Falls Prevention Awareness: A Staircase in the Dark
Falls Prevention Awareness Week is September 21-25, 2020. The South Dakota Falls Prevention Coalition has developed a Falls Prevention Toolkit to increase awareness of the risks of falls and promote practical steps to reduce those risks. The National Council of Aging...Falls Prevention Awareness: Distraction and a Sudden Stop
Falls Prevention Awareness Week is September 21-25, 2020. The South Dakota Falls Prevention Coalition has developed a Falls Prevention Toolkit to increase awareness of the risks of falls and promote practical steps to reduce those risks. The National Council of Aging...
Diabetes Self-Management Journey to Health
Chronic health conditions are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. They are also the leading drivers of the nation’s $3.3 trillion in annual healthcare costs. In the United States, one in two adults has a chronic condition and one in...
Cough Drops and Flu Shots Signal New Season
The swimming pool has been traded for the football field and the cooler temperatures signal the start of the next season: cold and flu season. When stocking up on cough drops and decongestant at the local food or drug store, individuals also have the opportunity to...
Immunization Registry Helps Providers Call the Shots
Convenience and incentives from pharmacy locations in drug and grocery store chains have been helping increase immunization rates. The state immunization registry is a valuable tool for ensuring medical health records are properly updated for primary care providers...
Unintended Harm from Exposure to Common Viruses
A simple touch or a laugh can be enough to spread an infectious disease and trigger a major health crisis. Exposure to common viruses is unavoidable and vaccination is the strongest form of protection for every age. While previously common childhood diseases have...
Strong Barrier to Infection Protects Against Sepsis Trigger
A neighborhood tends to be on high alert when the sirens and lights of an ambulance cross into their boundaries. A medical emergency becomes personal and first responders are recognized for their ability to quickly assess and react to any number of scenarios from car...
Implementing Just Culture Within Indian Health Service
Organizational leaders must set the standard and, more importantly, demonstrate the behaviors and expectations essential to a safe and transparent culture. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) defines a culture of safety as one “in which healthcare...
Patient Safety and Engagement
Originally published in the South Dakota Medicine Journal August 2019 issue. Stephan Schroeder, MD, CMD, CMQ Medical Director, South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care Health care is a complex, adaptive system where people, processes and technology intersect in a work...
Care Management: A Good Habit for Patient and Provider
Good habits are hard to form and bad habits are hard to break. Even with a strong motive, basic lifestyle changes are a challenge for most people. Individuals newly diagnosed with diabetes face the added layer of monitoring blood sugar levels and/or managing...