide real, hands-on job experiences in the medical field for students. There are eight northeastern South Dakota high schools that attend the Northeast Tech co-op. The Health Science Program is offered to students and consists of three courses:  Health Science Careers, Medical Terminology (Dual Credit), and the Healthcare Internship.

In the Health Science Careers course, students learn basic healthcare skills like, taking vital signs, safe patient care, infection control, BLS/CPR certification, professional behavior, identifying healthcare careers, and employable qualities.  Students receive numerous tours of different areas within Prairie Lakes exploring career options in an ever-expanding healthcare environment. At the end of their semester, students participate in a ten-day career shadow experience at PLHS, where they follow the staff, learn more about various medical procedures, and observe real-life interactions in a hospital setting.

In the Medical Terminology course, students learn basic medical terminology language with the option to take it as a Dual Credit class.  During the second phase of the course, students then will do an extended field experience/mini-internship in a healthcare setting they are most interested in.

The Healthcare Internship class is a semester long, work-based program building on prior skills and experiences. Currently, Prairie Lakes is hosting two interns for the Spring Semester with goals of growing those numbers for next year.

The Health Science Program at Northeast Tech and the Prairie Lakes Healthcare System have a wonderful working partnership.  Shannon Buelow, Health Science Instructor at Northeast Technical High School says, "The Prairie Lakes staff engages student involvement and facilitates amazing learning experiences. We are very grateful for the experiences at PLHS and the staff is amazing to work with.  A student recently commented 'The staff was always willing to teach me about what they are doing. They were really good at getting me involved and made it so easy for me to learn.'  She continued, "They truly do make a difference in the lives of so many students." Buelow also shared what another student had to say about the program; “I have completely changed my mind about my career after shadowing.  I now know exactly what I want to do, and I am so thankful for this experience!”  

One of the students in this program was recently at Prairie Lakes for his Northeast Tech hospital rotation. He was walking through the hallways when he noticed a distressed Spanish speaking individual. This individual was looking for help and he didn't hesitate to be the person she needed. Using his invaluable skill of speaking both English and Spanish, he was able to assist in helping the individual get to where they needed to go. It’s small acts of kindness and genuine care being fostered in the Prairie Lakes environment that not only leaves a huge impact on our patients, but also on the career paths of these students.

Learn more about Northeast Technical High School here. 

Relay for Life will be in the Watertown Mall April 27th from 4 pm - 8 pm.

Plan on attending? Join the PLHS booth and visit with members of the Prairie Lakes Cancer Center team and pick up some goodies! 

Not available to attend, but would like to support our cause? Luminarias are available for purchase at the Prairie Lakes Healthcare System front desk or at the Prairie Lakes Cancer Center. Please return the completed order form, your donation, and luminaria bag to either location by Monday, April 17th. Suggested donation is $10. Proceeds from luminaria sales goes back to the American Cancer Society.

Luminaria Order Form

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The Prairie Lakes Healthcare System Grief Support Group will begin a six-week session on Tuesday, April 18th.

Our support group offers an opportunity for those that have lost a loved one to find comfort, support, and hope. We provide a safe environment to learn about the process of grief, meet others who are dealing with losses, and share stories of your loved one. Grieving is always less painful when you know you aren’t alone. 

Informal presentations from 'Understanding Your Grief' by Alan Wolfelt are used to support those grieving and offer hope as we journey forward.

Understand Your Grief book cover photo

The Spring session will be offered from April 18th through May 23rd. An additional session will be offered in the fall running from October 3rd to November 14th, omitting October 31st due to Halloween. Each group meeting will run from 4:30 - 6:00 pm in the Specialty Clinic Conference Room.

The grief support group meetings are open to the community and are free of charge, but registration is required. Please RSVP here or by calling 605-882-7714.

Register Today

Impact local lives in our community!

The Blood Mobile will be parked outside of the Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm. on Monday, April 10th and the Community Blood Bank needs your help. This winter was one of the most difficult in Community Blood Bank’s history. With a loss of nearly 1,500 donations due to cancellations related to weather issues, Spring cannot come soon enough. 

Community Blood Bank is facing multiple challenges moving forward including an aging population, a decrease in the number of young donors, and an increase the overall demand for blood. No matter in which community you are located, blood is required for surgeries, cancer treatments, and many serious, unexpected issues. The demand for blood is continual; our current usage is over 550 units per week. Only through the dedication of our volunteer blood donors are we able to meet the need.   

As a blood donor, you can save a life and help to ensure there is adequate blood supply available for our patients. Local donations will stay local and save local lives - know you could be saving your neighbor, a family member, or even yourself!

Update: All donors will receive a $5 Dairy Queen gift certificate!

Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic apr10 cropped

Donation times are available from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and again from 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Check-in is in the Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic main lobby.    

To schedule your appointment, click the link below and select an available time. You can also call Community Blood Bank at 605-331-3222.

  Sign Up Here

Guidelines to Donate:

  • Blood donors must be at least 16 years old (16 years old with a signed parent consent form found at www.cbblifeblood.org) weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good general health.
  • Donors exhibiting COVID-19, cold or flu symptoms are unable to donate. 
  • Valid identification is required at the time of registration. 
  • It is recommended that a person eat and drink plenty of fluid prior to donating blood. Avoid energy drinks.
  • Walk-ins will be accepted, if there is room or a cancellation – staff on event day will manage this process

Mary Lauritsen, of Florence, South Dakota, suffered from painful and severe nasal polyps for close to 30 years until Dr. Jered Mancell from Prairie Lakes Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic offered her relief. Mary's story was shared several years ago after her successful surgery with Dr. Mancell and was so extraordinary it caught the attention of the publisher of 'People Health' magazine and they ran her story on the cover of the Winter/Spring 2023 edition. 

Mary gradually lost her sense of taste and smell and had painful swelling in her sinuses that eventually caused her to see a doctor. An initial CT scan, nearly 30 years ago, showed that Mary had severe nasal polyps - non-cancerous soft tear-shaped tissues that line the nasal passages and cluster like grapes. The article states that Mary is "one of 13 million people in the U.S. who suffer from the incurable condition."

After her diagnosis, Mary underwent seven surgeries. None of which offered any lasting relief. She gave up hope and endured many years in pain, unable to breathe through her nose, unable to smell or taste anything. She adds, "I missed not being able to smell grass or flowers or bread - all those good things." She was embarrased to eat in public since she was forced to eat with her mouth open. Mary also had to constantly ask her four children if they could taste or smell things for her. She was worried she was putting her family in danger without being able to smell gas or fire. 

Then, in 2019, at the request of her primary care doctor, Mary took another look at new advancements in surgery and medication that could offer a remedy. She met with Dr. Mancell and he recommended another surgery in conjunction with medication and that specific combination was successful! Since then, Mary has been able to keep her polyps under control with regular visits for injections every other week. Mary shared, "My life is so much better... It's hard to explain what it's like to really enjoy every bite. To be able to breathe and sleep comfortably now, I feel very thankful."

Mary would also like to give credit to Dr. Luzier from Aberdeen Asthma and Allergy who worked closely with Dr. Mancell to help to remedy Mary's condition. 

If you would like to read the entire article, there are copies located in the waiting areas in ER, Same Day Surgery, and both the first floor and lower level of the Specialty Clinic. 

Mary L People inside story

Mary L People inside story2

Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation is gearing up for their annual BASH (Building A Superior Healthcare System) Event 2023 which will be held on Saturday, March 25th at the Watertown Event Center. BASH is an annual gala fundraising event hosted by the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation, with much support from donors and volunteers. 

Tickets

Tickets sales have now ended, but online silent auction bidding and other opportunities to get involved and support the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation and BASH 2023 are available. 

BASH HeaderEvent Details & Schedule

  • 5:30pm - Social Hour and Silent Auction (via GalaBid)
  • 7:00pm - Gourmet Dinner
  • 7:45pm - Program and Live Auction
  • 8:30pm - Entertainment Featuring MVP Smash Band

Silent Auction

Online silent auction is now OPEN to start bidding!

Here is how to Register:

NOTES for BIDDING and PICKUP: If you are the winning bid, these packages will be available for pick up at the Bash Event 2023 if you are attending. Please be prepared to show your ID when picking up your package.

If you are not able to claim your package on the evening of the BASH event, a member of the 2023 BASH committee will contact you on Monday, March 27th. Please be prepared to pick up unclaimed packages at Prairie Lakes Hospital the week of Monday, March 27th through Thursday, March 30th between 8 AM and 5 PM. Items will not be shipped.

FAQ's and How to Register for the silent auction: https://app.galabid.com/bash2023/info/bda5fb16-a810-494f-9ef5-766d99dc3282

Support the Cause

Donate to BASH

Visit the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation’s Facebook page for updates on packages and other exciting event details.

About BASH 2023

dialysis systemKidney Dialysis MachineKidney Dialysis MachineBASH 2023 will have a whimsical golden theme, encouraging guests to “dial in on dialysis.” Proceeds from the event will be used to purchase new kidney dialysis machines (artificial kidneys) for Watertown Kidney Dialysis at the Prairie Lakes Healthcare System.

Dialysis is a treatment for people whose kidneys are failing and don’t filter blood the way they should. As a result, wastes and toxins build up in the bloodstream. Dialysis does the work of the kidneys, removing waste products and excess fluid from the blood. One type of dialysis is hemodialysis, where a machine removes blood from your body, filters it through a dialyzer (artificial kidney), and returns cleaned blood to your body. This 3–4-hour process takes place at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System, three times a week.

All proceeds raised during BASH 2023 will be used to purchase these lifesaving kidney dialysis machines!


The mission of the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation is, “Healthcare is a vital component of a community’s quality of life. Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation exists to raise funds with which to support and advance the health services available to the Watertown area through Prairie Lakes Healthcare System.” 

On Friday, February 24th, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System held our largest community event of the year - Ladies Night Out 2023 at the Watertown Event Center. 

We welcomed over 315 attendees, many new in 2023, to our annual event- the first time we've held the event in-person since March 2020. Our guests enjoyed 16 breakout sessions, booths covering health information from 21 PLHS departments, incredible give-aways, and several unique door prizes provided by local boutiques. 

We would like to thank the following for helping us create such a successfull event:

    • Our Doctors & Providers for providing such relevant and useful information
    • Our keynote speaker Leslie Morgan Steiner
    • Donus Roberts from DDR Books
    • Dustin Sinner Fine Arts, AMJ Style, Rosabella Boutique, Makepeace Jewelers and Raise the Bar Boutique for their donations
    • Staff volunteers from Prairie Lakes Healthcare System

We have already begun making plans for 2024 - we look forward to seeing you there!