South Dakota, with two large urban centers and miles of vast, rural prairie in between, faces unique challenges when it comes to health care coverage. In several areas of the state, access to health care can be extremely limited.
Here's an overview of South Dakota's health care system and the major players who work across the state:
Largest health care providers in South Dakota
Sanford Health, Avera Health and Monument Health are the three largest care providers in the state. Sanford Health is the largest provider in the state. It and Avera Health dominate the eastern portion of South Dakota, and Monument Health covers the western, though Sanford Health recently announced that it will open a medical center in Rapid City, its first foray into the Black Hills region. That's expected to open in 2030 and could cost over $500 million.
Horizon Health provides primary care access to rural South Dakota through the community health center model, which sees active patients make up at least half of the governing board. The provider's locations stretch across the state in Huron, Yankton, Bison and 20 other cities.
Hospitals in South Dakota
Hospitals in South Dakota are identified as general hospitals, critical access hospitals or Indian Health Service hospitals. There are 10 general hospitals, 39 critical access hospitals and four IHS hospitals in the state.
Tribal health care in South Dakota
Tribal clinics in the state range from tribally owned and operated clinics to IHS hospitals. Members of federally recognized tribes can receive care from these facilities, which exist on all nine reservations in the state. Some prominent tribally owned and IHS facilities include:
- Oyate Health Center, which sits on the site of the former Sioux San Hospital in Rapid City, which was an Indian Health Services hospital. It is now a tribally owned primary care clinic, administered through the Great Plains Tribal Leaders' Health Board. It opened in July 2019. The health center also has a mobile clinic that travels to nearby reservations and tribal communities.
- Pine Ridge IHS hospital, which has a 45-bed hospital and emergency room and offers obstetric services. It is located in Pine Ridge, which is in the southwest corner of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
- Cheyenne River Health Center, which replaced the Eagle Butte Hospital in 2012. The center operates four satellite health programs throughout the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in Whitehorse, Cherry Creek, Red Scaffold and Swiftbird.
Veterans' Affairs clinics in South Dakota
There are 12 Veterans' Affairs facilities in the state. The three main locations, which offer the widest range of care for veterans, are the Fort Meade VA Medical Center outside of Sturgis, the Hot Springs VA Medical Center, and the Royal C. Johnson Veterans' Memorial Hospital in Sioux Falls.
Read more of SDNW's coverage of rural health care below:
Bart Pfankuch
Bart Pfankuch
Bart Pfankuch
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This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email for statewide stories. Investigative reporter Molly Wetsch is a Report for America corps member covering rural and Indigenous issues. Contact her at molly.wetsch@sdnewswatch.org.
