Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Test for Breast Cancer
Dr. Bipin Amin, medical oncologist and hematologist at Prairie Lakes Cancer Center, will offer a free community presentation titled "Test for Breast Cancer." The presentation will take place on Friday, October 25 at noon at the Hy-Vee Club Room located at 1320 9th Avenue Southeast in Watertown.
According to the National Cancer Institute, "A woman born today has about a 1 in 8 chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer at some time during her life." This means there is a good chance someone you know will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Dr. Amin will explain the different types of tests used to detect breast cancer and answer audience questions.
A free lunch will be provided. To RSVP visit www.prairielakes.com or call 882-7719.
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Thursday, September 26, 2013
Delrita Hopper, RN, Honored with Health Care Hero Award
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System's hospice coordinator, Delrita Hopper, RN, was honored with the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations’ (SDAHO) Distinguished Service Award – Health Care Hero of 2013 at a reception held at the SDAHO Annual Convention in Sioux Falls on September 19. In her presentation, hospice director, Kelly Heesch, RN, highlighted the fact that Hopper is not only an intelligent, kind, compassionate and passionate hospice nurse, but she is also a beautiful human being.
Don’t let Hopper’s petite 4’11” stature fool you, she has amazing inner strength and the ability to provide for and educate others in the care of the sick and terminally ill. At age 67, Hopper has spent a lifetime caring for people in difficult situations. She herself, learned from experience losing her husband Nick to colon cancer at the age of 38 leaving her to raise 4 young children alone.
Heesch said, “Upon the inception of Prairie Lakes Hospice, Hopper was persuaded to join the staff, her passion was ignited and the rest is history. So many lives have been touched and forever changed by this little woman who does everything in her power to provide comfort and understanding, and to teach patients and their families about death and dying.” Hopper is known as a “go to resource” in the Prairie Lakes Healthcare System in the area of pain management for terminally ill patients.
“Hopper encompasses the statement, the art and science of nursing. Not only does she make herself available to staff, physicians, patients and caregivers, she continues to give of herself in all of the little ways a caring person does. She’s able to connect with patients and their families helping them make the best decisions while experiencing challenging situations,” said Heesch.
The Health Care Hero Award recognizes the extraordinary efforts of a health care provider in the state of South Dakota. The award was started in 2012 to acknowledge an individual caregiver that goes far beyond what their job description requires. Nominations are accepted from any SDAHO member for this Distinguished Service Award.
SDAHO represents 54 hospitals and 33 long-term care facilities across the state. SDAHO is a unified voice for the continuum of care provided by community-based health care in South Dakota on a state and federal level. Over 800 health care providers attended the convention representing administration, governance and 18 affiliated health care professional membership societies. Numerous health care issues were discussed including quality of care initiatives, patient safety, advocacy, leadership and healthcare reform and the implications it brings for South Dakota.
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Monday, September 23, 2013
Two Emergency Medicine Physicians Join Prairie Lakes
Dr. James Bear and Dr. Leighton Singh have joined the medical staff at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System in Watertown. As emergency medicine physicians, Dr. Bear and Dr. Singh both specialize in providing care to patients with illnesses and injuries that require immediate medical attention.
Dr. Singh is board certified in Emergency Medicine. He received his medical degree from the University of Missouri in Kansas City, Mo. and completed his emergency medicine residency in 2009 at the University of Nebraska in Omaha, Neb. Prior to joining Prairie Lakes, Dr. Singh was an emergency medicine staff physician in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Dr. Bear is board certified in Family Medicine. He received his medical degree from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa and completed his family medicine residency in 1997 at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minn. Prior to joining Prairie Lakes, Dr. Bear was a family and emergency medicine physician in Alexandria, Minn. Dr. Bear graduated from Milbank High School.
Dr. Bear and Dr. Singh join the emergency department team of Dr. Elliott Filler, Dr. Christopher Scipione and Dr. Mark Vossler. The Prairie Lakes Emergency Department is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Friday, August 02, 2013
Prairie Lakes Announces Opening of Pulmonology Clinic
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System will open the region’s first full-time clinic focused on the specialty of pulmonology on August 12. People seeking treatment for diseases of the lungs, respiratory tract and bronchial tubes, including asthma, pneumonia, and emphysema, will now be able to see a specialist in Watertown.
“We are excited to bring pulmonology care to Watertown,” said Jill Fuller, CEO of Prairie Lakes. “The expansion of specialty services, such as cardiology, oncology, nephrology, urology and now pulmonology, benefits people living in Watertown and surrounding communities. Easy access to specialists and less drive time means patients can receive the care they deserve close to home.”
Pulmonologist, Dr. Jeffrey Kowitz, will see patients at the Prairie Lakes Pulmonology Clinic Monday through Friday, starting August 12. Dr. Kowitz has over 25 years of pulmonology experience and is board certified in Pulmonology and Internal Medicine. He also has extensive experience in critical care and sleep disorders. He received his medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed both his internal medicine residency and pulmonology fellowship at the University of Wisconsin.
The Prairie Lakes Pulmonology Clinic will be located in the lower level Medical Arts Building at 600 4th St. NE in Watertown. Patients can now make appointments by calling the clinic at 605-882-7650 or toll free at 855-648-9950.
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Friday, August 02, 2013
Prairie Lakes Adds Urologist
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System welcomes Dr. Henri Lanctin, specialist in adult and pediatric urology, to the medical staff. Dr. Lanctin diagnoses and treats patients with urological disorders. He will join Dr. Chris Adducci in practice at the Prairie Lakes Urology Clinic.
“My approach to care is personable and patient focused with special attention to the sensitivity of common urological problems,” said Dr. Lanctin. “I am committed to providing high quality, state-of-the-art general urological care, with a special interest in minimally invasive approaches to prostate cancer, such as cryotherapy and focal therapy.”
Dr. Lanctin is board certified in Urology and has been practicing the specialty for the past 15 years in St. Cloud, MN. He received his medical degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and completed his general surgery and urology residencies at the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Ontario.
Dr. Lanctin sees patients at the Prairie Lakes Urology Clinic located on the 3rd floor of Prairie Lakes Hospital at 401 9th Ave. NW in Watertown. Patients may make appointments by calling the clinic at 605-882-6810 or toll free at 855-208-1541.
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Friday, August 02, 2013
Prairie Lakes Welcomes Regions First Full-Time Pulmonologist
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System welcomes Dr. Jeffrey Kowitz to its team of specialists. As a pulmonologist, Dr. Kowitz provides diagnosis and management of diseases involving the respiratory tract, lungs, and bronchial tubes such as asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis and emphysema. Dr. Kowitz is the first full-time pulmonologist to serve the Watertown area.
“I believe in patient centered healthcare, teamwork and patient education,” said Dr. Kowitz. “I work to promote efficient, common sense healthcare that empowers each of my patients to make informed decisions regarding his or her care.”
Dr. Kowitz has over 25 years of pulmonology experience and is board certified in Pulmonology and Internal Medicine. He also has extensive experience in critical care and sleep disorders. He received his medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed both his internal medicine residency and pulmonology fellowship at the University of Wisconsin.
Dr. Kowitz will see patients at the Prairie Lakes Pulmonology Clinic located in the lower level Medical Arts Building at 600 4th St. NE in Watertown. Patients can now make appointments by calling the clinic at 605-882-7650 or toll free at 855-648-9950.
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Wednesday, July 03, 2013
Prairie Lakes Named Community Five Star Hospital
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System was recently recognized as a top-ranked hospital in the country for the value it provides to the community. Prairie Lakes received the Community Five Star® designation based on its performance in the following areas: financial viability and plant reinvestment, hospital cost structure, hospital charge structure and hospital quality performance.
“We are honored to be named a Community Value Five Star® hospital,” said Jill Fuller, CEO of Prairie Lakes Healthcare System. “We strive to provide high quality, affordable and compassionate healthcare to people living in Watertown and surrounding communities. This award exemplifies the work we do daily to not only provide the best healthcare and bring critical specialty services to the region, but to do so while remaining financially strong and investing in our infrastructure, the continuum of care and the communities we serve.
The study was completed by Cleverley + Associates, a leading healthcare financial consulting firm specializing in operational benchmarking and performance enhancement strategies. The study is based on the Community Value Index® (CVI). The CVI is a proprietary index created to offer a measure of the value that a hospital provides to its community.
The study groups hospitals into five comparison groups based on size and teaching or non-teaching status. Prairie Lakes was in the largest comparison group with a total of 1,413 hospitals. To be designated a Community Value Five Star® hospital, Prairie Lakes ranked in the top 20 percent when compared to other hospitals.
“The topic of hospital value is increasingly being discussed. Issues of pricing and community benefit have been well-publicized but little has been offered to measure the broad scope of value,” said James Cleverley, co-author of the study. “In response, the Community Value Index® was created to provide an assessment of a hospital’s performance. Fundamentally,
the CVI suggests that a hospital provides value to the community when it is financially viable, is appropriately reinvesting back into the facility, maintains a low cost structure, has reasonable charges and provides high quality care to patients.”
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System is an independent, not-for-profit hospital serving a 10-county region in northeast South Dakota and western Minnesota. It is governed by a volunteer, 15-member board of directors who reside in the service area.
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Monday, May 06, 2013
Prairie Lakes Offers Stroke Screen
In the US, stroke is the 4th leading cause of death and a leading cause of long-term adult disability. Stroke screening is an essential part of determining your risk of having a stroke.
The Prairie Lakes Stroke Screen includes four screenings:
- Stroke/Carotid Artery – Scans carotid arteries in the neck for plaque build-up, which can lead to stroke.
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm - Scans for abdominal aneurysms most people don't know they have. Abdominal aneurysms can rupture and possibly be fatal.
- Peripheral Arterial Disease - Scans for plaque build-up in the legs that causes leg pain and is linked to coronary artery disease. The screening also checks the ankle brachial index blood pressure.
- Heart Rhythm (Atrial Fibrillation) - A tracing of the heart rhythm will be taken to identity the presence or absence of irregular heartbeats.
Some risk factors for stroke include:
- Family history of heart disease or stroke
- History of smoking
- Over age 40
- High blood pressure
- High stress levels
- Inactive lifestyle
- Overweight
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
After the radiologist and cardiologist at Prairie Lakes interprets the findings, your physician will receive a report with the results. You will also receive a copy of the report explaining the results. Following up on the screening results is up to you and your physician.
The Stroke Screen is completed on the Prairie Lakes Hospital campus and is available for only $45 on a pay-for-service basis. Physician referral is not necessary. To schedule a Stroke Screen, call the Prairie Lakes Healthcare System Central Scheduling Department at 605-882-7690.
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