SERV SD
Recent catastrophic events in the U.S. have demonstrated the need for a “surge” of additional health care workers and other volunteers to assist public health agencies, emergency management organizations, first responders, and health care facilities with disaster response and recovery efforts. The federal program that was created from this need is titled ESAR-VHP, the Emergency System for the Advanced Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals. This is a state owned system however, and South Dakota has titled their system SERV SD, Statewide Emergency Registry of Volunteers in South Dakota.
Advance Care Planning
Recently, the SDSMA played a key role in developing an educational brochure on advance directives in an effort to increase public awareness about end-of-life care. The brochure was developed by the South Dakota Alliance for Advance Care Planning, a group formed by health care professionals from across the state, including physicians, administrators, hospice directors, SDAHO representatives, SD State Bar officials, and SDSMA staff. Click here to download and view the brochure. (The brochure was designed using a tri-fold template, so please remember to view it as such so the progression of topics makes sense.)
Comprehensive Cancer Control
The purpose of this initiative is to increase the number of South Dakotans leading cancer-free lives. Over 75 partners are working to reduce cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality through prevention, early detection, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliation. Click here to learn more about comprehensive cancer control.
Health Literacy
The problem of health literacy is greater than ever. Why? Because medicall treatment is more complicated than ever. Physicians assume their patients understand their explanations and instructions. Many patients often misunderstand, or do not understand, medical information given to them by physicians. This lack of understanding can lead to medication errors, missed appointments, adverse medical outcomes, and even malpractice lawsuits. The SDSMA's Health Literacy Program provides tools for physicians and patients to help maximize patient understanding and enhance patient care. Click here to learn more about health literacy.
Healthy Babies Initiative
This initiative is a partnership to reduce infant mortality and promote healthy babies by increasing awareness of the risk factors related to prematurity and the use of folic acid to reduce birth defects. Click here to learn more about the healthy baby initiative.
Obesity Initiative
The purpose of this initiative is to make it easier for South Dakota primary care physicians to address the obesity epidemic with their patients. The SDSMA and the South Dakota Department of Health have joined efforts to distribute obesity toolkits to physicians. The tools may be used individually or as a collective group, based on the practitioner's preferences. Click here for a copy of the obesity toolkit.
Public Health Preparedness
The SDSMA is working with the South Dakota Department of Health and Sanford School of Medicine at USD to provide preparedness, training and leadership in order to effectively respond to a bioterrorism attack, infectious disease outbreak or other public health emergency or disaster. Click here to learn more about public health preparedness.
South Dakota Tobacco Free Kids Network
Tobacco is the number one cause of preventable death in South Dakota, killing more South Dakotans than alcohol, AIDS, vehicle accidents, illegal drugs, murder, and suicide combined. SDSMA is working with the South Dakota Tobacco Free Kids Network to fight tobacco use in South Dakota. The Tobacco Free Kids Network advocates for funding for comprehensive tobacco prevention and for programs and regulations to reduce exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. Click here to learn more about South Dakota Tobacco Free Kids Network.
South Dakotans who need help kicking the tobacco habit can now get free cessation medications and coaching from the Department of Health’s tobacco QuitLine. Click here to read more about QuitLine.
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