Friday, October 20, 2023
Prairie Lakes Celebrates our Pastoral and Spiritual Care Staff
At Prairie Lakes Healthcare System we often times care for patients nearing the end of life. In order to provide a blanket of comfort and compassion to those patients and their families, we are blessed to have Jodi Brinkman, Pastoral Care Representative and Sherri Sellers, Spiritual Care Coordinator. While their roles are very different, they both bring a wealth of experience, passion, and emotional support to our patients and employees.
Pastoral Care
Jodi explains her role as Pastoral Care Representative, "In-house Pastoral Care (PC) is an opportunity to provide spiritual and emotional support to patients, families, and staff of Prairie Lakes Healthcare System. In-house PC provides support (24 hours a day; seven days per week; 365 days per year) with the help of pastoral care volunteers from our community. 
Anyone may request services at any time from Pastoral Care. Grief support, a new medical crisis, contacting one’s own church family, debriefings from crisis, praying with someone, reading scripture, providing a Bible, celebrating and embracing end of life or the beginning of life, accidents, kidney dialysis challenges, cancer treatment, wound care, same day services, emergency room visits and more is just a few of the areas/ways that Pastoral Care is here to journey with any and all that we encounter or are requested to visit.
Prairie Lakes also has a beautiful chapel on 2nd floor that can be used as a place of peace and encouragement."
Spiritual Care
Sherri recently joined the Prairie Lakes Family in her role after years of service in local parishes. She explains what her job means to her, "Working with the Hospice team is incredible. Once a rapport is established with the family and patient, the most astounding part of my position is helping those folks identify and process some of their emotions so that as they nurture their spirituality, they begin to discover a peace and a calm. When they express, ‘I’m going home’, it is the most amazing sentence ever. Walking with them that close to eternity is unbelievable. I find there is deep sorrow as well as mountain top joy experienced with each family I am privileged to walk with.
Walking with these families through the dying process, and then having them come together in Grief Support is one more level of continuum of care. Families share their stories and know they do not walk this valley of grief alone. I am so very fortunate to know them in their darkest hours, to assist in climbing back up the gorge, and then to be able to call many ‘friend’."
For in-house pastoral care, you may contact Jodi Brinkman at 605-880-1145; 605-882-6743, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and she is also available on the Voalte system. For Hospice Spiritual Care, contact Sherri Sellers at 605-882-7714 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Published in
News and Announcements
Thursday, October 19, 2023
9th Annual Celebrating Life was a Success!
The cooler weather outside created the perfect atmosphere to cozy up amongst friends, enjoy some hot soup and coffee, and Celebrate Life!
The 9th Annual Celebrating Life Breast Cancer Awareness Event was a huge success with over 165 women and men in attendance. We came together to celebrate and support the women of the Watertown Breast Cancer Support Group (BCSG) which for over 19 years has either financially or emotionally assisted over 160 women and gifted over $130,000. Due to a silent auction, the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation selling Breast Cancer Awareness bracelets, and donation envelopes, the evening raised over $1,500 for the BCSG and the Christy Kinney Pay it Forward Fund.
We heard from Colita Remmers, founding member of the BCSG, together with Susie Faehn whom both served on the event's planning committee along with Carla Roby. All three of these remarkable women are breast cancer survivors. We heard an emotional testimonial from a local breast cancer warrior, Kelly Lindner, still going through her journey. Over the course of the event, we were moved to tears by countless stories of strength, resilience, and hope that these courageous women have faced. Some in attendance may have just learned of their cancer diagnosis in the past 30 days. Others may have been celebrating over 20 years since battling this disease. Either way, we learned to celebrate the life you're blessed to live each and every day.
Our keynote speaker, Susan Sparks, shared her own cancer story with humor, grace, and wisdom. She shared a poignant story of making it through a terrible storm on the back of her husband's Harley Davidson motorcycle. They realized they needed to find shelter, rest & regroup, and then head back out to face the storm of they'd never reach their destination. Susan related those lessons to any of life's storms one may be facing.
We would like to extend a big thank you to our volunteers from the Prairie Lakes Cancer Center and Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation who committed their personal time to welcome our guests and provide helpful information. Thank you to Dr. Schaeffer and Dr. Gerrish from General Surgery, Dr. Amin and Dr. Rao from the Cancer Center and Dr. Schaunaman from Brown Clinic for spending time with the women of the BCSG.
We would also like to thank everybody that came to the event. We hope you had as much fun as we did planning it!
Providing events like Celebrating Life 2023 help to establish PLHS as the keystone in the Watertown Community and surrounding areas as we connect, educate, and inspire our friends, family, and neighbors. We're already looking forward to Celebrating Life 2024!
Published in
News and Announcements
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Prairie Lakes to Host Blood Drive on November 13th
Your Blood Matters.
What can be done to make sure your friends, neighbors, and family receive the blood they need? It’s simple – donate blood to the Community Blood Bank.
The Blood Mobile will be parked outside of the Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm. on Monday, November 13th.
Ten reasons why you should give blood:
- You can save up to 3 lives!
- Not everyone is eligible to donate blood. Only 38% of the population can donate, so if you're able, you are a selected minority.
- Your body will make new blood. It takes about 24 hours to replace plasma and about 4-6 weeks to replace red blood cells.
- Giving blood is not painful. You may feel a slight prick initially but it doesn't last long.
- Donating blood burns calories! Your body will burn approximately 650 calories just by donating.
- You get a free well-check. Before you give, the phlebotomist will check your blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and hemoglobin levels. You may also be screened by HIV, Hepatitis, and other diseases.
- It takes only 30 to 40 minutes of your time.
- You feel a boost in confidence and your emotional well-being knowing that you have done a good deel and are a part of saving lives.
- There is no substitute for human blood. Blood can not be manufactured in any way and it always in high demand.
- You may be one of the 25% of people who need blood donation one day.
UPDATE: All donors will receive a $10 Hy-Vee gift card!
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.
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, 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
Published in
News and Announcements
Thursday, October 12, 2023
Prairie Lakes Partners with Lake Area Tech for a Successful Explore Camp
This week Prairie Lakes Healthcare System partnered with Lake Area Technical College to create Explore Camp 2023
High school students interested in a career in healthcare participated in the full-day exploration camp. Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors from various high schools throughout the region attended. The first half of the day featured patient treatment processes in different departments of Prairie Lakes Healthcare System (PLHS) along with a tour. The second half of the camp took place at Lake Area Technical College (LATC) with a provided lunch along with education.
Many PLHS departments took time to speak with the students and teach them specifics about their specific role in the healthcare field. Participating departments included Radiology, ER, Lab, Rehab Services, MSP, Home Health, CCU, and Surgical Services. They even got to check out the helipad!
The goal of Explore Camp is to bring awareness to the variety of medical careers available in healthcare. In addition, we want to build interest in students to stay in the Watertown area for their medical education, training, and experience.
We've heard from a few participants already. One young woman exclaimed, "This was amazing, don’t go back to the old way!" This particular student had participated in "Scrubs Camp" in the past. Heidi W., Explore Camp lead from LATC, added, "Eyes were opened at the number of careers within a hospital." Another student was surprised by the PLHS culture, "It surprised me that people have fun in a hospital, I thought it was all serious and heavy all the time!”
School counselors were also on hand throughout the day. One mentioned, "You don’t realize the goldmine you have here, once word gets out your registrations will fill in one day!” This particular counselor has taken students to similar camps throughout South Dakota looking for the right combination of career exploration for her students and agreed she would come back to Watertown. She would "rather drive the distance for quality not local for convenience."
Many people across several departments came together to make Explore Camp a success. Team leaders spent the morning with the students on tours, answering questions, and guiding them through patient simulations- Leah Le (Director of Specialty Clinics), Ian J. (CCU), Michael B. (Patient Care Svs), Elizabeth W. (Patient Care Svs), Emma G. (MSP), Gabriella J. (Anesthesia), and Shannon B. (Marketing). Staff Recruiter Grace T. worked tirelessly with LATC and local high schools to organize the event over the past several months.
Thank you to all those that made Explore Camp such a triumph!
Published in
News and Announcements
Thursday, October 12, 2023
Prairie Lakes Nurse Anesthetist Completes Pain Management Fellowship
Austin Dale, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) and Director of Anesthesia at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System recently completed his Fellowship in Advanced Pain Management through Texas Christian University. He will be offering new pain management services available to patients through the Pain Science Center at Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic.
Austin has been with Prairie Lakes for eight years and has three years of experience in nerve and injection related procedures for acute surgical pain. The goal of the fellowship program that Austin completed is to approach pain management holistically by addressing the treatment of pain in ways that ultimately seek to restore normal well-being.
“Years ago, I realized the value that appropriate treatment of patient’s perioperative pain was essential for their recovery,” said Austin. “I sought after the additional Pain Management Fellowship to try and assist those individuals that also suffer from acute and chronic pain. My goal is to provide an additional avenue for patients within our community to seek personalized care for their pain.”
Austin will function within the Pain Science Center to evaluate and treat patients with ongoing pain by offering procedural and medication management, including injections and nerve blocks, for a variety of pain conditions.
“Pain is very individualized and can be debilitating,” added Austin. “Through a comprehensive approach with multiple different entities, my goal will be to assist individuals at getting back to their normal activities of daily life.”
Those who have been experiencing aches and pains for longer than a few months may benefit from seeing Austin Dale, CRNA and Eric Fjeldheim, DPT at the Pain Science Center for multidisciplinary care in the treatment of their pain.
Appointments with Austin Dale can be made with a referral from a physician. For questions and more information, call the Pain Science Center at 605-882-7700 or click below.
Published in
News and Announcements
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Prairie Lakes Ambassadors Are Making a Positive Impact
The Prairie Lakes Ambassadors Are Making a Positive Impact on the Watertown Community
The Prairie Lakes Ambassador Program was launched earlier this year with the goal of establishing a group of Prairie Lakes Healthcare System (PLHS) employees who represent our organization and work to engage with the community, promote our mission, and contribute positively to the community.
Here are some ways in which the Prairie Lakes Ambassadors have impacted the Watertown community:
- Painted the community meeting spaces in the Salvation Army offices
- Distributed popsicles at "Health Night" during Thursday Night Live
- Sold roses during Yellow Rose Week throughout the community
- Served beverages and attended the parking lots at Cooking on Kampeska
- Cleaned up the park around Slumberland Disc Golf Course (bottom of St. Anne's Hill)
- Served at Watertown Banquet
- Collected canned food donations at local grocery stores for Back PACH
- Led countless tour around the PLHS campus for various classes and organizations
- Spoken to several service organizations to present information about PLHS services and specialities
We are always looking for additional ways in which we can give back to our neighbors. If your organization is in need of volunteers to support a cause or a specific event, please contact Shannon B. in Marketing at 605-882-7908.
Published in
News and Announcements
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Prairie Lakes Earns "Top Supporter" Recognition During 2023 Back PACH Food Drive
Recently, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System (PLHS) employees participated in the 2023 "Back PACH" Food Drive. Due to the overwhelming generosity of our team, we earned the "Largest Large Business Supporter" by collecting the most donations during the one-week event. In addition, we had several Prairie Lakes Ambassadors stationed at area grocery stores to collect food donations from the community.
The Back PACH Food Drive uses a point system in order to determine the winner in each business category (small, large, or non-profit). Each donated item was worth 1-3 points. In total PLHS/Sodexo gathered:
- $165 in cash donations
- 28 jars of Peanut Butter
- 26 cans of Tomato Soup
- 35 cans of Chicken Noodle Soup
- 28 cans of Ravioli/Spaghetti O’s
- 28 cans of Tuna
- 19 cans of Green Beans
- 14 cans of Corn
- 11 packages of Cheese/PB Snack Crackers
- 5 boxes of Granola Bars
- 28 packages of Pudding Cups
- 20 packages of Fruit Cups
- 5 packages of Applesauce Cups
In total, Watertown PACH received 10,409 food items and $6,620 in cash donations. The largest donation drive in recent history - more than triple what was gathered last year!
The Watertown Area PACH Program is dedicated to ensuring that local school children will receive a nutritious weekend PACH (pronounced pack) that includes breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, and an afternoon snack for each day of the weekend. The current menu includes 14 food items - 2 breakfast meals, 2 lunch/supper meals, an 4 snacks. During the current 2023-2024 school year, PACH is averaging 572 "PACH's" each week, up from 521 last year.
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System strives to make a positive impact on the Watertown community and surrounding areas in giving back to those around us that are in need.
Published in
News and Announcements
Thursday, September 21, 2023
Meet the Speaker: Susan Sparks is Set to Give a Memorable Talk at Celebrating Life 2023
Trial lawyer turned comedian and Baptist Minister, personal development speaker, and breast cancer survivor Susan Sparks will be joining us on Thursday, October 12th as our keynote speaker for the 9th Annual Celebrating Life Breast Cancer Awareness Event at 2nd Street Station.
Originally from North Carolina, but now a proud NYC resident, Susan is America’s only female comedian with a pulpit. In May 2007, Susan was installed as Madison Avenue Baptist Church’s 15th Senior Minister and the first woman in its 175-year history. Susan is also a professional comedian touring nationally with a Rabbi and a Muslim Comic on the "Laugh in Peace" Tour. Her work with humor, healing, and spirituality has been featured in O (The Oprah) Magazine, the New York Times, and on such networks as ABC, CNN, and CBS.
Susan and her husband enjoy riding their Harley Davidson motorcycles throughout the Midwest, especially in South Dakota. So much so, her keynote speech is one she created only after being stuck in a treacherous thunderstorm heading into Rapid City in an area known as "The Tisdale Triangle".
She learned that in order to survive she had to first stop and find shelter. Once she felt supported, she was confident enough to head back out and face the storm to ultimately make it through to her destination. In her own funny and poignant way, Susan relates this experience to those going through their cancer journey, or any of life's other storms.
Susan Sparks is the best-selling author of five books and an award-winning nationally syndicated columnist. Visit her website to browse her books, syndicated articles, and more.
The 9th Annual Celebrating Life Breast Cancer Awareness Event is a free event open to the public in support of the Watertown Breast Cancer Survivor Group. The event will include a light supper, door prizes, and much more. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Published in
News and Announcements
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System and Brown Clinic Finalize Agreement
The acquisition of Brown Clinic by Prairie Lakes Healthcare System will strengthen and provide a full continuum of healthcare services to the Watertown region.
WATERTOWN, South Dakota (September 12, 2023) – Prairie Lakes Healthcare System and Brown Clinic are pleased to announce they have entered into a definitive agreement for the acquisition of Brown Clinic by Prairie Lakes Healthcare System effective January 1, 2024. Brown Clinic will then become Prairie Lakes Brown Clinic.
“This agreement is monumental for both organizations and a step forward for the community of Watertown,” said Vincent A. “Vince” Foley, Chairman of the Prairie Lakes Healthcare System Board of Directors. “Creating more cohesive care will make it easier for patients to access health care services from primary care to specialty and hospital care all under one unified health system.”
“Brown Clinic and Prairie Lakes have a long history of collaboration, so it feels natural to formalize our relationship to ensure that exceptional health care stays local and accessible for Watertown and the surrounding communities,” added Stacie Lenssen, MD, Brown Clinic, General Partner.
In May 2023, the organizations signed a letter of intent and entered into a period of due diligence to reach a definitive agreement. “The due diligence period allowed both organizations to explore the opportunities and benefits of integrating our clinical operations and developing plans to move forward. The next step in the transition is getting into the specifics of processes, systems, people, and protocols that need to be in place before January,” commented John Allen, CEO of Prairie Lakes Healthcare System.
Lenssen noted that “We are excited to advance to the next chapter of providing a comprehensive continuum of healthcare services to the community, supporting medical provider and service line growth, and continuing to strengthen the outstanding patient-centered care our teams provide every day.”
There are many details of the agreement that will be addressed during the transition period that will take place between now and January 1st, 2024. A "frequently asked questions" document is available below.
# # #
About Prairie Lakes Healthcare System
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System is an independent organization that provides care for 90,000 people in a ten-county region of northeast South Dakota and western Minnesota. Prairie Lakes is licensed to operate 81 acute care hospital beds including Labor and Delivery, Telemetry, Critical Care, and general hospital. Hospital services also include a 24-hour emergency department, surgical services, Interventional Cardiology, and services providing diagnostics and imaging services.
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System also operates Prairie Lakes Cancer Center, Prairie Lakes Mallard Pointe Surgical Center, dialysis units in Sisseton, SD, Watertown, SD and Ortonville, MN, rehabilitation services, and specialty services. Specialty services are a focus of Prairie Lakes to bring needed care to the Watertown region. These specialties include Cardiology, Dermatology, Ear, Nose & Throat, General Surgery, Hospice, Home Care, Nephrology, Orthopedics, Pulmonology, Urology, and Wound Care.
About Brown Clinic
Brown Clinic, PLLP is a physician-owned and operated outpatient clinic. Based in Watertown, SD, Brown Clinic offers primary care and subspecialty physicians and advanced practice practitioners including family and internal medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN, podiatry and pharmaceutical care. It provides more than 70,000 medical patient visits annually and a full array of advanced diagnostic, laboratory and state-of-the-art imaging services, Brown Clinic is certified as a level three Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) and participates as an Accountable Care Organization (ACO).
Published in
News and Announcements
Friday, September 08, 2023
Prairie Lakes is Proud to Sponsor Several Build Dakota Scholars
Lake Area Technical College recently hosted the Build Dakota Scholarship Lunch welcoming their Cohort 9 Full-Ride Build Dakota Students to celebrate their scholarship and partnership with their Stretch the Million partners.
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System (PLHS) is a proud Build Dakota sponsor and Stretch-the-Million partner. The Build Dakota Scholarship Fund was established in 2015 by generous business leaders and forward-thinking lawmakers to address South Dakota’s workforce challenges. The program's goal is to help close the workforce gap in these high-demand careers by graduating highly skilled workers. In an effort to ‘stretch’ the available dollars in the Build Dakota Scholarship program, we invite our industry partners to consider this unique opportunity to participate as a “Stretch the Million” partner. An “STM” partner, like PLHS, chooses a student scholar and then commits to paying half of the expenses of their Build Dakota Scholarship. The scholarship supports tuition, fees, books, and other required program expenses in the eligible college program. In turn, by accepting the full-ride scholarship with an STM partner, the student commits to working three years (minimum) for the partner, full-time in their field, in South Dakota.
This year Prairie Lakes is sponsoring five (5) nursing students and two (2) surgical tech students from LATC (pictured above) and one (1) radiology student at Mitchell Technical Institute (not pictured) through the Build Dakota Scholarship.
Published in
News and Announcements
More...
Friday, September 01, 2023
Explore Camp Registration is Open
This day of exploration (previously known as Scrubs) is for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are curious about the healthcare industry and want to learn more. The first half of the camp will feature patient treatment processes in different departments of Prairie Lakes Healthcare System along with a tour. The second half of the camp will take place at Lake Area Technical College with a provided lunch and tour.
- Date: October 10, 2023
- Time: 9am - 2pm
- Location: Breakfast at Lake Area Technical College and transportation provided to go to PrairieLakes Healthcare System.
The camp is limited to 60 students. Registration ends September 25.
Published in
News and Announcements
Wednesday, September 06, 2023
Feuerstein Series to Feature Erin Brockovich
The Lake Area Technical Institute Foundation and the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation are excited to jointly host the 2023 Feuerstein Series Event on Monday, October 9 at 7pm.
Say the name Erin Brockovich and you think, strong, tough and stubborn. Erin is all that and definitely more. She is a modern-day “David” who loves a good brawl with today’s “Goliaths." She thrives on being the voice for those who don’t know how to yell. She is a rebel. She is a fighter. She is a mother. She is a woman. She is you and me.
In 2000, Julia Roberts starred in the Oscar-winning tour de force film, Erin Brockovich. The film turned an unknown legal researcher into a 20th century icon by showcasing how her dogged persistence was the impelling force behind the largest medical settlement lawsuit in history. Since then, Erin hasn’t been resting on her laurels…she continues to fight hard and win big!
Purchase Tickets & Sponsorships Here
Sponsorship Information
Platinum…….………………………..$5,000.00
- Recognition (with business logo) displayed at event/business banner if applicable
- Recognition (with business logo, if submitted) on Social Media
- Access for 12 guests for the VIP Private Reception event (with hors d’oeuvres)
- Complimentary reserved premium seating for 12 guests at the public event
Gold …………………….……………$3,000.00
- Recognition (with business logo) displayed at event
- Recognition (with business logo, if submitted) on Social Media
- Access for 8 guests for the VIP Private Reception event (with hors d’oeuvres)
- Complimentary reserved premier seating for 8 guests at the public event
Silver ……………………………….…$1,000.00
- Recognition (with business logo) displayed at event
- Access for 5 guests for the VIP Private Reception event (with hors d’oeuvres)
- Complimentary reserved premier seating for 5 guests at the public event
Ticket Options
- Individual Event Tickets (1-9 qty)…..$50/each
- Individual Event Tickets (10+ qty)….$40/each if purchased at the same time
- Student Tickets (1-9 qty)…..$40/each *Student ID must be shown at check-in
- Student Tickets (10+ qty)…$30/each if purchased at the same time *Student ID must be shown at check-in
- If tickets remain after October 2nd, price will be $60/each, no discounts
Please Note: Tickets will not be sold at the door the night of the event.
Purchase Tickets & Sponsorships Here
Jointly Hosted By:
Published in
News and Announcements
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Prairie Lakes Launches Voalte Communication System
Prairie Lakes recently implemented a new staff communication software called Voalte.
This new communication system replaced the walkie-talkies and personal cell phone use. Voalte is a HIPAA compliant communication platform that makes communicating between nurses, physicians, and staff more efficient. Voalte is an app-based software that staff will utilize via personal and hospital cell phones, and computers.
Please know that staff are using Voalte on cell phones to coordinate patient care for:
- Quick and efficient communication
- Quieter environment
- Improved patient experience
Published in
News and Announcements
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Prairie Lakes Dermatology Expands Service Area to Aberdeen, SD
Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic is pleased to announce that Prairie Lakes Dermatology is now taking appointments to see patients at Sanford Aberdeen Clinic. They will start seeing patients at this location September 19 and will travel to Aberdeen the 3rd Tuesday of every month.
With a goal of providing exceptional health care services that are close to home so patients don’t have to travel far for appointments to see a specialist, Prairie Lakes provides specialty care to other community healthcare facilities where needed. In addition to seeing patients at the Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic in Watertown and Sanford Aberdeen Clinic, Dermatology providers also provide outreach services to Huron, Milbank, and Brookings.
Prairie Lakes Dermatology specialists, Dr. Jeffrey Smith and Dave Feist, PA-C, specialize in general dermatology, surgical dermatology, cosmetic and laser treatments, and contact dermatitis. They offer advanced treatment and procedure options that are personalized to address simple or complex skin conditions.
To schedule an appointment with Prairie Lakes Dermatology at Sanford Aberdeen Clinic, please call 605-882-6861.
Published in
News and Announcements
We can help you find a doctor. Call 605-882-7000 or search online.