This year marks the 10-year anniversary of SDAHO HRET, the nonprofit 501(c)(3) affiliate of the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO). Through SDAHO’s Rural Health Initiatives (RHI) department, HRET provides an avenue to secure and manage grants, contracts and partnerships that expand the resources and services available to SDAHO members and healthcare communities across South Dakota.
Over the past 10 years, SDAHO HRET has expanded its partnerships, contracts and grant-funded initiatives, creating opportunities to bring additional resources and expertise to healthcare organizations across the state. Along the way, the work has resulted in meaningful accomplishments. HRET has supported South Dakota hospitals participating in national quality improvement initiatives, including the Hospital Quality Improvement Network, Healthcare Quality Improvement Contractors and the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP). Most recently, South Dakota’s Critical Access Hospitals achieved first-place recognition among 45 participating states in 2026 following three years of improved MBQIP measure performance. HRET also helped establish South Dakota’s first Medical Office Professional apprenticeship, creating an additional pathway for healthcare workforce development. In the area of substance use and opioid disorders, HRET provided technical assistance and education to over 40 healthcare facilities across South Dakota.
Today, the HRET team continues to build on that foundation through a diverse portfolio of work, including the MBQIP contract, Emergency Department Opioid Toolkit, HRSA workforce grant, South Dakota Cancer Coalition grant, EMS Regional Service Designation grant, and education support for Southeast Area Health Education Center (SE AHEC). The team also participates in coalitions, committees and boards, helping connect healthcare organizations with partners, resources and opportunities across the state. In addition, HRET provides resources and support related to quality, workforce and substance and opioid use disorders and manages the SDAHO Council on Rural Health Initiatives, providing a forum for rural healthcare leaders to share ideas and address issues affecting their communities.
While the projects and funding opportunities have changed over the past decade, one thing has remained consistent: the work is ultimately about serving SDAHO members. Through contracts, grants, partnerships and education, HRET helps bring resources to healthcare organizations that they may not otherwise have access to and provides practical tools and support that can be used in their organizations and communities.
As we celebrate 10 years of SDAHO HRET, we are grateful for the members, partners, funders and healthcare professionals who have helped make this work possible. Most of all, we are proud of the dedicated team behind these efforts and the opportunity to continue supporting hospitals, long-term care providers and rural communities across South Dakota. We look forward to building on the past 10 years and finding new ways to serve our members in the years ahead.
Celebrating 10 years of SDAHO HRET: The Rural Health Initiatives/HRET team brings expertise in clinical quality improvement, workforce development, rural health and grant management to support SDAHO members and healthcare communities across South Dakota.
