Post by blackcrowheart on Aug 23, 2007 11:30:17 GMT -5
Sanford vows help for reservations
Expanding health care for Indian children a goal, says pediatrics director
By Megan Myers
memyers@argusleader.com
Published: August 21, 2007
South Dakota's Native American reservations won't be left out of Sanford Health's planned growth in pediatrics care and research.
Some of the $400 million donation by T. Denny Sanford in February will go toward expanding the health system's outreach efforts in Indian Country, said Dr. Eugene Hoyme, a Dell Rapids native who began work this month as Sanford's chief pediatrics medical officer.
The plans are preliminary, but Hoyme said the commitment is there.
"We in South Dakota have a particular obligation to serve Native American people," Hoyme said.
Hoyme's medical background and interests lie in genetic research, birth defects and fetal-alcohol syndrome. He's done outreach work in Native communities, including South Dakota and Arizona.
The health system plans to develop several Sanford Children's clinics in North America and possibly Europe.
South Dakota officially won't be part of that plan, but pediatric outreach on the reservations will be developed as part of the overall Sanford Children's program.
Tribal leaders on the Pine Ridge Reservation this summer requested Sanford build a children's clinic there. And several tribal health and Indian Health Service administrators have said they'd be open to collaborating on health projects with Sanford involving health issues affecting Native American children, including obesity, asthma and fetal-alcohol syndrome. Those discussions with Sanford officials have increased in recent months, said Lisa Schrader-Dillon, health administrator for the Oglala Sioux Tribe.
"We've been talking about some different opportunities available," Schrader-Dillon said.
There's a population to be served: Children ages 4 to 16 make up 26 percent of South Dakota's Native American population, compared with 14 percent statewide.
As part of treaties signed by the Sioux Nation in the late 1800s, the federal government agreed to provide medical care on Indian reservations - care that generally matched the nation's accepted standards.
The government-run Indian Health Service today runs hospitals and clinics on most reservations.
But critics long have complained of insufficient financial support that has led to constant turnover among IHS doctors and nurses, understaffed hospitals, sparse specialty care and long waits to see a doctor.
Sanford officials have said sustainability will be key in developing the network of children's clinics and making the clinics last.
Sanford Health chief executive Kelby Krabbenhoft said he expects the money to pay for the Native American pediatrics outreach plans to come from the continuing revenue streams of the pediatrics program's growth.
"It's going to happen outside of this (clinic) process," he said.
Reach Megan Myers at 331-2257.
Expanding health care for Indian children a goal, says pediatrics director
By Megan Myers
memyers@argusleader.com
Published: August 21, 2007
South Dakota's Native American reservations won't be left out of Sanford Health's planned growth in pediatrics care and research.
Some of the $400 million donation by T. Denny Sanford in February will go toward expanding the health system's outreach efforts in Indian Country, said Dr. Eugene Hoyme, a Dell Rapids native who began work this month as Sanford's chief pediatrics medical officer.
The plans are preliminary, but Hoyme said the commitment is there.
"We in South Dakota have a particular obligation to serve Native American people," Hoyme said.
Hoyme's medical background and interests lie in genetic research, birth defects and fetal-alcohol syndrome. He's done outreach work in Native communities, including South Dakota and Arizona.
The health system plans to develop several Sanford Children's clinics in North America and possibly Europe.
South Dakota officially won't be part of that plan, but pediatric outreach on the reservations will be developed as part of the overall Sanford Children's program.
Tribal leaders on the Pine Ridge Reservation this summer requested Sanford build a children's clinic there. And several tribal health and Indian Health Service administrators have said they'd be open to collaborating on health projects with Sanford involving health issues affecting Native American children, including obesity, asthma and fetal-alcohol syndrome. Those discussions with Sanford officials have increased in recent months, said Lisa Schrader-Dillon, health administrator for the Oglala Sioux Tribe.
"We've been talking about some different opportunities available," Schrader-Dillon said.
There's a population to be served: Children ages 4 to 16 make up 26 percent of South Dakota's Native American population, compared with 14 percent statewide.
As part of treaties signed by the Sioux Nation in the late 1800s, the federal government agreed to provide medical care on Indian reservations - care that generally matched the nation's accepted standards.
The government-run Indian Health Service today runs hospitals and clinics on most reservations.
But critics long have complained of insufficient financial support that has led to constant turnover among IHS doctors and nurses, understaffed hospitals, sparse specialty care and long waits to see a doctor.
Sanford officials have said sustainability will be key in developing the network of children's clinics and making the clinics last.
Sanford Health chief executive Kelby Krabbenhoft said he expects the money to pay for the Native American pediatrics outreach plans to come from the continuing revenue streams of the pediatrics program's growth.
"It's going to happen outside of this (clinic) process," he said.
Reach Megan Myers at 331-2257.