Indian Health Service to reopen emergency room in South Dakota

Thursday, July 14, 2016  

After a seven-month shutdown that has taken a heavy toll on the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, an Indian Health Service emergency room will finally reopen.

The diversion at the Rosebud Hospital began in early December. Since then, five infants have been born in ambulances and nine people have died while being transported to facilities far from the reservation.

The situation should finally change when the hospital resumes round-the-clock emergency service on Friday. Lawmakers from South Dakota welcomed the development but said underlying issues at the IHS must be addressed.

"Today is a day of hope, but it is not the end of our work. So much still needs to be done," Rep. Kristi Noem (R-South Dakota) said in a press release on Thursday. "The problems that led to the grave conditions in Rosebud remain."

Indianz.Com SoundCloud: House Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs July, 12 2016

The shutdown and its effects on the reservation were brought up at a hearing on Tuesday that focused on H.R.5406, the Helping Ensure Accountability, Leadership, and Trust in Tribal Healthcare Act (HEALTTH Act), a bill to reform the IHS. Noem asked a Rosebud leader whether any of the nine deaths were "preventable."

"We can't say if they could have been ... but we can't say just the opposite of that," council member William Bear Shield, who chairs the tribe's health board, told the House Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.

"Our tribe looks at it (the deaths) as being part of the diversion," he said.

To come up with answers, the tribe has called for an independent investigation of the nine deaths. In response to questioning by Noem, Mary Smith, the leader of the IHS, agreed to support an investigation, possibly by the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Just got word that after important reassessment by CMS, Rosebud’s Emergency Dept will reopen. Good news for tribal members who depend on it.

— Senator John Thune (@SenJohnThune) July 14, 2016

A provision in S.2953, the IHS Accountability Act, would require the OIG at HHS to "investigate each patient death in which the [IHS] is alleged to be involved by an act or omission."

"Emergency room services are an essential part of any hospital," Sen Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), a co-sponsor of the S.2953, said in press release. "However, there is still much work to be done to make certain our tribal members are receiving adequate and timely care."

House Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs Notice:
Legislative Hearing on the "HEALTTH Act" (July 12, 2016)

Rosebud Sioux Tribe struggles with shutdown of emergency room (7/13)
Indian Health Service remains on defensive as troubles continue (7/13)
Great Plains tribes testify on bill to reform Indian Health Service (7/12)
Bill to reform Indian Health Service up for first hearing in House (7/11)
Mike Rounds: Improving the Indian Health Service for tribal citizens (07/08)
Mary Smith: Indian Health Service takes action to stop opioid abuse (07/07)
Ernestine Chasing Hawk: Mismanagement at Indian Health Service (07/07)
Sen. Mike Rounds formally requests audit of Indian Health Service (07/06)
Indian Health Service adopts policy for prescription drug monitoring (07/06)
Mark Trahant: Bernie Sanders is right about Indian Health Service (07/01)
Mark Trahant: A Republican plan to terminate the Indian Health Service (06/23)
Native Sun News: Senate committee takes on Indian Health Service (06/23)
Indian Health Service expresses support for reform bill in Senate (06/17)
Local station to broadcast field hearing on Indian Health Service (6/16)
Lakota Country Times: Senate committee lands in South Dakota (6/16)
Lakota Country Times: Lawmakers focus on Indian health care (6/15)
Indian Health Service diverts care again at South Dakota hospital (6/14)
Hearing on Indian Health Service draws South Dakota delegation (6/14)
Indian Health Service diverts care again at South Dakota hospital (6/14)
Kristi Noem: Indian Health Service fails to uphold responsibilities (6/13)
Great Plains tribes call for closure of Indian Health Service office (6/13)
Bill seeks random drug tests for Indian Health Service employees (6/10)
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs set for South Dakota hearing (6/10)
Indian Health Service cites progress at hospital in South Dakota (6/9)
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hosts town hall in South Dakota (06/07)
Lakota Country Times: Pine Ridge Hospital sees shakeup in staff (6/7)
North Dakota tribes share frustrations with Indian Health Service (6/3)
Spirit Lake Nation eyes better care at Indian Health Service clinic (6/3)
Indian Health Service considers changes in troubled Great Plains (6/2)
Indian Health Service asks tribes about community health aides (6/1)
Field hearing in South Dakota on Indian Health Service reform bill (5/31)
Indian Health Service reaches first tribal compact in Great Plains (5/31)
Native Sun News: Longtime Indian Health Service staff reassigned (5/31)
Indian Health Service reform efforts gaining steam on Capitol Hill (5/25)
Indian Health Service announces more hires at troubled hospital (5/25)
Indian Health Service facility cited for treatment of 6-month-old (5/24)
Another Indian Health Service facility in Great Plains threatened (5/23)
Roger Birdbear: Obamacare can help address shortfalls at IHS (5/23)
Indian Health Service hires contractor to run emergency rooms (05/18)
Indian Health Service questioned over efforts in troubled region (5/16)
Sen. Rounds seeking support for audit into Indian Health Service (5/12)
Mike Myers: Indian Health Service carries out cultural colonization (05/09)
Lakota Country Times: Rosebud Sioux Tribe sues IHS over shutdown (05/06)
Sen. Rounds to seek system-wide review of Indian Health Service (05/05)
Indian Health Service reaches agreements for troubled facilities (05/02)
Indian Health Service faulted for lengthy waits in patient care (04/29)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe sues Indian Health Service over 'crisis' in care (04/28)
John Thune: Tribal citizens suffer at hands of Indian Health Service (04/27)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe kept in dark about IHS emergency room contract (04/25)
Bill aims to restore some 'RESPECT' in dealings with Native people (04/20)
Indian Health Service seeks new contracts for emergency rooms (04/20)
Lakota Country Times: Oglala leader demands closure of IHS office (04/18)
President of Oglala Sioux Tribe welcomes scrutiny of IHS hospital (04/12)
Indian Health Service sued for patient death in Great Plains Area (04/11)
Mike Rounds: Indian Health Service creates crisis in Great Plains (04/11)
Indian Health Service failing to make progress in troubled region (04/11)
New leader of Indian Health Service promises fixes in Great Plains (04/07)
Indian Health Service recommended hospital executive for DC job (04/07)
New leader of Indian Health Service plans big trip to Great Plains (03/23)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe left 'high and dry' by IHS hospital executive (03/21)
Indian Health Service extends comment period on emergency fund (03/11)
Indian Health Service aims to save certification for troubled facility (03/09)
Mary Smith: Bringing more accountability to Indian Health Service (03/09)
New leader of Indian Health Service to testify about budget request (03/08)
IHS facility on Rosebud Sioux Reservation loses key certification (03/03)
Cherokee Nation citizen Mary Smith to helm Indian Health Service (03/01)
Editorial: Quality of Indian Health Service is a scandal in Montana (02/29)
Mike Myers: Exposing problems at the Indian Homicide Service (02/25)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe frustrated by treatment from HHS agencies (02/17)
Another IHS hospital threatened with loss of Medicare funding (02/16)
Brandon Ecoffey: Treaties guaranteed health care for our people (02/11)
Six of 12 Indian Health Service area directors in 'acting' capacity (02/10)
President Obama seeks another increase for Indian Health Service budget (02/10)
Kristi Noem: Indian Health Service remains in a state of emergency (02/10)
Tribal leaders question management changes at IHS in Great Plains (02/04)
IHS chief medical officer apologizes for comments about newborns (02/04)
Indian Health Service makes changes ahead of big Senate hearing (02/03)
Witness list for Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing into IHS (02/01)
Inspections of IHS facilities in Great Plains turn up big problems (1/28)
Senate committee reschedules IHS hearing and listening session (01/25)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee expands look at substandard IHS (1/22)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee to look at 'substandard' care at IHS in Great Plains (01/12)
Mary Annette Pember: Native women affected by cutbacks at IHS (12/29)
Lakota Country Times: IHS restricts care at Rosebud hospital (12/24)