In both 2024 and 2025, the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) was awarded the South Dakota Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (FLEX) Grant. This ongoing support has allowed SDAHO to offer targeted resources and in-person training to Critical Access Hospitals across the state. The initiative is designed to provide hospital staff with practical tools, promote safety, and support facilities in enhancing patient care environments.
Guided by member feedback, the 2025 training series centered on two key areas: conducting comprehensive hospital risk assessments and learning effective de-escalation techniques. As part of this initiative, SDAHO produced a FLEX-funded video that provides a visual guide for healthcare teams. The video walks viewers through evaluating operational procedures and physical environments, with the goal of identifying vulnerabilities and improving emergency preparedness.
On May 13 in Oacoma, SDAHO brought together Critical Access Hospital staff from across South Dakota for an interactive, hands-on workshop. The training was led by Michael Dunning, Owner and Principal Consultant of The Healthcare Security Consulting Group, and Lisa Terry, Senior Security Consultant at Vizient. Throughout the day-long session, participants learned how to perform facility risk assessments and practiced verbal de-escalation strategies to manage tense or potentially unsafe situations.
Attendees also received a range of take-home resources to support implementation at their own facilities, including hospital risk assessment checklists, the instructional video, and communication tips for navigating high-stress encounters.
