WATERTOWN, S.D. – January 22, 2025 – Prairie Lakes Healthcare System (PLHS) is proud to announce its inclusion in the newly constructed Castlewood Wellness Depot, bringing enhanced healthcare access to the Castlewood community.

At a special meeting on Wednesday, the Castlewood City Council approved the proposal by PLHS to lease medical office space located in the Wellness Depot building. The PLHS clinic space will offer scheduled and walk-in primary care services two half-days per week. These services will be supported by limited laboratory capabilities, ensuring prompt and convenient diagnostic testing for patients. In addition, Prairie Lakes will provide rehabilitation services two days per week, supporting various therapies and recovery for individuals in the community. Clinic operating days and hours have not yet been determined.

“We are thrilled to extend our services to Castlewood and the surrounding area,” said John Allen, President and CEO of Prairie Lakes Healthcare System. “This collaboration with the Castlewood Wellness Depot emphasizes our mission to deliver high-quality, accessible care to the communities we serve.”

This expansion reflects PLHS’s ongoing commitment to addressing the evolving healthcare needs of rural communities while maintaining a patient-centered approach to care.

 “The addition of PLHS will be a great service to our residents and will enhance the overall health and wellness of the community,” said Deb McEldowney, manager of the Wellness Depot, which will also feature a 24/7 fitness center and multi-purpose room.

The clinic is set to open in April 2025, following the Wellness Depot's planned opening on March 1. Prairie Lakes Healthcare System invites the Castlewood community to join us in celebrating this exciting new chapter in local healthcare.

###

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the January meeting scheduled for today - January 21st has been cancelled. 

For more information, or to register for next month's meeting, click the link below:

Cancer Support Group 2025

Effective Tuesday, January 21, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System will be collecting co-pays, deductibles, and co-insurance from patients at time of service in an effort to educate patients on their insurance benefits and help them understand their financial responsibilities for their care. Collecting time-of-service payments aligns with common and current healthcare industry practices and includes the following:

  • The co-pay for clinic visits (Specialty Clinic, Cancer Center, ENT Clinic, Prairie Lakes Brown Clinics) is based on insurance plans.
  • The private pay co-pay for clinic visits (Specialty Clinic, Cancer Center, ENT Clinic, Prairie Lakes Brown Clinic) is a deposit or partial payment that is established for different services.
  • For Hospital services, deductible and co-insurance are based on insurance plans, or for Private Pay, a percentage of your estimate is required.
  • Patients who present for emergency medical care are subject to Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) regulations.

Patients may be expected to pay a portion of their bill at time of service and are encouraged to contact their insurance companies to find out how office visits and medical services will be covered.

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 visiting https://www.prairielakes.com/billing-and-insurance/provider-based-billing-10870.html.

Questions regarding time-of-service payments can be directed to a Prairie Lakes Patient Account Specialist at 605-882-7887.

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Why Mask? Is it Still Important?

Wearing a mask can help stop the spread of germs that cause illness, such as Influenza, COVID-19 and RSV. When someone who is sick wears a mask, it keeps the virus from spreading to others. Masks also help protect the person wearing it from breathing in germs from others.  

Masks can help filter out germs, so you breathe in or breathe out fewer germs.

It is a encouraged to wear a mask for five days after being around someone with COVID-19.

how to wear mask

Benefits of Wearing a Mask

Information gathered from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

WATERTOWN, S.D. – January 7, 2025 – Prairie Lakes Healthcare System is excited to announce the opening of Watertown’s first “Baby Café,” a breastfeeding support program, located in the Maternal Child Health family lounge on the hospital’s second floor. The first Baby Café meet up was held today, January 7.

BabyCafe webThe Prairie Lakes Baby Café is a dedicated space for pregnant and nursing parents to share tips and techniques, find support and assistance from certified lactation professionals, and connect with other moms and parents. This free program meets on a drop-in basis every Tuesday from 10:00am to 1:00pm and is open to the community, regardless of where your baby was born. Siblings, partners, and support people are also welcome.

“A Baby Café has been a goal of the Labor and Delivery team for quite some time, so we are excited to launch this program to help breastfeeding moms during what can be a very challenging time,” said Micki Cordell, Director of Maternal Child Health at Prairie Lakes. “All parents deserve a safe and comfortable space to access resources and support in their lactation journey and this is an important step in making this support accessible.”

Prairie Lakes currently has one International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant and two Certified Lactation Counselors, who will be offering their expertise every week on Tuesdays during Baby Café hours from 10:00am to 1:00pm. For questions or to learn more about the Prairie Lakes Baby Café or any maternal child education, please call 605-882-7628.

###

 

About Baby Café USA

Baby Café USA is a nationwide, non-profit organization coordinating a network of licensed U.S. Baby Cafés. Communities across the U.S. implement the Baby Café model in efforts to reduce health disparities and help mothers realize their breastfeeding goals.

Since Baby Café USA was launched in 2012, the effort has expanded to 141 Baby Café locations currently operating in 26 states. 

WATERTOWN, S.D. – January 2, 2024 – Hailey and Robbie Bentley of Lake Norden, SD welcomed their new baby boy at 11:32 am on January 1, 2025. Camden Bentley is the first baby born at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System in 2025 weighing 6lbs, 3oz. He has a proud big sister, Averie.NewYearsBaby2025 2First Baby of 2025 - Camden Bentley

As part of the "First Baby of the New Year" recognition, Hailey and Robbie were presented with a gift basket from Prairie Lakes Healthcare System along with the following businesses: Power 106.3 FM, Watertown Area United Way, Prairie Lakes Gift Shop, Raise the Bar Boutique, and the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce.

A total of 629 babies were delivered at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System in 2024. To learn more about obstetric services, birth/new parent classes, the new breastfeeding support group and other free resources, please visit prairielakes.com/obstetrics.

Our Maternal Child Health department welcomed 629 babies into the world in 2024!

The public Baby Gallery continues to be the most popular page of our website so we wanted to dig a little deeper into the new bundles of joy born in 2024:

2024 Labor and Delivery Infographic

Laboratory Automation is the use of technology and equipment to perform laboratory tasks automatically, reducing human intervention. lab track 2

Lab has been planning the implementation of this new automation technology for close to a year. The complete project took 8 months to complete and involved key stakeholders from the laboratory, IT, and Quality Assurance.  

Laboratory automation benefits patient care by increasing the speed and accuracy of test results, which leads to quicker diagnoses and treatment plans. It reduces human error, ensures consistent sample processing, and allows for higher throughput of tests.  This ultimately translates to better patient outcomes and improves overall healthcare delivery.

PLHS decided to invest in laboratory automation to address challenges in increasing test volumes, the need to bring more testing in-house, and the desire to enhance operational efficiency.  The automation aligns with the organization’s commitment to providing high quality care and staying competitive in the healthcare landscape.

The Blood Mobile will be parked outside of the Codington County Extension Complex during the upcoming PLHS Health & Wellness Expo. 

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. To make it as convenient as possible for you to donate, we've invited the Community Blood Bank to be a part of our first annual Health & Wellness Expo on Saturday, January 25th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 

Update: All donors will receive a $15 Hy-Vee Gift Card!

Ten reasons why you should give blood:

  1. You can save up to 3 lives!
  2. Not everyone is eligible to donate blood. Only 38% of the population can donate, so if you're able, you are a selected minority.
  3. Your body will make new blood. It takes about 24 hours to replace plasma and about 4-6 weeks to replace red blood cells.
  4. Giving blood is not painful. You may feel a slight prick initially but it doesn't last long.
  5. Donating blood burns calories! Your body will burn approximately 650 calories just by donating.
  6. 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. 
  7. It takes only 30 to 40 minutes of your time.
  8. 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.
  9. There is no substitute for human blood. Blood can not be manufactured in any way and it always in high demand.
  10. You may be one of the 25% of people who need blood donation one day. 

Donation times are available from 9:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Check-in will be located just inside Entrance I of the Codington County Extension Complex.    

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 17 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.
  • 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

Download Blood Drive Poster

What To Expect When Donating Blood

Thursday, December 19, 2024

Christmas and New Years Holiday Hours

We hope you celebrate your holiday traditions over the next couple of weeks joyfully and healthfully.

However, if you do require care close to home, please note our holiday hours:

  • Christmas Eve: 

    • Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic, Cancer Center, both Prairie Lakes Brown Clinic locations, and Convenience Care will close at noon on Christmas Eve. The Prairie Lakes ENT Clinic will be closed all day. 

  • Christmas Day:

    • Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic, Cancer Center, ENT Clinic, both Prairie Lakes Brown Clinic locations, and Convenience Care will be closed. 

  • New Year's Eve: 

    • Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic, Cancer Center, ENT Clinic, both Prairie Lakes Brown Clinic locations, and Convenience Care will be open for business as usual on New Year's Eve.

  • New Year's Day:

    • Prairie Lakes Specialty Clinic, Cancer Center, ENT Clinic, both Prairie Lakes Brown Clinic locations, and Convenience Care will be closed.